COCOYAM HARVEST TODAY FROM SACK IN MINI-GARDE

N 

Over the weekend, I couldn't help getting somewhat  irritated with the continuous  erratic increases in food prices - moreso because certain very very  local  foodstuffs like water-yam and cocoyam that used to be sold at  give-away prices were also experiencing astronomical price increases.

There are  so many other legit expenses  vying for the cash - if so very much money is continually used in buying food, my countrypeople, we are going to become solely stomach investors🤣.

So this morning, I wore my boots,  carried cutlass and shovel to the mini- garden  and let out the irritation  on the oldest cocoyam plants growing in one sack. 

I harvested at least cocoyam plant worth about N1,500 - more of the purple cocoyam than the white - I planted both in one sack some months ago- not up to a year. 

In addition I got a whole lot of organic matter  - leaves and stems of the cocoyam plants which I have used in manuring other growing plants like maize plants. 

Though vegetable plant remnants are good as manure,  one of your best if you are doingg green manuring is use of remnants of carbohydrate plants  in manuring.

I had to plant short duration crop like maize plants in the drum the mango tree is growing. The mango tree seems to be protesting but it will have to endure the corn plants  for three to four months.

While we keep the government/leaders in this nation on their toes over the state of the nation, let's also be doing some things at least to mitigate the effects.

Though very constrained by space, I choose to do farming- mini-gardening on cemented ground until doing it on large expanse of farmland becomes reality. 

 If we have been praying, let's also allow the prayers to have expression through some efforts on our part. 

In addition, the health benefits of healthy foods cannot be over-stated . Other benefits - some of the things that would have been wastes are good for manuring - if your fruits for instance are becoming over-ripe and not ideal for eating, you can use them for manuring. You already know about use of peels of plantain, yam, cocoyam etc  in manuring. 

Thank God for the grace to be able to do this write-up o after working with shovel and cutlass and then cleaning gardening and environs. Let me go and eat well before hunger starts biting . 

The Cocoyam will be good for cooking porridge or pottage, fried chips, pounded yam, pepper soup, bitter leaf soup, Ekpang nkwukwo.  I use Cocoyam flour as an ingredient in making confectioneries. Any other Cocoyam delicacy?

#Cocoyam

#Cocoyamharvest

#minigardenharvest

#sackgrowncocoyam

#pureagriculture

#agricutureversusgoodhealth 

#minigardenresearch

#growingcornindryseason

#growingcornallyearround

#throughbredseeds

#purebredseeds

#agriculturalmedicine

#gardeningindryseason 

#growingcropsindryseason 

#growingcropsinsacks

#growingmaizeinsacks

#spaceconstrainedgarden

#gardeningincementedpremises

#gardeninginsacks

#growingplantsinsacks

#minigarden #urbangarden #urbangardening 

 #minigardening  #integratedgardening #gardening #gardeninginsmallspaces #integratedgardeninginsmallspaces  #spaceconstrainedurbangardening

#intercroppinginsoilsack.

ALMOND LEAVES AS FOOD PACKS CAN REPLACE STYROFOAM

...Nigeria Elites please be local; in fact become bush persons in food safety 

Do you know that styrofoam can be replaced with almond leaves as food packs? Yes o! Even before the Almond tree gets to mature fruit bearing stage; if the plant is well-tended; the leaves become somewhat wide. The leaves would be thick enough to make wraps and durable like the common 'Moin-moin' leaves which are now so expensive and sometimes scarce. 

What I don't know yet is if the leaves can be used for cooking - subjected to high heat like making moin-moin from beans. But I know they are great as food packs as I have tried them as seen in the photos. 

Anyone who so desires can even try using them in cooking moin-moin  or 'agidi' -'eko'  from 'ogi' -pap before me - not sure I want to cook moin-moin until I get beans confirmed not to have been grown or preserved with chemicals. 

The advantage of using edible leaves as food packs or in cooking includes environmental protection. If not before; we know at least  from recent debates when Lagos state announced ban of styrofoam that styrofoam is not fully degradable so they clog drainage channels. 

Such also constitute health menace  as animals consumed by humans such as fish and shrimps ingest these inorganic materials that find ways into their habitats. 

But leaves are bio-degradable and even enrich the soil and water bodies if they get deposited there. 

More importantly; when warm or hot food is put in wrapped leaves; unlike plastic materials that release very toxic elements when heated; hot food is safe inside edible leaves. 

