My farm, my life for a better future.

Over the years, many people have asked, "Why did you make such a drastic change in your life and left your high-flying corporate life for farming?".  To many people, it was something crazy to do.  After all, leaving that life meant leaving those stable, good pay, monthly checks, fancy life-style, losing people's respect and admiration to name a few.  My formal educational background has nothing to do with agriculture coming from IT/Telco/Civil Security and Defense working life.  However, it is one of my best adventure yet and it continues.  I have the best of both worlds: city life 5-10 minutes of KLCC and country life 45 minutes away.

While you are in the employable age, life is good if you have a good job with a stable pay checks.  What happens when you retire?  What will you do?  Can you continue to have a good life in all aspects: home, health and life?  I decided to make a change early, starting something that I have a passion for and whilst being young enough to build to my retirement.  My choice led me to something that I can do until the day I die, in shaa Allah, better health, better lifestyle.  At the end of the day, things do not bring you happiness.  I am used to being active and what I am doing now keeps me busy and the activity is determined by me.  I do not have to sit for mindless meetings,  I can make a difference on personal levels and have more meaningful impact.  Nothing that I have learned in my corporate experience goes to waste: I project manage different projects at the farm, I do P&L, I do budgeting and planning for CAPEX and OPEX.  On top of that, I finally found practical use of what I learnt in high school Physics, Chemistry and Biology.  I found out the practicalness of knowing the Periodic Table in Chemistry, the importance of Nitrogen, Potassium as well as other elements in the periodic table.  The concepts of Force in Physics also came into play when I was designing our water supply structure without the need for using machinery.  As for Biology - farming is all about Biology.  I become more aware of the environment and the gift of it.  I am more appreciative of all the natural bounty that we tend to forget when living in an artificial world less connected with nature.

I would say that I have a more fancy life-style now.  I eat quality food - majority of my food are natural, organic and fresh - the kind that you pay from rm 10-30 per kg and you are still not 100% sure of it goodness and freshness or free from preservatives when it comes from a store.  I get to enjoy a scenic and serene environment without having to spend hundreds of ringgit per night.  I do

not need to pay for a gym to get a workout but instead get a good workout in a wonderful oxygen-rich environment with wonderful views.  I also get to spend all those precious moment with my now 3-year old son which are priceless.  These are moments that you can never recover: the first word, his first step, his joy and wonder at discovery.  I get to schedule my time according to what I want to do, what is important to me and not what is dictated to me.  Is it all roses?  Of course not.  I face challenges with the weather, the  natural pests, figuring out what is best for my son, watching what I spend, and need versus want, as well as the future.  Still, it beats my old life hands-down.

Being a farmer, I am often looked-down upon by people I just met.  After all, most are still ignorant to the fact that farming requires knowledge, flexibility and resilience.  It is not something you do when you have no choice.  It is not something that you can do without capital investment and operating expense.  Generally, it is not something for the person who didn't finish their basic schooling.  Within the farm area, I have seen many start and fail, maybe some with the idea that they can make lots of money in a short time.    It is hard work but infinitely satisfying when you see your plants and animals thrive.

Sometimes people talk to me in a condescending manner when I am our market stall and it gives me a good take on people and their stereotyping tendencies.  I love doing the stall as it gives me an outlet for social interaction, an opportunity to encourage people to eat good food as well as to plant and garden.  At the same time, it is also a venue for exchanging ideas and knowledge in a relaxed setting.  Some of the comments that I have heard directed to me is : "Tengok tu, orang jual sayur boleh cakap orang puteh","Didn't think that she actually knows about what she is selling", "Ada duit, buat apa jual sayur?".  Basically degrading comments but it always gives me a good laugh.  Sometimes I am bad and would respond back in Spanish.  Hahahaha.... On the other hand, I have also had appreciative friends and customers who are happy to get my produce as well as sharing of knowledge.

