A WORLD OF FARMING

Meet Takhminai Mirali . She and her family farm in the unspoiled and beautiful Republic of Tajikistan, in Central Asia, tucked in the rugged mountains near Afghanistan. It’s an emerging country, and reports have it that the people are some of the most welcoming in the world, making it an excellent tourist destination. Hiking the mountains, around the numerous clear lakes, and discovering ancient ruins, is a great way to enjoy this friendly country. If you visit, you may find Tahmina’s garden.?

Tahmina has an inner strength that helps her accomplish all the tasks needed to keep a farm operating, raise her family and work for the President of the country. About her strength, she says,?"God created a woman in such a way that, believe me, she can do everything. A woman, regardless of her delicate nature, is able to cope with all the duties. Because a woman is primarily a mother, she is able to do everything to raise and feed her children.”

In Tajikistan, all types of farming are employed and women work in this industry. Tahmina’s family has a large garden/farm they purchased 12 years ago, where winter and summer fruits grow. The women grow potatoes, onions, beans, tomatoes, and cucumbers in the fields. Cows and sheep graze in the farm area, keeping the grass and weeds down. Their meat and milk are an essential source of protein for the family.?

Tahmina says she’s not an expert in agriculture and only speaks from experience. Most women aren’t experts in agriculture in the sense they went to higher learning institutions and had educational degrees to prove it. However, as we all know, hands-on experience is the best way to become an expert. Hands-on experience is the only way to become an agriculture expert. It is the connection to the land, the soil, the plants, animals, and the experiences of growing, tending, and nurturing that give women the competent knowledge needed for a successful venture. Book smarts only go so far. You could read about farming and running a farm market all day, but it’s not until you go through the experience that you learn. Every farm, every crop, every animal, and every day is different.?

“Our farm is situated in the high hills of Tajikistan. The sun’s rays affect the fruit well, Tahmina shares. “The taste is entirely different from other fruits. They are very tasty. We only use chemicals for the fruit trees once a year, trying to get fruit without being heavy with the chemical. The best part about agriculture is the fruit. Their taste is really different without chemicals.

Tahmina shares images of a variety of fruit they grow, and food they make and tells us a little about each.?

MULBERRIES

These in the image to the left are dried mulberries. "The mulberry can serve as a natural substitute for non-natural sweets; therefore, during winter, people in the villages eat dried mulberries."?

“The gardens close to the city; their fruit do not have the same taste as in remote places. If you take the good fruit to the city, you can sell them at the bazaar. If the garden were near the city, the cost to sell the produce would be less.” suggests Tahmina.

QURUT

She goes on to explain, “These are qurut, made from milk. It takes time. First, we make yogurt, then put yogurt in these big pockets. When the yogurt becomes hard like cheese, we put them inside a large basket (in the photo) and put them outside for drying. During winter, women make special food called Kurutob or Qurutob, from this. It's very natural. During the first snow, we make kurutob and invite all neighbors.”

Kurutob, or Qurutob, is a dish of Tajik cuisine, also called bread salad. Here is a recipe from the Internet https://www.196flavors.com/tajikistan-qurutob/

CHERRIES

"These are cherries. Women dry cherries and then sell them expensive in September. Women also use them for baking bread. Bread takes a red color.". says Tahmina.

APRICOTS

When asked what these were Tahmina said, "Those are apricots. As we know, dry apricots are beneficial for the heart, and of course, women take care of their husbands and prepare for them such juice during winter."

They also keep bees on the property, grow potatoes, pears, carrots, onions, cauliflower, beans, grapes and much more.

The best part of farming for Tahmina is the apples they grow. She loves apples and peaches.

We are fortunate to be able to farm and garden, to grow our food and food for our families and communities.

If you are blessed with the ability to grow your food and farm for others, wake up every morning grateful for the skills and nurturing ways bestowed upon you and share with others your abundance and love of growing. Teach the children to grow their food, and they will never know hunger for their skill will be highly sought after, and they will always have a vital role to play in the survival of humanity.?

Thank you for sharing your experience farming in your home country of Tajikistan, Tahmina. Surely, our readers will enjoy your accounts and the images of a far away place. We may be separated by miles however our experiences as women who farm are similar. Beautiful.

HOW TO TELL WHEN A WATERMELON IS READY TO PICK

Guessing if a watermelon is ripe isn’t the way to harvest them. There is a sure-fire way of knowing if your watermelon growing on the vine is ripe and ready to harvest. Just up from the stem, at the intersection of the stem and vine is a cup-shaped leaf. When that leaf dries up, the watermelon is ready, ripe, sweet, and juicy.?There is nothing better tasting than a watermelon straight from the farm. In fact, don't wait to get it home, bring a knife and a cutting board and dig in. Be sure to share the goodness.

