As I was strolling around the perimeters of my farm today, my eye was caught by a flash of orange – ripe palm fruits hanging on a palm tree, quite a number of them at that. Without wasting time, I took my machete and soon broke into a hunt for the palm tree. I got to the top and without wasting time, harvested the bunches that I had been longing to have knowing how satisfying hard work is and how nature rewards us.
I later noted that some of these fruits were excessively ripe and edible. I found no harm making good use of this fruit's rim structures and therefore broke the rim into tiny portions that made the fruit less cumbersome on the return home. I could tell for sure that these fruits were the best and that there would be plentiful use for them.
There are many measurable ways of using palm fruits. From this one harvest alone, there is oil that can be obtained and which is very critical in the kitchen of every home. The pulp can be added to thicken soups where cultures that make such consommes have benefited a lot from. And we do speak of the kernels which do also have their oil and are frequently used in cosmetics as well as other things or turned into animal feed.
Beyond individual consumption, these palm fruits have extra cash opportunities. They can be sold in the market which is an additional income that can support the family. During periods of economic downturn, owning a farm is no longer a hobby; it is economic salvation. In times when the economy is not doing well, having a farm is not a mere pastime but rather a necessity. Even in better periods, it is a means of coping with the food shortage, cutting down on costs, and providing the base for development.
In this regard, I would like to urge everyone to try farming, however little, it might be in scale. There are many advantages which owning a farm provides and it is much more than being able to feed yourself. This is for your own good as it secures food and funds for you in case of any adversity that may come.
Thank you for reading. Have you tasted soup made from palm fruits before?