The farm is strictly natural and organic.  No chemical pesticides, herbicides or fertilisers are used.  We also do not use any antibiotics or hormones (either for plants or animals).  Through the years, I
have developed our own fertilisers and pest control for use at the farm.  95% of the source material for creating them are from the farm.  The remaining 5% are organic salts or molasses.  These liquid fertilisers have been designed for specific types or needs and done with the aim of keeping costs as low as possible whilst making it easy and non-harmful to use.  I am not worried if my toddler decides to run off and spray all over the plants with it nor am I worried that it gets on his body.  I get to do many practical experiments from seed production to producing quality produce.  It satisfies my curious nature and challenges my mind.  The whole farm is my experimental area with the greenhouse being the focus.  The more I discover, the more questions I have so I find I am living in a constant learning environment which helps in my brain activity.  A few people have commented that I am a non-conformist and maverick.  Well, I refuse to accept the status-quo of chemical pesticide and herbicide world and profit above all else mentality.

Starting the farm, Suria Helang Lui - the name coming from Suria relating to the rising of a new "day" or chapter in my life, Helang from the eagle that I saw flying over the sky the first time I visited the land, and Lui from the name of the river, Sungai Lui - is one that have brought me all that I can ask for - the good, the bad and the ugly - and through it all, gives me a full life.  I hope to leave a positive legacy to my son and also the choice of continuing this or pursuing what he loves, whatever it may be.  Alhamdulillah.

Post-Mortem: Open Farm Day 2016

Our Open Farm Day held on Sunday, April 24, 2016 was one we consider a success.  We had lots of visitors and even though there were only 3 of us, I think we managed quite well.  In comparison to the one we held last year, we have come a long way and made adjustments based on the feedback from last year.  This year, we started preparing 2 months and we were running out of time.  Looks like next time around, we will have to start 6 months before the event so that we will be less stressed.

Over the months, I have received many questions on fertilising, pest control and soil composition so I did a short talk on this topic and was happy that there were questions.  I am not an agriculture expert so I only talk to what I know based on my experience and experiments - the practicing organic farmer.

This year, we had prepared over 1000 seedlings including:

1. 2 varieties of papaya, 
2. cili paid, 
3. red sweet bell pepper, 
4. yellow hungarian wax, 
5. ulam raja, 
6. indian borage, 
7. snake grass, 
8. bunga tasbih, 
9. small galangal, 
10. bentong ginger, 
11. turmeric, 
12. holy basil, 
13. white basil, 
14. purple eggplant, 
15. terung telunjuk,
16. roselle
17. cabbage
18. broccoli
19. red spinach
20. parsley
21. leek
22. serai Mwangi (citronella)
23. cekur
24. momotaro tomato
25. cherry tomato
26. orchid butan belalai
27. pagoda.

With this many varieties, our shortfall was in labelling each polybag - a comment that we received as a feedback.  We are taking note of this and will endeavour to improve in this area in the future.  There were also some request for fruiting trees so we will get started on the next month to allow for the plants to be strong and healthy for the next ever, which will most likely be next year.  I am toying with the idea of having an event during the fruit season so we will see how it goes :).

Last year, another feedback was to provide signage and paths to areas.  We have improved it but we still have to improve this a bit more.  We will work on making a more level path to certain areas including to the greenhouse, which was the most visited area.

This year, we had drinks for sale, as a response to some requests last year.  We didn't one to have regular commercial soft drinks so we prepared farm-based produce drinks.  The most popular drink was the bentong ginger & turmeric drink.  We are taking note of this so we will be planting a lot more of this ginger as well as turmeric.

We got mixed feedback on the pictorial and directions for getting here.  One of the problem was Googlemap and FB insisted that it is located elsewhere,  We are addressing this with the relevant parties.  The pictorial proved useful to many but some commented on maybe adding a couple more photos once the it is in the "kampung" road area.  As such, we will update the pictorial guide in the future.

My Maxis line went on a frits,  I couldn't receive calls but could do everything else.  To address this, I had provided an alternate contact number which many used.  However, I still had a lot of "missed calls".  My apologies to these people but there wasn't much I could do with it.  I will be going to Maxis today to resolve this issue.

Our fresh produce was well received and luckily we were at the farm because we did have to harvest more during the day.  The most favourite was the papaya.  In shaa Allah, we will endeavour to get more harvest for the next event as we are adding more plants as well as replacing older ones.  With the greenhouse now ready to go, we hope to produce more vegetables next time around.

