The diary game: Spring Hustle: Balancing Orchard Work and Office Duties

It’s spring season here in Kashmir, and with it, farming activities have also started. As most people are associated with horticulture, particularly apple production, it requires a lot of hard work right from spring till harvest. A number of pesticides need to be sprayed over the crops to help them grow well and protect them from pests, which otherwise damage the crop and leave it with very poor quality, not worth exporting or having any commercial value. For this season, we need to stay active, and in our family, I am the one who is always pushed for these activities, as I have a keen interest in them. For that reason, I need to wake up early and start my day ahead of time to manage both farming activities and my professional life.

Anyway, I got up very early in the morning as I had to leave for the orchard, where I had to spray pesticides. Soon after having my breakfast, I, along with my uncle, left for the orchard, which is located at the periphery of the village. There, we sprayed some pesticides, and then I returned home to leave for the office.

I reached my office at 10 AM and straightaway got into my work. These days, we are uploading mutations that have occurred over the past years in the land records, and the work has to be done on a priority basis, as we have been asked to complete it within a few days. For that reason, we are bound to finish this work within the stipulated time and can hardly afford any leniency.

I continued my work till late afternoon and then returned home. As soon as I reached, I freshened up and had some tea along with a few eatables, as I had not carried lunch with me and was feeling quite hungry. After satisfying my hunger with some snacks, I had to leave for another orchard located on the banks of the stream flowing through our village. This time, I was accompanied by my mother.

Upon reaching there, I first had to lift water from the stream and store it in containers, and only then could I spray the pesticides. As soon as we arrived, my mother got busy removing weeds, while I carried out the spraying work.

After finishing, I found some time to click a few photographs. It felt so beautiful to be there; every corner of the orchard carried a refreshing vibe, and I didn’t feel like leaving for home at all.

Later in the evening, I returned home along with my mother, carrying the equipment we had taken with us for spraying. After getting fresh, I went straight to my room and read a few chapters of history. Soon, it was time for dinner. After dinner, I spent some time on social media to stay updated and connect with friends. By around 11:30 PM, I went to sleep, as I was already exhausted and needed to restore my energy.

Thank you.