I did write sometimes ago that Almond leaves like many other fruit tree leaves are edible - the leaves can be boiled as tea or taken as soft drink - I am researching  other food possibilities.

But you may be concerned that if people start plucking almond leaves to use as wraps; it wont allow the tree  to bear fruits.

People shouldn't just start cutting almond leaves arbitrarily o - no farmer or gardener will take kindly to that. But those who understand know that plants usually need pruning to grow and produce maximally. 

The logic is simple - when a tree has so very much leaves; lots of the nutrients that  could have been used in fruit formation would be used up by the excessive number of leaves. So to balance out - having just enough leaves to produce fruits.; you need to wisely cut off or prune some branches and leaves.

So if you have access to Almond tree(s); find out when and how to pluck the leaves for food wraps or other uses.

My almond tree is just producing so many leaves as though it is a leafy tree 🌲 so I can be cutting off some of the leaves to allow fruit formation.

Remember such a tree must be well-tended - your efforts  will be worth it as you will get multiple benefits. 

Sophisticated Nigerians in particular that can afford very expensive food packs should take note of this: - you can be sophisticated in your clothing housing and such like but when it comes to anything that goes inside your body; dip sophistication for health safety - be local; in fact; be a bush person when it comes to your food safety.  

#almondleavesaswraps

#foodsafety

#replacingstyrofoam

#replacingplasticpacks

FARM CAFE IS EIGHT (8) YEARS IN OPERATION

STARTING OUT
Though Farm Cafe was registered in Year 2014, it was in February 29, 2016 it began operations.

I was actually directed by the organisers of the Youth Enterprise With Innovation (YOUWIN) programme to go ahead and register a business. I had entered the competition in hope of getting grant of millions of naira to float and begin operations.

So I went to the Corporate Affairs Commission to submit possible names for the business. I was later informed when I went back that none of the  names  I submitted was available.

It was the Commission that actually suggested the business name 'Farm Cafe' in a letter. I was asked to accept or reject.

The name Farm Cafe of course sounded real cool but I was wondering if it actually captured what I planned to do then-production  of crops mainly vegetables and livestock and also  Information  services on agriculture. The last part was a sort of giving back to society.

I accepted the name and completed the registration. I presented to YOUWIN that I had registered the business to start with the grant.

Days later, when I was informed that I wouldn't be given the grant, I was almost shattered- how was I going to start the business without considerable funds? Mainly, I needed farmland which I had gone to negotiate for around Ibeju-Lekki axis area.

Everything was set except that I didn't get the  funds.

NEXT STEPS
I was working in  mainstream media in this our  Nigeria  then. Not daunted by the disappointment of not getting the funds, I used my vacation periods to attend trainings  - one of which was techpreneurship at Fate Foundation sponsored by Microsoft Nigeria and Diamond Bank.

 
Towards the end of 2015 after I left work in mainstream media - I started developing my abilities in tech- I didn't have a tech background but I wanted to fill the information gap I had noticed in the Agricultural Sector - I studied General Agriculture with  some focus on Extension. The form of extension  or information services I had in mind for  Farm Cafe can best be achieved though tech.

During the tech training I had discussed with and contracted one of the very techy entrepreneurs. We mapped out strategies for the operations.

I launched the business with funding from family and personal savings - Due to the limited funds, I could only start on very small, in fact micro-scale.

In February 29, 2016, I floated and announced the operations  - it was designed to do Business to Business Connections, provide information and marketing support to farmers, agro-processors and other businesses in agriculture or related businesses.

THE CHALLENGES
There have been many shocks - for example  - some people won't just do what they agreed on with the person they have been connected with. But they would attempt to ride on Farm Cafe integrity in collecting money upfront for services or goods. 

After some instances of this and other issues,I realised that this Agribusiness brokerage services would be having too many disputes that Farm Cafe at such small level didn't have the framework to keep handling.

Farm Cafe was also intended to give some agribusinesses some boost by building their brands. Farmers didn't have to wait till the day of harvest  to start selling- Farm Cafe can help them circulate the information that they would be harvesting in some weeks or days and connect them to offtakers.

But most didn't  want to include budget for marketing . So they would rather harvest and see how much they can sell.

It is when they encounter problems of low sales and possibility of their harvests getting spoilt that they would contact Farm Cafe - Well,  I don't want to be marketing produce that may no longer be in  desirable state. So on and on the challenges  went.

ENCOURAGEMENT
I have had lots of support from the international community in terms of sponsored trainings which I appreciate so much and have written about.