In the image, you will see the small cup leaf below where the stem begins on the melon.?Its not dry yet so the watermelon isn't ripe.

THREE WOMEN APPOINTED TO THE BOARD OF ADVISORS FOR THE GROWING TO GIVE ORGANIZATION

Kristen Efurd , Renée H. Edwards , and Siobhan Shaw are all women in agriculture who are a part of the knowledgable team that will guide Growing To Give ? , an innovative US-based non-profit organization as it impacts food security in nations and communities around the world. Other women will join this trio of entrepreneurial women as the board expands and the team begins to work together to build a thriving global food security project-based organization and free people from hunger.

WATER, THE KEY TO OUR SHARED SURVIVAL

We all share this planet we call home, so when one region suffers we all eventually do.?

For a long time, life was good for many of us, especially in the western world—generations of easy living and abundance. Many of us have experienced an incredible life on this big blue marble. Lately, a collective worry is setting in as the issues we thought were only for third-world countries are looming in the countries we call home. It's shocking that water and food scarcity are making headlines. It may be our destiny to know the struggles that were once out of sight, out of mind. When you feel the pain at a precipice in life, it is only then that you change. For the sake of all humans, perhaps it is time for the fortunate born to wake up and experience how those not so fortunate live.

Today, reading this newsletter, you met a woman from a country you may never have heard of. You saw the land she farms on and the food she and her family grow. It's not a typical farm we know and work. In fact, it is more a forest farm that many are calling for to become the norm. From her images and words, you feel the life she leads. Her love for farming the land is the same as ours. She farms because she loves her family and wants to protect them. Our worlds may be far apart, but we are the same in many ways. Ways that count.?

Our world struggles to keep up with the demands we are placing on it, and the worry deepens surrounding us like water rushing in, threatening the fundamental needs of all humanity.?

Water, the absolute number one thing we need to survive, is evaporating to the point that its loss will undoubtedly be beyond our control if we don’t make drastic changes now. Farmers will tell you that experts are right. It takes a lot of water to grow food and we are in short supply. ?

The more food we need, the more water we use. As the population grows, so will hunger. Now is the time for women in farming to lead their communities in reducing water use. Perhaps agro-forestry is a good idea. Demanding clean water systems for all neighborhoods,?encouraging friends and family to waste less in household use, and as growers choose to farm with fewer resources.?Using systems that use less water to grow food and trees.

It’s not that there isn’t enough water in the world; there is too much waste. If you let the tap run to brush your teeth, run your lawn irrigation every day or when it rains, turn on the dishwasher that is half full of dishes, or waste water with poor irrigation on the farm, then you are part of the problem.?Reorient the ways you use water to help the planet and all life upon in.

WHY YOU WANT LADYBUGS TO CALL YOUR FARM OR GARDEN HOME

Ladybug, ladybug fly away home. As children, we sang this every time we saw a ladybug. Little did we know their home was nearby. On the flat leaf of a pepper plant, tucked in snugly on a carrot leaf, or sunflower leaf, are places these iconic bugs make a nursery and call home.?

They choose the underside of the leaf, so if you’re curious, take a look. You’ll discover the nursery if you search.?

They actually will lay their eggs near where there are aphids. They eat aphids which is why they are so important in a garden or on a farm that uses natural ways to combat pests like aphids.?

You won’t find ladybugs in the garden until the aphids arrive. They’d starve otherwise. Aphids are their primary source of food. If you want to purchase ladybugs at the garden center and introduce them into your garden before the aphids populate, don’t do it. The ladybugs will fly away to someone else’s home to find food. Be patient. They’ll come.?

Ladybugs are pollinators too! From personal observation, they love dill weed, and the pollen clings to their feet, and they fly off to another plant nearby, and the pollination process is complete. We had a vast concentric crop circle of dill, and it was covered in ladybugs. Somewhere in my video collection, I have evidence of this! One day I’ll post it on my page.

HOW BEAN PLANTS CONSERVE WATER

Bean plants have evolved so their leaves will turn sideways to the sun, exposing the least amount of leaf area to minimize transpiration and conserve water.

Siobhan Shaw is working in the agriculture innovation and food security sectors, and is the author of this weekly newsletter, sponsored by Crop Circle Farms ? . She is always looking for women in farming to highlight. Please reach out if you'd like to share your experiences or tips to encourage other women to consider agriculture as a career.