Today was a mix of kitchen and farm work, and I enjoyed both. Morning was for cooking, evening was for the farm. It’s funny how food connects everything, what we cook today and what we’re growing for tomorrow.
I woke up craving something light and healthy, so vegetable soup was the plan.
First I got my ingredients ready. One of the pictures shows my chopped greens in a green bowl and seasoning cubes in my hand. Those small cubes really bring out the flavor. I always keep extra because you never know who might stop by. The meat was already on the fire. Another picture shows it boiling with good stock forming. The smell alone was making me hungry.
Then came the seasoning part. You’ll see me adding salt with my fingers. I also threw in pepper, onions and other spices. My grandma always said food tastes better when you season it by hand, and I agree.
The final cooking picture is the soup itself, green, thick, and full of meat. I ate it with pounded yam and it was perfect. Home-cooked meals just hit different. Fresh, simple, and made with patience.
After resting, I remembered I hadn’t been to my beans farm in a week. So I changed and headed out. The farm is right behind a yellow fence close to home. In the photos you can see me standing among the beans. The leaves are green, wide, and covering the ground well.
Other pictures show the full farm. The beans are growing fine and the soil looks good. I weeded last week so there aren’t too many weeds right now. Standing there I was just reflecting. From tiny seeds to this green field. Farming teaches you patience, plant, water, weed, and wait. But seeing the growth makes it all worth it.
I checked for pests and dry leaves. Everything looked okay. The rain we’ve had in Bénin this week really helped. In a few weeks I should start seeing pods. That’s when the excitement begins. This morning I cooked vegetables that came from a farm. This evening I checked on beans that will become food later.
Cooking feeds us now. Farming feeds us later.
When I cook I think about farmers. When I farm I think about meals. It makes you appreciate every leaf and every seed. I got home tired but happy. Good food in my belly and peace of mind that the farm is fine.
