Saturday 25 July 2009

The Greenhouse Effect

In the past week or so we harvested these
vegetables from our garden.
Above are bitter gourd and eggplants.
The bitter gourd is the from the Pastor 's garden.
Ours did not do very well.


These are snake gourd or ninwa.
They are like zuchini.
We Cook them with cumin and onions
tempered with dried red chili


The neighbourhood boys broke
our banana branch.
I did not have the heart to throw the small green
fruit. So I made cooked them twice.
I like banana sabzi.

The is what we call a soop.
Its a grain-tossing tray.
You put your grain, pulses or spices in it and toss it to separate the dirt.
Its an ancient utensil
and found in most Indian homes, even the most
modern ones.
This one belonged to my grandma.
Its pretty old and worn out.
It is made of reed sticks.
These are greens called poe-ee.
I cooked them with channa dal. (pulses)


These are parwals.
The fruit of the betel vine.
This one is from the bazaar.
It is difficult to grow these in the garden
as it requires extra skill and care.
Many of these vegetables my Mom does not eat
I buy her vegetables
and cook the common ones from the garden
for myself.
Food prices are doubling.
Things we did not care for earlier
have assumed a great value.
This is a newspaper report.

NEW DELHI: Even as India's economy is said to boom, millions of its citizens are groaning under soaring prices of vegetables and food grains and

wish the government would do something about this, reports from across the country say. From Chandigarh in the north, to Ranchi in the east and from Bhopal in central India to Kerala in the south, a cacophony of voices has been raised against the relentless price rise, with the common man wondering when things would return to normal. While the poor have been worst hit, the middle class is also feeling the pinch. Tomatoes are selling at up to Rs 50 a kilo, cauliflower at Rs 42 a kilo and chillies at Rs 70 a kilo, playing havoc with household budgets and forcing people to drastically scale down purchases of non-essential commodities. Finance Minister P Chidambaram, at a news briefing here Thursday, made a passing reference to rising prices of vegetables, even as he focused on steps the government was taking to control the prices of food grains. But, even more than wheat, sugar and pulses, it is the rising prices of vegetables that have hit the common man the hardest. The national capital is no exception to the rising trend, with tomatoes costing over Rs 40 per kilo against Rs 15 a couple of weeks ago, cauliflower at over Rs 42 per kilo and okra at over Rs 22. Among pulses, moong dal is selling at Rs 60-70, an increase Rs 3-13 against a week ago. "For the past two weeks the prices of vegetables are affecting our budget. Looking at the high tomato price, we have curbed its use," said housewife Romi Dash. "Earlier we used to consume over three kg of tomatoes every week, but for the last two weeks we are managing just one-and-a-half kilo," Dash added. Traders said that while un-seasonal rain and a severe heat wave had affected production, the hike in fuel prices was also responsible for the rising prices. "Low production coupled with high transportation costs due to the fuel price hike is the main reason for soaring prices," said Praveen Khandelwal, secretary general of Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT).


15 Fertilize my soul:

eha said...

It's good to me to be aware of what happens in your country. In my country situation is not so good either. Lots of rumors have bad effects on economy.

Kostas said...

Marvellously fresh vegetables, in a flowerpot from flowers you even can produce him in your apartment!
It has also these good the summertime!
Have one marvellous and cool weekend Amrita!

David Edward said...

I am so saddened by the price increases you are facing - i will pray for you as I shop. we are all one in the body of Christ and your pain affects me greatly.
Sending you love, and more.

madison said...

Homegrown veggies, nothing better! I wish I could grow fresh veggies all year long sometimes.
Seems everywhere is getting hit with higher and higher prices for everything.

Olde Dame Penniwig said...

I very much worry about the people of India. Here we are facing tough times in the USA -- some of us much more than others, it is very uneven -- but in India, it seems to me that it is very vulnerable to a downturn, as US companies consider stopping outsourcing, which hurts the hardworking person there who was doing a good job and now may lose it. It is very difficult to be just a "little person" in this big, wide world! Here in my city, the employers are letting many workers go due to a new law that raised the minimum wage. Now the employed cling tighter to their jobs, the unemployed feel more and more desperate, and the rich notice nothing but that they can get so much more work out of their employees now!!!

