The farming life Pt II
Indira Narine (Carl Croker photos)
Indira Narine (Carl Croker photos)

By Michel Outridge

Rampersaud [only name] and his family are residents of Ruby Backdam, East Bank Essequibo and, like the majority of residents, are farmers.

He has been residing in the village for the past 39 years and has four children and a wife, all of whom assist in the farm.

The 40-year-old has a cultivation of cash crops which sits on 10 acres of land and a 12-acre rice crop, right in the community.

Rampersaud stated that two of his children attend Parika Secondary School and the younger one is a pupil of Ruby Primary School, which is located in the village.

When the Pepperpot Magazine caught up with him he was relaxing after hours on the farm and was expected to return to tend to his crops.

Rampersaud added that life is simple in Ruby Backdam because is only farming is done there but he has an issue with a blocked canal that he would source water for his crops, especially his cabbage, which requires a lot of water for proper growth.

Farmer Rampersaud

He will, however, engage the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) for redress in the matter and apart from that, he is quite pleased with his life there.

The team also encountered Indira Narine and her extended family, at the time, they were under their house relaxing in hammocks after a day of farming.

The mother of three reported that they have a farm of bananas and fruits and they would sell it at the La Penitence Market once weekly and it is their only source of income.

Narine said apart from farming she has some creole fowls for her own home use and a garden of vegetables.

She has been residing in Ruby Backdam for the past 27 years and described life there as comfortable with no real issues but the need for potable water.

“Life okay here and we don’t have to worry about bandits or anything because people look out for each other and the life of farmers is hard but we does try to make our life good,” she said.

Narine comes from an extended family setting in which her mother resides with her family and she is quite pleased to have her lived one with her.

She added that since they farm on a large scale they spend a lot of time tending to crops and it is a job they have been doing for as long as they can remember.

“People around here don’t idle because farming means a lot of time in the farm and we don’t waste time,” she said.

Narine told the team when Market Day they would journey to the city with the hope of selling all their produce and her sons would assist in the process of transport.

“This is home and our life is here and we are satisfied with it and one would be content once they work and provide for the household,” she explained.

Narine had finished preparing lunch and was engaged in a family chat with several relatives and a neighbour to have lunch before returning to the farm, which is aback their property.

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