With it being very busy for us, we didn't get a chance to take photos so I would appreciate it if anyone did, to please send it to me.  I got one photo which I appreciate very much.    In spite of feeling dead tired by the end of the day, we feel that the response we got from our visitors were well worth it.  Many asked if they can visit again any time.  Unfortunately, it would be difficult to accommodate it as the 3 of us take care of a farm of 2.5 acres and we do a weekly market to sell our produce.  We schedule almost everything and have a rolling activity plan extending to 18 months.

We hope all our visitors had a good visit and we appreciate you spending the day with us.  Thank you.

Nature's health treasure trove - Ketumpang Air

The Ketumpang Air or Sireh Cina (Botanical Name : Peperomia pellucida)  is easy to find as well as

easy to grow especially in damp and shady areas.  They only need a bit of sunlight (after all they need to manufacture their food through photosynthesis).  As such, it is quite often found by the roadsides, along drains and streets as well as in shady corners of a garden.  It can be planted in a container or in the ground - whatever the manner, it is good to ensure that the soil is able to retain moisture and is moist and not water-clogged.

At a glance, they look like miniature betel (sireh) leaves, heart-shaped leaves which are light green when young and turn to darker green.  The stems which are easy to break are succulent-like and light green in color.  The plants require a moist soil to flourish as being almost succulent in nature, the plant itself contains a lot of water, within the stem as well as the leaves.  The stem and leaves are crunchy due to this.  On the other hand, due to the amount of water it retains, it is important to ensure that the plants are grown in good soil, free of contaminants and it is watered with clean water.  Otherwise you will end up with all the contaminants being part of the plant and affecting the taste of the leaves and stems - the parts that you consume.

The leaves and stems have many therapeutic benefits as documented in the herbal world.  It is alkaloid in nature.  Amongst its therapeutic benefits are as :

• Analgesic
• Antiinflammatory
• Anticancer
• Antiarthritic
• Antidiarrheal
• Antioxidant
• Antirheumatic
• Antifungal
• Antibacterial

With all these therapeutic benefits, it is popular with herbalists in various types of therapy.    Amongst the therapy it is used in is for gout, high blood pressure, sore throat and cough, and a whole list of other health issues.

It is because of all these benefits, that I consume this although as with any herbs, one should not consume it excessively.  I consume it raw as I want to get maximum benefits.  Due to its high water content, it is also often juiced.  It can also be cooked as a "soupy" vegetable dish or boiled and drank as a tea.  It has a subtle peppery taste and absorbs other flavours.  A note to remember, if the plant is planted in contaminated soil or in mouldy areas, the taste will be affected and no amount of washing or rinsing will remove it as it will be present at the "cellular" level.

With its fresh, subtle peppery taste and crunchiness, this is nature's pharmacy at its best :)

The Joy of Eating whilst taking care of your health

I feel blessed that I have my farm as I can grow and produce all kinds of tasty, fresh produce organically and know that it has not been contaminated by toxic chemicals.  I love eating well and I hate eating pills or supplements so I try to balance what I ear.  After my previous experience of having to undergo hormone treatment, I have an aversion to anything that has been given hormones and this includes meat, vegetables and fruits.  Some may argue that hormone doesn't disqualify the produce from being classified as organic because it is not a toxic chemical but for me, I avoid it.
So, what do I consume from the farm ( these are some, there are lots more):
Fresh coconut drink
This drink is great for many things and tastes especially wonderful on hot days, especially these last many days with the El Nino phenomenon as well as Equinox.  It doesn't require any refrigeration and tastes cool straight from the fruit.  It is a natural cleanser so whilst I am enjoying the drink, I am detoxing.  A good fruit produces sweet coconut water so there is no need to sweeten it.  The coconut water is a natural isotonic so you can give a pass to all those man-made isotonic drink to replace the electrolytes you lose as you perspire - natural electrolytes: how much better can you ask for?  So, with the current heat wave in Malaysia, this is a great way to rehydrate.

Fresh tumeric and Bentong Ginger Tea

I enjoy this drink as one of my end-of-day chill out drinks.  I drink it warm, often as an after dinner drink.  The benefits are numerous but what I of for here is for the "repairing" capabilities so that while I am sleeping and my body tries to repair itself from the numerous damage I do to it during the day, this tea boosts up my body's repair works.  Since what is used is the "roots" part of it, to me, it is important that the soil is not contaminated or else I will be getting some "unwanted" items in my tea. It is easy to do - just bring water to boil and add slices of fresh numeric and bettong ginger and allow it to simmer for at least 10 minutes to draw out the good stuff from the roots into the water.  Sometimes I sweeten it but I avoid using refined sugar.