Your vegetables look so wonderful. We have an Asian market here, which carries much Indian food alongside the Asian foods, but the people who run it are very unfriendly and insulting. Perhaps they have been treated unkindly, but I enjoy going there and looking at the foods I have never seen before, such as tiny, tiny red beans -- a dozen could fit in a teaspoon! -- and things such as rice flour cake mix. But only on your blog have I seen the FRESH fruits and vegetables that are so intriguing!

Mia N said...

I try to put my comments here because the firstone didin't take it.
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
Hi Amrita,
Nice to meet you.
Your blog is veri colorful, I think Indiens like lot of color.

I have been in your country with my husband and our grandson.We maked the trip to Mumbai and visited also Agra. It was in january 2 year ago. The weather was not very warm but the day we were in ThaiMahal was speldid sunnyshine.
I have a good friend and she is married wiht a Indian boy.They are very happy couple.She's husbant is from Kerala.

I am very glad you visited my blog please come back.
Mia N

Annie K said...

Amrita,

It appears that people all over the world are being squeezed more and more for their hard earned money and it's so sad the the poor of your country are suffering even more. Of course you and your family are always in my prayers.

Your pictures are so beautiful and like you, I am enjoying the fruits of my labor! My dad picked the first cabbage out of my garden today and the other vegetables are loving the warm, warm days we are having.

Blessings Amrita!

Mrs. Mac said...

Goodness Amrita,

The dry weather and price of energy sure will drive up the cost of nearly everything. Some of your produce I've never seen or heard of before.

We are at the peak growing season for our short summer gardens here in North Idaho, USA. Next week I should be picking lots of green beans. Today I had a freezer delivered for our garage for some beef I ordered from a local farmer. We try to buy local as much as possible to cut down on fuel use.

I will pray for rain for your region.

Hugs from the North Woods,

Julie said...

Fresh produce, it all looks wonderful. Sorry about the banana tree. Our produce has gone way up also. It is getting tough to make my dollar stretch like it used to. I hope my tomatoes survive. Thanks for sharing the photos and letting us know what they are. We will all pray the prices fall.

Felisol said...

Dear Amrita,
Serina and I have decided to try the new Indian restaurant in our town.
I doubt we will find the immense variety of vegetables here, but I'll bring my camera and give you a report.

High prices always hurt most on the poor.
I think therefore you may more thefts of things of minor value than we have. (sml the trolls).
We don't have very rich people or spectacular palaces, but the power aren't let to starve either.

This makes the society safer and in the end to the best for richer and poorer.

Anyway we've got to handle the place and life we are set into.
I think you are doing fine.
From Felisol

John Cowart said...

Your photos are always so crisp!

I'd never heard of a soop before but I can see it is a handy tool for the kitchen.

Amrita said...

Ehank you for your responses kind friends.

Dear eha, I know Indonesia is also facing hard times.

Hello Kostas, in Greece also you have a lot of exotic vegetables I guess. I think you can grow some of it in a pot.At least the greens.

Thank you for your concern David.

Your prayers are greastly coveted and valued.
God provides our daily bread.
The common yellow lentils called tuvar or arhar which was ariound Rs 60 a kilo has shot up to Rs 102. This is the simplelest dal everyone eats at lunch time with rice or bread.
We have a saying; you don 't have money just eat dal and bread (equavalent to soup and bread) and sing the Lord 's praises. But it seems that dal is getting out of reach.

That 's right Madison, I like my fresh homegrown veggies.But the ones I have shown you are the very end of the harvent. Most of the plants have stoped producing. Now we have to put in new seeds. The undulating temperatures and rain doesn 't do any good.

I know Penni unemployment and layoffs are a problem worldwide.
Crime is increasing here as the young are jobless. I feel rather insecure goijng out alone. God 's angels are with me and that is my confidence.

Sorry to hear the Asian market people are rude. They must put off their customers. The beans might be what we call rajma. I cook them with tomatoes , garlic and onions.They go well with rice.

Hello Mia, I am so delighted to have you visit me from Finland. You have travelled all over the world I see. Hope your trip to India was a good one. Our winters can get cold and grey too.
Nice to hear your friend married a South Indian. I will visit you to learn more about your life and country.

