Alappuzha: A government employee who worked hard in the sandy soil during the lockdown has now reaped gold for his efforts. Kanjikkuzhi native M Satheesh, an employee at PSC office in Alappuzha, utilised the COVID lockdown period for agriculture.
Satheesh's father Manoharan, a retired panchayat secretary, is a traditional paddy farmer. Satheesh started farming as per the advice of his father. As the offices were closed during the lockdown, he got plenty of time to take care of the farm.
Satheesh planted 50 papaya trees, 50 banana trees, 35 Njalipoovan banana trees and vegetables like long beans, okra, brinjal, spinach, green chilli, yam, taro, purple yam, nutmeg and ivy gourd in one acre land. Spinach was harvested already and other crops are being reaped now.
Satheesh followed only organic method of farming. He used chicken manure, bone manure, and cow dung as fertilizer and applied organic pest control methods only. His mother Vasundhara and wife Rashmi also help him in the farm works.