SHL Salad
At least this is what I call it.  It comprises of various types of fresh leave and flowers such as holy basil, lemon basil, Ketumpang Cina, Ulam Raja, Tujuh Bilah, Tenggek Burung, Cabbage - to name a
few.  I mix it up and use different combinations.  They all provide all kinds of benefits so I will tailor my salad mix depending on what I want to get out of it from a therapeutic benefit.  Sometimes I go for strengthening my respiratory system or when I have a cold, sometimes for an anti-oxidant boost , sometimes for vitamins and sometimes for cleansing.  I do not like eating supplements although some may argue that by taking supplements is the only way you can get enough vitamins daily easily, I prefer to do it through my meals and "desserts".

Natural desserts
We have several types of fruits, some seasonal and some that is throughout the year.  Top on my list is the papaya - full of wonderful enzymes and rich in vitamins as well as fiber.  To me, this beats Metamucil hands down.  Not only can you eat it as an after-meal dessert, it is also a great breakfast item.  Sometimes I will go for bananas and since we have over 20 varieties of it at the farm, I can enjoy different types of bananas throughout the year.  The bananas can be eaten raw or turned into another dish such as grilled bananas, banana fritters, as well as different types of banana desserts with a sauce.  For seasonal fruits, there is the jackfruit, cempedak, mangosteens, abiu, durian, jambu madu, longan, rambutan and breadfruit.  I am hoping my passion fruit will produce fruits in less than 1 year.  The two things I can be sure of is that they are grown organically and free from hormone treatment.

Farm fresh anti-biotic free, hormone free free range chicken eggs
These eggs are simply beautiful and delicious.  The yolk is golden yellow - almost orange and the size of the egg is small but it packs lots of goodness.  One thing I find is that it doesn't have that smell that is so common in the commercial eggs - the Malays say "hanger".  Eggs used to get a bad name but I think it has more to do with the way the eggs are produce and the feed given to the hens as well as all those "medications".

Herbal teas
I make different types of teas and they all have therapeutic value.  My teas are mainly for prevention and maintenance purposes and so far, Alhamdulillah, it seems to be good for me.  Some of the teas that I consume are Misai Kuching, Soursop Leaves, Soursop with Lemon Grass, Lemon Basil, Holy Basil, and Indian Borage.  When I am at the farm, I tend to make them with fresh leaves but I do  some in dried form so that I can take it with me anywhere or to have it at home whenever I want.

Summary
I guess being someone who hates taking supplements and popping pills as well as having to think whether it should be taken 30 minutes before a meal, before a meal, after a meal, on empty stomach - there are so many "rules", how I eat makes a difference and I get to enjoy it.

SHL Edibles@Flora Fest@Park Manor

All our edibles are farm-grown.  We grow everything organically without the use of any chemical pesticides, fertilisers, herbicides or even hormones.  We harvest at its prime so that we can enjoy its full benefits and taste.  Some of the edibles that we are featuring at Flora Fest@Park Manor are:

Misai Kuching Tea
This tea is made from leaves and flowers.  We do not use any stems.  Thus, it has a subtle floral
undertone to it and is not bitter.  It is packed in a glass jar as loose leaves and it can easily be prepared like any herbal tea.  Personally, I drink it as a preventive measure against diabetes, high blood pressure and also as a general body cleansing agent.  It can be consumed hot or cold and I prefer it without any sugar.

Durian Belanda (Soursop) Tea
This tea is made from mature soursop leaves without any stems.  It is packed in a glass jar.  I have
researched and read that it has cancer preventive properties as well as helping in the prevention of high blood and diabetes.  For these reasons, it is one of my favourite teas to drink, either hot or cold, without addition of any sweeteners.  It has the subtle taste of the soursop fruit.  Sometimes, I add organic calamansi juice and ice cubes to have a refreshing cold drink on hot days, like the ones that we have been having now.