RESEARCHES
I have delved into researches though on mini-scale to find out more uses for agricultural commodities in health and beauty.

In the course of all these, I discovered that a lot of foods are produced, processed or preserved with toxic elements which are mostly responsible for sicknesses including terminal diseases.

I have discovered that food produced in healthy ways eaten by people and also animals for human consumption are more potent than most medical drugs in not just curing but healing people.

FULFILMENT
So while I have not made the huge money I envisaged, I feel very fulfilled in knowing and sharing information on how people can stay healthy and avoid sudden deaths caused by seemingly healthy but actually toxic foods.

I still offer the initial services with more great plans for the future but Farm  Cafe is now more focused on information services to preserve and beautify human lives with good health by shedding light on the root  causes of most ill-health - food and drink.

APPRECIATION
I thank God who has sustained me, my family for their constant encouragement, the individuals and organisations within and outside Nigeria that have supported my endeavours over the years.

#FarmCafe #FarmCafeis8

GETTING SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH VALUE FROM FOODSTUFFS

Do you know that you can get additional beneficial uses from many foodstuffs, even from parts that are usually discarded?

Yes, let me mention  few - you can explore and read about others.

EGGS

 For instance, from eggs, rather than throw the shells away - you can rinse them, and preferably sun-dry the shells or use dehydrator at low heat so as not to feature them.

You can them blend the shells into powder and use from time to time to brush your teeth - it  whitens the teeth. It  also has healing effects on sore gums. 

You should still brush with regular toothpaste afterwards or rinse mouth with mint water. That is just one of the values.  

The powder can also be used in snail production as organic calcium source. Powder can as well be used as as scouring powder to clean off stubborn stains in pots. 

It may also be used in cosmetics production- though this is highly specialised so don't dabble into it unless you have researched it well - I use as one of the ingredients in the organic body lotion I make  and use.

COCONUT

You can burn coconut shells to make activated charcoal - this can be used to counteract food poisoning and for purification of water among other things. 

Recently I watched the video where coconut shells were boiled and salt added - if having toothache, you can then sip the warm water mix and leave in your mouth for  minutes to relieve the toothache - I have tried it- it worked to some extent. 

DATES

The seeds of dates usually discarded can be dried and blended into powder and brewed like coffee. It's aroma is similar to coffee drink.. Add your preferred sweetener.

WATERLEAF

I have written severely about leaves  and their usefulness in counteracting food poisoning- when we talk about food poisoning, hopefully, it's not about someone deliberately putting poison in another's food or drink.

 It may  be due to the use of dangerous elements  like chemical fertilizers,  herbicides, pesticides,over-treated water, reagents, preservatives, carbide, antibiotics, steroids in the production, processing and preservation of food and drinks which may then make the consumers sickly. 

Unfortunately, there are possibilities that some sudden deaths may be due to this.

If you happen to eat or drink anything that make you feel uncomfortable later, getting to the hospital or clinic immediately may not be possible. Avoid just going to  bed to sleep off the discomfort when you suspect or perceive toxins are in your body system.

 Eat one or few edible leaves organic grown - they soak up dangerous compounds that may otherwise attack your body cells and attempt to stamp out the life from the cells.

A few days ago while going to different places to sort out some things, I bought  freshly-baked snacks  from a nice eatery and ate - I hardly eat out because I am very particular about the source of the foodstuffs and Ingredients used in cooking. But from time to time, there may be need to.

Over the weekend, one late night I had to go pluck some waterleaf from my mini-garden- water leaf is  not easy to chew but it can be blended to extract the juice.

 Alternately, you can cut into small bits, swallow as though taking medicine and drink water. Apart from being a laxative that will help soak  and expunge toxins from the body, water leaf also has analgesic properties - it will help one sleep deeply inspite of any body pains or aches. 

You need just few of the leaves for this- so if what you can grow is not enough to cook, just grow some for such remedies or buy from guaranteed organic producers. 

Over and over again, those who understand the dangers  have been advocating that people who can should grow at least some of their own foods. But if not, start shunning foodstuffs produced with chemicals - buy organic grownfoods.. 

As concerned persons, we are  urging no use of chemicals in food production, processing and preservation. Human life  matters and even the health-safety in production of animals - livestock to be consumed by humans matters. 

LET'S INCREASE PRODUCTION OF CHEMICAL-FREE FOODS

A recent news about how kidnappers killed the kidnapped victim by making her drink chemicals was so saddening.

