I became an Urban Farmer for 9 days | Ambassador Yi Xi
(Left to Right) Cleon, Me, Rui Yi
During these COVID times where we all itch to travel but are confined in Singapore, where better to have a staycation than in the 'rural countryside' of Lim Chu Kang? So, together with two of my friends, we stayed at Oasis Living Lab for 9 days (thankfully, with a weekend break at home). While we're nowhere near professional urban farmers, there are definitely many lessons we learnt from this short journey. So here's my take on urban farming in Singapore and why we should all start farming, or at least grow some veggies:
1) Farming connects the grower back to nature's roots
Honestly, I can't remember the last time I touched soil before staying at the farm. Despite my parents growing a plethora of plants in my backyard, I rarely got involved. My life revolved too much around the Internet (which I'm certain applies to most of you too) and I looked at environmental issues through the lens of a pragmatic Singaporean: I care about the climate crisis because it will affect the future of humanity, more specifically, the lives of the people I care about.
In this highly manicured shiny metropolis, I grew numb to the endless sight of destruction for the next multi-million condominium project. In this highly manicured shiny metropolis, the omnipresence of greenery masks the disconnect between development and nature. In this highly manicured shiny metropolis, I forgot how intriguing it feels to lose myself in nature.
Sowing the seeds into the soil, observing the seed germinate and sprout, watering the plants daily; these actions helped me to notice the marvel of nature once more. Watching your efforts pay off when your plants grow healthily is akin to achieving that A in your exams after years of hard work, but without the stress.
Sounds like I'm romanticising it? Perhaps. But you never know till you try it. So get started!
Read More Here!