Nurturing a fruitful vision, seed by seed

A Kerala priest’s backyard boasts a multitude of fruit trees, several medicinal herbs

Ponvelimadom, home to a local priest at Marankulangara, stands in a clearing amid lush greenery. For the past decade, its resident Kishore Kumar N. (Kesavanpotty), priest-cum-farmer, has been on a mission to transform his 1.5-acre property into a ‘fruit forest.’ Today, the property boasts of a host of fruit trees — the peanut butter fruit tree ( Bunchosia argentea ) laden with ripe fruits, a blossoming miracle fruit ( Synsepalum dulcificum) , apple, orange and longan trees, a Malay apple and several local varieties of jackfruit.

Mr. Kumar has so far planted fruit trees of as many as 55 species — both indigenous and exotic — and is still adding more.

“I have a dream and it is to create a forest full of fruit-bearing plants and trees in my backyard,” Mr. Kumar told The Hindu , walking among the plants.

“It all started in 2008. There was a notion that this place is not ideal for plant life due to its close proximity to the coast. I want to change that mindset and started planting one sapling/seed after another. The local varieties of fruit-bearing trees were easily available, but others had to be brought from nurseries and far-off places. Some of the plants have already started bearing fruits, while others are in the different stages of growth,” says, Mr. Kumar, who completed a course in organic farming from Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, in 2014. The property is also rich in medicinal plants and has a sacred grove in the making.

A strong votary of organic farming, Mr Kumar grows a wide variety of vegetables and tuber crops. In the process, he has brought back vigour to the place. Recently he bagged a prize at the Agri-Horticultural and Industrial Exhibition held in Alappuzha for a 100kg Nigerian greater yam, grown on his farm.

He also has a dedicated area for pineapples at the rear of his property. The abundant yield from this patch is sold. “We don’t buy veggies and fruits from outside. Almost everything is available at home,” Mr. Kumar said.

His wife Sreeja and two children Krishna Dev and Sarawathy are his biggest supporters.