“AGROECOLOGY FOR ALL: Initiatives in Malaysia” – URBAN GARDEN
SARA AYUNI HAMDAN
The Real Patience and Perseverance that Nourish Life
A visit to Sara Ayuni Hamdan’s home garden at Nibong Tebal, Pulau Pinang, enlightened us on how much a home garden could help a family to sustain and prosper.
In 2013, Sara worked at the Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) for a short period. At that time, she was attracted to its then president, S. M. Mohamed Idris’ philosophy of simple living and high thinking and was ever determined to lead such a life.
One of the advice from Idris that she still practises is a minimalist lifestyle and providing the family with good quality food and the right education. The latter, she said, she had successfully achieved through her home gardening.
From Garden to Kitchen: Sara Ayuni’s Family Fed With Best Food
Sara’s home garden in a small plot features a variety of plants such as butterfly pea, moringa, bayam, kailan, rosemary and a lot more that prosper according to the seasons and needs of her family.
“My children love fried rice and noodles. My mother’s version of fried rice and noodles comes with a mix of sawi (mustard leaves). I replaced it with bayam (spinach) since I grow a lot of them and the children relish it as well.
“Moringa is not much used in traditional Malay recipes. However, owing to its immense health benefits, I add the leaves in the preparation of the omelette.
“So, growing my own vegetables gives me an opportunity to break the norm and experiment with new recipes,” stressed Sara.
“Being a mother, I realise how crucial it is to protect the children from soft drinks that come in different colours and flavours. In that sense, the butterfly pea is my saviour. You can make a wonderful blue-hued cocktail with this.
“Infuse the butterfly pea flowers in boiled water for a few minutes, add lemon juice and brown sugar, and the final result will tether your children to the drink forever,” guaranteed Sara.
Sara tried to procure other vegetables from her own garden, except for the carrot, tomato, and poultry.
It doesn’t mean Sara gets to enjoy all the plants in all the seasons. She practises crop rotation. After the harvest comes to an end in one plot, she plants a different variety of vegetables in the same plot, thereby preserving the soil health.
“After my graduation, I worked in 2 different places and ended up resigning from both within a short period of time. Then I realised I do not fit into a 9-to-5 job that constricts and dictates my movements.
“My family and friends said I was not patient enough to stay and try. This I have disproved by successfully experimenting with and growing a wide range of plants and trees.
“I tried to grow tomatoes, but they did not give yield. I gathered information about growing tomatoes successfully through friends and Google and am still experimenting and will not give up until I see the result.
“I believe this is the real patience and perseverance that nourish our lives. Adding to this, I have all the freedom to explore my own things,” summed up Sara.
