Merry Christmas

I have never had a crop around Christmas.

In 2021, I was nowhere near Kibiko around Christmas. Last year, I terminated my crop around November. Throughout December 2022, I maintained the crop with water as I waited for the final fruits to ripen.

This year, I have no crop.

Still, plants never sleep. I know farmers who have to make arrangements since farm employees do get a Christmas break.

I think Christmas is more meaningful to kids.

I have fond memories of Christmas up to the point where I'm the one who had to cook the chapatis when we went to ushago. I imagine my adult male cousins also cry for their beloved past Christmases as they kneel by fireplaces roasting meat using wet logs.

That carefree spirit of this season ended sometime after we all turned 20.

Anyway, at the farm we also had a final get-together organised by the Foundation.

We met. We had drinks. Those of "gatubia" had their tea behind the tents. We reminisced about the 3 years that have gone.

The jobs that were almost lost.

The noise our generator used to make for the neighbours.

And that one time we collectively organised a go-slow because our then-buyer "broker" had changed the grading measurements.

Between 2021 and today, our farm has produced over 400,000 tonnes of tomatoes. We have also produced over 59,000 tonnes of cucumber. The first cucumber greenhouse was planted early this year. On capsicum, the farm is still working hard on that.

The farm has supplied, lettuce, spinach and even beetroots to neighbouring communities. For example, Mwangi's daycare teacher and I used to batter spinach for daycare.

Kibiko YAW has created hundreds of jobs. I imagine small businesses around Duka Mpya, Kwa Ndichu and Nyumba Tano in Kibiko, have felt the impact of the farm on their premises. Since the farm came into existence, it has supported a flourishing motorcycle "hole" (stage) just outside the farm.

In addition, it gave birth to me; the introverted tomato farmer :-).

This get-together at KCB Leadership Centre was probably the last of its kind. Come January, we are set on different paths as we plan for our journeys after August 31st 2024 when our time in the project ends.

My journey has already begun.

I will no longer be doing tomatoes at Kibiko Farm, Ngong. GH 19 is no longer mine. But I will tell you all about it when that January comes.

I cannot say that 2023 was a bad year, even if something big and bad did happen.

Instead, 2023 has been a year of recovery. 2021 and 2022 were difficult years for this farmer.

To my followers and subscribers, the people who have kept the stools and chairs warm as I told my story, Merry Christmas.

To the friends I have made, Merry Christmas.

May 2024 be good to all of us.