Both teas can also be prepared by bringing a pot of water to boil and adding the leaves and then letting it simmer for a few minutes before turning off the heat.  I will then let it continue to steep till it is warm to drink.  Sometimes, I just place it tea in a jar and put it in the refrigerator so that it will be ready to drink when I want to.

Fresh, Pure Calamansi (*Limau Kasturi)   Juice
This pure juice is squeezed from our farm grown calamansi fruits.  No additives or water are added to it.  It must be stored in the refrigerator and I have stored it for up to a month without any problems, although rarely does it last that long.  However, I did it to experiment to see.  This juice is rich in vitamin C and other vitamins and minerals.  It is also a much lower cost option for a good source of natural vitamin C.  This juice can be used in many ways such as as a base for a drink, added to salad dressings, added to your cooking, as a seasoning for fish such as steamed fish, to name a few.

Other Produce/Plants

We will also have some of our farm-grown fruit and vegetables at our stall such as bananas and papayas as well as a selection of other vegetables and herbs.  The papayas are tree-ripened in our effort to ensure it is rich with the the papain enzyme along with other vitamins and minerals.

As the farm focusses on edibles or plants and trees that have therapeutic value, we will bring some plants for sale.  Some have beautiful flowers so it would be a great addition to a flowering garden whilst providing the edible or therapeutic benefit.    Some are pictured below.

Lengkuas Kecil (Small Galangal)

Kunyit (Tumeric)

Cekur

Forest orchid

Bangui-bangun (Indian Borage)

SHL Products@Flora Fest@Park Manor

I am both excited and anxious at the same time.  This is the first time that we are doing an event like this so this last two weeks have been crazy in preparation for the Flora Fest@Park Manor.  This will be the first time that we will have all the fertilisers that we use at the farm available outside of the farm.  All our fertilisers are produced at the farm with most of the content produced at the farm.  All are organic based and we do not use any chemical fertilisers or pesticides or even herbicides.  The aim is to ensure that we do not contribute to toxic chemical contamination of our environment.

Our organic citrus beneficial microorganism liquid fertiliser is based on our farm produce calamansi with the addition of other fruits.  This fertiliser is formulated targeting flowering and fruiting plants that require certain minerals to ensure flowering and well as better yield of fruits.  At the farm we use it on all our fruiting plants including vegetables like eggplant, pumpkins, tomatoes, green beans.  It is also contains citronella to provide pest control.  From the concentrate liquid, we dilute it at 10ml (approximately 2 capfuls) to 1 later of water and it is sprayed at least once a week.  For plants like pumpkins, I would spray this twice a week once they start to flower to ensure that it has sufficient nutrients for the fruit (pumpkin) to develop.

For our leafy vegetables, I have formulated a different fertiliser to promote good quality and yield of leaves. with our Green Beneficial Microorganism liquid fertiliser.  It also contains citronella for pest control.  We use it on all our leafy vegetables regardless of the color of the leaves produce such as red spinach, red and green spinach, kailan,  cabbages and brocollis.  From the concentrate liquid, we dilute it at 10ml (approximately 2 capfuls) to 1 later of water and it is sprayed at least once a week.  If it is being attacked by pests such as caterpillars or white flies, it is sprayed twice a week.  I like to use this spray on all my "ulam" plants as it promotes the growth of those great tasting leaf and I do not have to worry about it being contaminated with toxic chemica

We use our FAA (Fish Amino Acids) liquid fertiliser which also contains beneficial microorganism for all types of plants and trees to promote good health and growth.  It is diluted 10ml per litre of water and I water it at the base of the plant once a month for small plants and once quarterly for trees.  I would also water the plant or tree that has been transplanted after 1 week to promote root growth as well as healthy cellular structure.  If you are worried about the door, it is not so bad and dissipates rapidly once it is absorbed into the ground.


Sometimes I "run out" of space or some plants I prefer to plant in containers, whether it be pots or polybags.  These plants require more attention to water content as well as fertiliser dissemination.  For my container plants, we use the organic fertiliser mulch which contains organic fertiliser mix with mulch.  A layer is applied to the surface of the soil and it helps to reduce the rate of evaporation of water in the container as well as providing a base for the fertiliser to breakdown and released to the soil.   It is also great for keeping the soil alive for the re-use of the potting soil as it will add more organic matter to the soil as as it decomposes, will add further natural nutrients to the soil. 

