R Shipa(Harvestor)

This business is run from our home at H. No. 3-67 in Kasulabad village. I’m the wife of Mallesham, and we handle the harvester operations together. It’s a big piece of machinery and it’s basically our livelihood during the peak seasons here in Mirdoddi. When the crops are ready, there isn't much time for sleep. We have to move the harvester from field to field as quickly as we can. It’s a lot of coordination with the local farmers who are all anxious to get their grain in before the rains come. During the off-season, we spend our time doing maintenance and making sure everything is greased and ready for the next year. It’s a noisy, dusty job, but there is something satisfying about seeing the work get done. We’ve been part of this community for a long time. Our house is always open for neighbors who need to talk about the upcoming season. We don't have any fancy offices; our office is the field and our yard. It’s hard work, and the machine parts can be expensive to replace. We just take it day by day and try to keep everything running smoothly. The harvest is the most important time of the year for everyone around Kasulabad, and we’re just glad to have a part in it. It’s a simple way of life rooted in the land and the changing seasons we see every year.