Hello Annie K, The Lord is our Jevovah Jireh. We will plant cabbages in the fall. The rain spoils them, but they are available in the market.

Thank you Mrs Mac, hope Nate 's doing good.
I know its canning season for you in N America. We kame purees and pickles. I know the lord will hear our prayers.

I saw the photo of your tomamtoes. Really nice and juicy. May you get many more.Our tomatoes have gone. Now we have to plant new seeds.

Yes Felisol, our God is great and He will never let us down.
Oh please visit the Indian restaurant and tell us about it. Iam very eager to know what kind of food they have available. I am sure they adapt it to the Western taste.
Do Indians own the place?

hI John, the soop is quite handy. I thnink its an ancient primitive invention. Hope FL is have a pleasant summer. Have you filled up your pool?

Now I am doing a post about snake worship.You may find it interesting.

Amrita said...

Ehank you for your responses kind friends.

Dear eha, I know Indonesia is also facing hard times.

Hello Kostas, in Greece also you have a lot of exotic vegetables I guess. I think you can grow some of it in a pot.At least the greens.

Thank you for your concern David.

Your prayers are greastly coveted and valued.
God provides our daily bread.
The common yellow lentils called tuvar or arhar which was ariound Rs 60 a kilo has shot up to Rs 102. This is the simplelest dal everyone eats at lunch time with rice or bread.
We have a saying; you don 't have money just eat dal and bread (equavalent to soup and bread) and sing the Lord 's praises. But it seems that dal is getting out of reach.

That 's right Madison, I like my fresh homegrown veggies.But the ones I have shown you are the very end of the harvent. Most of the plants have stoped producing. Now we have to put in new seeds. The undulating temperatures and rain doesn 't do any good.

I know Penni unemployment and layoffs are a problem worldwide.
Crime is increasing here as the young are jobless. I feel rather insecure goijng out alone. God 's angels are with me and that is my confidence.

Sorry to hear the Asian market people are rude. They must put off their customers. The beans might be what we call rajma. I cook them with tomatoes , garlic and onions.They go well with rice.

Hello Mia, I am so delighted to have you visit me from Finland. You have travelled all over the world I see. Hope your trip to India was a good one. Our winters can get cold and grey too.
Nice to hear your friend married a South Indian. I will visit you to learn more about your life and country.

Hello Annie K, The Lord is our Jevovah Jireh. We will plant cabbages in the fall. The rain spoils them, but they are available in the market.

Thank you Mrs Mac, hope Nate 's doing good.
I know its canning season for you in N America. We kame purees and pickles. I know the lord will hear our prayers.

I saw the photo of your tomamtoes. Really nice and juicy. May you get many more.Our tomatoes have gone. Now we have to plant new seeds.

Yes Felisol, our God is great and He will never let us down.
Oh please visit the Indian restaurant and tell us about it. Iam very eager to know what kind of food they have available. I am sure they adapt it to the Western taste.
Do Indians own the place?

hI John, the soop is quite handy. I thnink its an ancient primitive invention. Hope FL is have a pleasant summer. Have you filled up your pool?

Now I am doing a post about snake worship.You may find it interesting.

Rosemary said...

Oh, Amrita, I am so sorry that things are becoming difficult. I hope that the weather improves and the fuel prices go down so that eventually the cost of the vegetables will improve. I do understand that much of the Indian diet is reliant upon fresh vegetables (probably why it is a much healthier diet), but that certainly is difficult when the costs are soaring.

I think of you often and hope you are doing well.

Amrita said...

Today the government declared my district with several others as drought ridden. They should at least provide some succor for those living below the poverty line. I read that children were suffering from malnutrition in an orphange.

Everyone you meet complains about the prices.
If one buys poor quality chaeper stuff then there is the danger of getting sick.

Our church helper told us he saw a man from a nearby resturant throw a big chicken and fish on the garbnage heap and the animals got it. It was 3 days old lying in the firdge and they are supposed to discard it as stale food.Sometimes poor people lay in wait for them to throw stale food and they grab it before the animals do.