If a person can be killed by being given chemicals to swallow, why then do many food growers, processors and even merchants use chemicals in growing, processing and preserving foods?

Is there such a thing as food-grade chemicals? Let's bear in mind that chemicals cannot be removed by cooking; in fact the heat even increases their inflammatory effects when eaten. 

You may say the quantity they use is not enough to kill. Well, it may not be enough to  kill the first, second or third time of eating such foods with chemical elements, but the damaging effects gradually build up in the system. Hence, reason, lots of people later in life develop sicknesses that are seemingly have unexplainable causes - which in our clime are usually attributed to 'village people.' 

There are other causes of sicknesses no doubt, but eating of chemical-treated foods and drinks is a major one.

So what's the solution? Even though we can clean our system through some natural detox like eating certain naturally grown leaves or drinking the juices, it's still better to avoid completely the consumption of these harmful foods - they are slow poisons.

How many people would still take a food or drink if you find out that a little poison has been added?- just a little o! Isn't that what we do when we take foods or drinks with ingredients that have been  grown, processed or preserved with chemicals even if little?

Since it's not likely  that those commercial food producers, processors and handlers will desist  from such, the least people who care can do if they are able is to start producing or increasing production of safe, healthy foods.

 This should of course be devoid of chemicals- use organic matter for manuring, use water not treated with chemicals for wetting, use organic pesticides and biological means for preventing diseases.

 When processing and preserving, use organic means. You dont have to add chemicals to speed up drying of foodstuffs.

OTHER GISTS

How have you been coping with the heat?  If the water used for wetting is stored in a tank; It's better to wet the plants early in the morning before the sun rises and starts heating. The water would become warm and would stress the plants if used for wetting. 

If possible; also do other gardening tasks before it gets hot. On Friday; I suffered heat stroke because I was  pouring the soil from a worn-out sack into a new one with a shovel. I finished that around 11am. I started feeling sick from the heat. and went in to freshen up thinking I would be okay. By noon I was having serious symptoms - my breath was hot; I had a serious headache; very painful body aches and other symptoms. 

As always I thank God firstly that I recovered; also with taking of herbs. So by Saturday morning; I ensured I finished gardening tasks before the sun started heating. Let's use wisdom in doing the work  - heat stroke is not good o!

ALOE VERA GEL CAN HELP RELIEVE BACK PAINS!

Few days ago I was applying natural treatments to soften  my thick natural  African hair since I no longer use chemical relaxer. 

If I don't soften the hair, it would be painful for me when the hair is being plaited. 

Apart from sheabutter and lime juuce I used, I also went to my mini-garden to pluck Aloe Vera to apply the gel.

.

Around that period I was having back aches. If it is serious back pains, you should go to see a doctor o. 

But this back ache or pain is one of those regulars that come and go.  

Short-term back pain can last a few days to a few weeks. It  is acute and if you take care of yourself  by avoiding unhealthy foods/drinks and taking rests when you should, it will go away and you can resume your active lifestyle.

 It is usually caused by heavy lifting or strenuous activities and certain inflammatory foods like refined sugared foods/drinks and other unhealthy foods/drinks.

Chronic back pain is long-term backpain-it usually lasts for at least three months  or longer, It would just refuse to go  away. It may be caused by serious injury  such as in an accident or underlying health conditions like kidney problems. 

For me, it is those short term   backaches  which can be very irritating because I don't like being slowed down in accomplishing the many activities that I tackle on most days - I need my body functioning optimally. 

So when I plucked the Aloe Vera leave and cut into two to extract the juice/gel to apply on my hair, a thought just occurred to me - why not lick a bit of the  gel for this irritating back pain?  So I did. Few hours later,  I noticed that the back pain had gone! 

Yesterday night as well, I noticed I was having sòme back aches after having spent the evening earlier carrying some heavy items in doing gardening work. 

So I went to the garden and  cut off a bit of the Aloe Vera and licked.  In about an hour I started having so much relief and  had a good time doing leisure reading for hours into early hours of this morning. 

So I got thinking about how the Aloe Vera leaf if turned upside down is so similar to the curvature of the spine on the human back.

 One of the clues to knowing if a plant part such as leaves or fruits would be good for nutritional or health-safety for a body organ is from the shape. 

I heard this many years ago and it has proven true to some extent. For example,  in addition to the many other benefits of edible leaves, most leaves have the shape of the eyes  - moreso, leaves absorb sunLIGHT - sunlight gives illumination during the day.   So in leave would no doubt be elements for the illumination of human and even animal bodies  - a function normally performed by the eyes.

