At a time when people find excuses not to do farming, a 75-year-old man in Kerala is showing the world that farming can definitely be a way of life with not much stress and sustainable living. In fact, at the age of 75, Kunjikrishnan of Payyannur in Kannur has also achieved what many thought was impossible—turning a barren and unusable land into a thriving organic vegetable farm.
For the last five decades, Kunjikrishnan has been eking out a living doing organic farming on his three-acre land, but he revealed his true skill as a farmer when he transformed another three acres of land which had been lying barren for years into a verdant paradise of organic produce.
With careful planning and sustainable practices, he enriched the soil through organic composting, crop rotation, and natural pest control methods. Slowly, the once-barren land blossomed into a lush, green farm, producing a wide variety of vegetables such as tomatoes, spinach, and gourds.
For him, farming is not just an occupation but a way of life, and he is content with the fruits of his labour. What sets his family, comprising his two sons, apart is their unwavering commitment to consuming only what they grow, a practice that has kept them healthy.
“We only eat what we make on our farm. We don’t use any type of chemicals or pesticides on our farm. The earth provides everything we need if we treat her right,” Kunjikrishnan, who has studied only up to sixth standard, told “Open Digest“.
Kunjikrishnan’s life challenges the notion that education and progress are measured solely by degrees and material possessions. In a world grappling with climate change and food security issues, his simple yet profound approach to life offers valuable lessons. “I may not have much money or wealth in my possession. But I sleep well knowing that I’ve lived in harmony with nature and have never gone to bed hungry. That’s the real wealth I’m passing on to my sons,” he said.
