From Barren Land to Blooming Dreams: A Journey of Determination and Transformation
For years, I had dreamed of cultivating something meaningful on our ancestral land, which spans 2 ½ acres. Yet, despite my passion, the land remained barren. Every time I saw weeds and shrubs growing, a sense of concern would rise within me—why hadn’t I begun yet? Three years ago, my father noticed my growing interest when I started accompanying him almost every weekend to Malavalli. However, he wasn’t entirely convinced that I could handle the task. In fact, he even considered handing the land over to my uncle. Over time, though, my father saw how serious I was about this dream, and eventually, he began to share in my vision of transforming our barren land into a vibrant, green space.The opportunity finally came two months after my father’s passing. Some local villagers expressed interest in organizing a cattle race and wanted to clear half of the land for the event. They worked on half, and I arranged for the remaining portion to be cleared by October. I decided to plant Horse gram across the entire 2 ½ acres in stages, as the land was being leveled with a rotary. After consulting with the villagers, they suggested that this approach would work well, believing that the natural rainfall would be sufficient and that weeds wouldn’t be much of an issue.
Though I didn’t have a borewell installed, I took the risk. Horsegram typically takes about 3-4 months to mature, and the seeds I planted in late October began to bloom in January. However, due to a shortage of labor, I had to harvest the crop by the end of February. Once the crop was ready, the labor-intensive process began. We plucked the plants from their roots and gathered them together. To separate the seeds, we spread the crops on the road and drove vehicles—such as tractors and buses—over them. Meanwhile, a few workers used brooms to push the crops back onto the road until enough vehicles had passed over. Once this is done, the seeds are collected with brooms, sieved to remove debris, and then grains are gathered into sacks.
Nevertheless, I was able to harvest substantial amount of Horsegram. The journey has not been easy, filled with challenges such as labor shortages, reliance on others, being underestimated, unpredictable weather, and the associated costs. But when determination fuels your efforts, nothing can stop you from reaping the rewards of your hard work.
Though I have not made a profit, considering the expenses for seeds, land levelling, labor, and travel, I’m proud to have taken the first steps toward realizing a dream I’ve always had. The experience gained is invaluable. My only regret is that my father isn’t here to see the harvest, but I know his blessings will always be with me.
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