So back to Aloe Vera and  the human spine - place the point you cut off from the plant at the upper part of your back with the inner part outwards and the tip downwards - uuummm...

So having noticed these I decided to read about it, if indeed Aloe Vera  was good for relieving back pains.

To my surprise, there has been extensive researches which to a large extent confirm this - but I can't  put all those details here.  Maybe I would still write extensively on it with specific details on the researches, researchers and where, how and when the researches were done.  

The  long and short of the researches is that the gel provides relief from body joint pains, due to its anti-inflammatory properties.

For example, researchers have found that Aloe vera has analgesic properties that can reduce neuropathic pain so aloe vera may reduce back pain as it reduces neuropathic pain too.

Since has been found to have  antioxidant, analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, people apply Aloe vera gel for muscle pain directly to relieve back pain when it is due to muscle injury or inflammation. 

Please remember that Aloe Vera gel  cannot be taken orally in large quantities has it may be toxic to some body organs like kidney and liver. I just licked a bit with the tip of my tongue - it's not even sweet. 

It is much better to consult your doctor or healthcare professionals on serious pains - the aim of this write-up is to enlighten people on simple home remedies that can allow your body function well.

#Aloeveraforbackpain

#AloeVerarelievespain

#AloeVerarelievesbackpain

#pureagriculture

#agricutureversusgoodhealth 

#minigardenresearch

#growingcornindryseason

#growingcornallyearround

#throughbredseeds

#purebredseeds

#agriculturalmedicine

#gardeningindryseason 

#growingcropsindryseason 

#growingcropsinsacks

#growingmaizeinsacks

#spaceconstrainedgarden

#gardeningincementedpremises

#gardeninginsacks

#growingplantsinsacks

#minigarden #urbangarden #urbangardening 

 #minigardening  #integratedgardening #gardening #gardeninginsmallspaces #integratedgardeninginsmallspaces  #spaceconstrainedurbangardening

#intercroppinginsoilsack. 

#growingcornindryseason

TO DELAY AGING, GROW AND EAT RAW EDIBLE LEAVES

Do you know that having so much grey hairs especially before 80 years old is likely indication of poor health?

Arrgghhh! Who  is trying to slap me? Please let me explain  as simply as possible.

Greying of hair is due to lower levels of Melanin in the body. Melanin gives colouration not only to the hair but the skin as well as eyes.

Hence you will notice that when people start having more and more grey hairs in their latter years, they will also likely have wrinkles (if not covered by makeup) and they will also need spectacles or eye- glasses to read  or see clearly. 

There may be people who have early onset of greying hairs in their 20s and 30s  due to genetic factors - that is matter for discussion another time.

But decreasing levels of Melanin in the body is usually as a result of nutrition -  deficiencies in such nutrients as Vitamins, Copper and Iron. You can find out the foods that contain these nutrients. I will just focus now on the ones containing iron - most if not all edible leaves contain iron.

By increasing your intake of these especially if you are certain they are organic- grown, without chemicals, you can naturally boost  the Melanin levels in your body.

Pluck these edible leaves and chew raw reguarly -  if not everyday, every other day. Apart from boosting Melanin levels, they also remove toxins from the body -they soak up dangerous compounds that may have got into the body through over-processed foods, drinks, drugs or pollutants in the environment which can cause diseases.

Even if those dangerous compounds don't actually cause diseases,  without such leaves-protection in your system, those toxins stress the body so much and speed up aging.

But the pigments in those plants are powerful anti-oxidants  that can reduce greying of hair, help the skin to become smoother - delaying wrinkles and also help in boosting your eye-health.

When I started learning about harmful effects of chemicals on the body some years ago, since I was still using relaxer to retouch my hair, I decided to  soak leaves in water.  I often used the juice of the leaves I soaked to wash my hair after relaxing the hair.

I also started chewing the leaves periodically  for hormonal balance such as reducing menstrual pains
Then I discovered that my eye vision started becoming clearer.

Not long after, grey hairs could hardly be found on my head. There's also no need for me to apply foundation on my face before rubbing even loose powder.

So these got me to start reading more about it from time to time. Know this: what people accept as normal signs of aging instead of addressing may predispose the body to weaknesses.

So, attempting to get rid of grey hair naturally through nutrition particularly eating raw edible leaves  is not vanity but a move to safeguard/prolong good health.

#eatrawleaves
#leavesforgreyhair
#leavesforgoodhealth