Our organic fertiliser is based on chicken manure and vermicompost.  This is the general purpose fertiliser that we use on many of our herbal plants and fruit trees quarterly.  For large trees, I use 2 handfuls spread around the base of the trees.  For shrubs and small plants, I use 2 tablespoons and will cover it with either soil or mulch.

All the fertilisers are based on my latest formulation and based on my experience at the farm, experimenting different combinations as well as suitability for the plant or trees.     

Good food is our right

Over the years, as I have gotten more and more into producing food, I have learnt a lot - from visiting sites, talking with practitioners and academicians, as well as experimenting on my own.   Along the way, I have grown to believe more and more that good food is one of our basic rights.  Most commercially driven food producers put profits above all else and why not, that is the purpose that they are in that business.  Whilst some have maintain some honesty and ethics, many have excuses for why they do what they do.
The most favourite excuse is: To keep cost down.

1. Usage of chemical pesticides and fertilisers to simplify the production of fruit and vegetables as well as to cut down on costs.  You do not require as many people in comparison to natural, organic farming.  You can also mechanise a major portion of your production by setting up "automatic" chemical fertilising and pesticide control.
2. Usage of unclean waste such as human wastes (which can contain all sorts of things including chemicals from medication, etc.)

Excuse #2: To increase production

1. Usage of chemical pesticides to prevent pests.  After all, many say, after 21 days the food is safe to eat.  If you worry about pesticides, you can further clean it with other chemicals to remove the pesticides.  The reasoning: only a small amount of toxic chemicals may remain so it is almost negligible so no effect.  Really?
2. Usage of chemical hormones.  The hormones are targeted mainly for two things: 1. to increase the size or quantity produced and 2. to force the tree or plant to produce enabling almost on-demand production.  

Excuse #3: To produce consistent quality produce

1. Genetically modifying plants and trees to produce consistent "grade", taste and size produce.  Amongst the favourites locally are bananas and durians.
2. Usage of chemical hormones to control growth.
3. Usage of chemical fertilisers as this can be applied more precise.

Over the years, we have seen more and more people develop allergies to common food like chicken, eggs, fruits, etc.  To my own non-expert mind, it is only logical.  When we have continued to consume toxic chemicals and hormones which no one has done a long-term study on or have studies done and the recovery measure is via more chemicals, it only makes sense that we are causing harm to our body systems.

Often we hear reports on death caused by food that has been "contaminated" by toxic chemicals or over-use of chemicals.  Some countries are banning GMO or requiring labelling of GMO.  It is important for us to understand what these technological advances are in agriculture and how it impact us from GMO to the usage of chemical hormones, fertilisers, pesticides and preservatives.  Many fruits are sprayed with chemical preservatives to increase the "freshness" of the fruits especially when it has to be packed, shipped, and distributed before it finally gets to the consumers.  I rarely see any mention of this or labelling.  So I wonder, when you juice the fruits without peeling them first, what else are you adding to your health drink?  And, there is virtually no peeling of the outer layer for vegetables (except for those like carrots): spinach, kale, celery, etc.

For the sake of ourselves and our families, we need to take an interest in this and not view it lightly.  Once the damage has been done, sometimes it is not irreversible and we will live with the after-effects.  I am very much an advocate for growing your own food, if not a major part then to supplement commercial food.  This can be achieved by having our own "garden" and you do not have to have land to do this.  There are so many food plants that can be grown in pots for those with limited or no land space.  There are many ways to produce your own fertilisers organically and it is not difficult to do so.  We are blessed to live in a country where it is "growing" season year-round.  Whilst we may care about our outward appearance by buying good quality and expensive clothes, accessories, make-up, body care items, etc.,  as well as spending time and money to go to gyms and spas, I feel that we should exercise the same concern and care for our insides.

For me, I like to enjoy a calamansi drink and be able to drop the squeezed fruit into the glass for additional flavour; I love the joy of enjoying durians of different sizes from the same tree as well as the different tastes; and I enjoy eating my vegetables without have to detoxify them.

The moral of my story is this:  If you cannot produce your own food, or reduce consumption of chemically contaminated food, you should at least know the origins of the food and how it was grown.  Then you can make a choice: " pay now or pay later".