Schools across the country are closed due to Corona and almost all schools are on online teaching mode, due to which most of the time of the children is spent on mobile or laptop. Today we are going to introduce you to a student from Rajasthan, who does not spend time on mobile-laptop after class, but grows greens and vegetables in old milk packets (Grow Microgreens At Home).
Nisha Pathak, 17, is a Class 12 student at Neerja Modi School in Jaipur. He has started farming on a very small scale to avoid spending too much time on the computer and to keep himself active.
She says, “I wanted to engage myself in activities that did not require staring at the screen. Apart from this, I wanted to grow vegetables and distribute them to the needy families living near my house.”
Growing vegetables and distributed among the needy
Nisha learned to prepare seeds and plant them from a gardener. In the beginning, he grew vegetables like potatoes, onions and tomatoes. Those vegetables were distributed by Nisha to the needy people living in the nearby areas. Because, they were unable to buy fresh vegetables regularly.
He realized that it would take a few months to grow vegetables. She wanted to provide a nutritious alternative to vegetables to families who could not afford to buy vegetables regularly. Then Nisha decided to grow microgreens and organized workshops for women in need so that they too could grow them at home.
She told The Better India, “I didn’t want to burden those women with buying containers or utensils to grow microgreens. So as a permanent solution, I decided to recycle empty milk packets for this.” So far, she has conducted workshops for 10 needy women. Along with this, virtual workshops have also been organized for 35 neighbors.
How do you grow microgreens?
So let’s find out how you can grow microgreens in milk packets-
You will need these things:
- an empty milk packet
- Potting Mix
- Fenugreek or mustard seeds.
1. In a bowl of water, soak a handful of fenugreek or mustard seeds overnight.
2. Wash and dry the old milk packet thoroughly.
3. With scissors, make a hole in the bottom of the packet to remove excess water.
4. Fill 3/4 of the milk packet with organic potting mix.
5. Spread the soaked seeds evenly in the packet and cover them with a thin layer of soil.
Lastly, sprinkle some water and keep it in a place that does not get direct sunlight. Keep sprinkling water every day and within seven days the microgreens are ready to eat.
Can use the same packet again
Once the leaves are harvested, you can repeat this process in the same milk packet. However, you will need to remove the top layer of soil and add fresh potting mix.
These tiny leaves are packed with more nutrients than fully grown vegetables and don’t even need to be cooked.
Says Nisha, “These can be sprinkled on food as a garnish and can also be eaten fresh.
Original article: Roshni Muthukumar
Editing – G N Jha
Also read: How to protect against the third wave of COVID, Respiratory experts are telling
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