By Michel Outridge

THE Pepperpot Magazine met Rameena Khan, whose brother is the lone large scale poultry farmer in Ruby Backdam, East Bank Essequibo.

“I am very happy you came because we don’t normally get visitors here and it’s nice to see you,” she said as she welcomed the team to her house.

Khan stated that her house is next door to the chicken farm which has nine large pens and they rear more than 50,000 at any given time.

“This is my brother’s business but we live and work with him and we oversee the operations when he is not around,” she said

She is originally from Leguan, Essequibo River and has been residing at Ruby Backdam for the past five years with her family.

The mother of two related that both she and her husband works on the chicken farm along with three other employees daily.

Their job includes feeding the chickens and ensure they are hydrated via an automatic system (water distribution) which was set up for that purpose.

“This business is a give and take one because sometimes some chickens die depending on the weather and it carries a loss,” she said.

Khan related that her brother has a place on Ruby Public Road where he would pluck the chickens and sell once they are fully grown.

“Life is very nice here because as you can see we have a lot of space and your nearest neighbour is some distance away and here we don’t have to worry about thieves or anything because one can leave their door open and go out and nothing would be missing,” she said.

Khan stated that despite a few challenges they make do quite well and enjoy a very quiet and peaceful life at Ruby Backdam.

Her house is without electricity and they would make use of the solar panels they installed and they also have a battery to assist in charging their cell phones and other electrical appliances.

Khan pointed out that once they get electricity and potable water supply their lives would be enhanced greatly.

The team also met Jagmohan Singh, a resident, who has lived all his life in Ruby Backdam and is no stranger to farming.

He is also a farmer, like his parents and that is helping him to take care of his children and wife.

Singh pointed out that from way back then to now a lot of changes took place, like a good asphalt road was paved because they had a mud dam as a road then a crusher/run kind of road to the now all-weather road.

He added that they have good drainage and irrigation in the village and people co-exist in peace and live in unity even though the next door neighbour is some distance away.

“I born and grow here and I am making a living here as well, and I am contented with my life even though framing is not an office job but it is back-breaking work around the clock I do it because I get to like it a lot,” he said.

The 46-year-old told the team that life is quiet and simple at Ruby Backdam but one must work to provide for their family and he is comfortable residing there.

The father of two stated that he has a plot of land behind his house he utilises for farming and some land about two miles away where he has a cultivation of cash crops.

Singh added that all produce is sold to wholesalers in bulk quantities at Bourda and Parika Markets.

“This road is about three miles long from the Public Road and there is no taxi service here or buses that would transport passengers like regular villages so most people have their own vehicles and we would assist those who don’t have,” he explained.

The farmer disclosed that he has electricity and it is just a matter of time before they get landline phones, internet and potable water supply.

Singh disclosed that Ruby Backdam is the ideal place for farming and of the 50 families that reside there are all farmers except for one poultry farmer.

He told the team that the life of a farmer is hard but he is accustomed to it and he would wake up early to tend to his crops and try to return home by midday before the sun gets really hot.