Life in our hill orchards.

The holy month of Ramadan is over, and the days of Eid have also passed. Now, as it is the spring season here in Kashmir, we are fully occupied with farming work that needs to be done on time to ensure good crops and better returns later in the year. For that, we have to remain very vigilant throughout the season. One of the most important tasks is spraying pesticides in our apple orchards, as they are often attacked by fungus and other pests, which can severely damage the fruit and make it worthless.

To keep the crop healthy, we usually need to spray pesticides around 10 to 12 times a year. Some of these timings are very crucial because temperature and moisture conditions become highly favourable for fungal growth. Missing any crucial pesticide spray can result in heavy losses, so we have to stay alert.

Unfortunately, our orchards are located on top of a hill where there is no water supply or irrigation facility, which could have made the work much easier. Instead, we carry water in containers loaded onto tractor trolleys equipped with high-pressure pumps. Once we reach near the orchards, we mix pesticides in the water and use long flexible hose pipes to spray across the fields. This method has made our work significantly easier. Otherwise, we would have to carry water on our shoulders over long distances, which would be extremely exhausting, especially when large quantities of water are required.

Considering the rigorous and difficult terrain, doing all this work without modern equipment would be nearly impossible today. I often wonder how our ancestors managed these orchards on such hills without any machinery. At the same time, I understand that they didn’t face as many pest and disease problems as we do now, possibly because of the introduction of new fruit varieties that are now becoming more popular because of their high productivity.

Although this work may seem difficult to many, I actually enjoy it. It keeps me connected to my roots and helps me understand the real struggles behind agricultural production. It gives me a deep sense of respect for everyone involved in this field across the world. It also allows me to observe nature closely from the beginning of spring to the end of the year and to understand the land that belongs to us, spread across different parts of the village.

Now that my father no longer visits these orchards regularly, he has entrusted me with the responsibility of managing them. This responsibility is helping me gain practical experience from a young age and preparing me to handle these matters independently in the future.