Rohith Farm

Out here at 5947-87/36 on MG Rd in Tarikere, the work starts way before the sun is even up. It is a farm, so there is always mud or dirt on everything we own. We spend the hours checking on the crops and making sure the water is reaching where it needs to go. The fences always need some kind of mending because the local goats find ways to poke their heads through. It’s quiet work for the most part, just the sound of the wind in the leaves and the occasional tractor going by on the main road. My boots are never clean and my back usually aches by noon, but that is just how farm life goes. We don't have an office or anything like that, just a shed where we keep the tools and the extra seeds. Sometimes the weather doesn't behave and we worry about the harvest, but there isn't much you can do but wait. We grow what the soil allows and hope for a decent price when we take it to the market. The dog usually follows me around all day, mostly looking for a spot of shade. It’s a lot of physical labor and not much talking. We just focus on the rows of plants and the cycle of the seasons. The sunset usually tells us when it is time to stop for the day. It’s not like a shop where you wait for people; the work is always waiting for you.