NCERT Book Class 4 EVS Basvas Farm

Chapter 14

Basva;s Farm

I am Basva. My father is a farmer. We live in Belvanika village in Karnataka. It is the month of July. Like every year, Appa, my father, is preparing the field to sow the onion crop. There are so many things to be done at this time. To help him I too go to the field with Appa. In the last few days, Appa has been using the Khunti (an iron rod) to dig the soil, loosen it and make it soft.

Find out

Ö In Basva’s area an implement called Khunti is used to loosen the soil. What is this kind of implement called in your area?

For the teacher: This lesson talks about the process of cultivating an onion crop. You can use this as an example to encourage children to find out and describe the process for growing some crops that are common in their area.

Ö Find out from a farmer or some elders in your family, what kinds of crops are grown in your area.

Sowing the Seeds

This year also my father will sow onion seeds in the field. The bullocks will pull the Kurige and Appa will walk behind them, sprinkling the seeds. I would also like to do this, just like my Appa. But Appa says that it is necessary to drop the right amount of seeds at a regular distance. This is not so easy to do. He says that I may drop too many seeds at one place. I must wait till I am a little older to be able to do this properly.

The Sprouts Appear

It is now twenty days since the seeds were sown. The onion plants have started to sprout. Along with onion plants, weeds have also come up. Weeds grow in fields and gardens, without being planted. Appa says that we must remove the weeds so that they do not take up all the water and fertilisers. If there are too many weeds, then the onion plants will not be healthy. Amma, Uncle and I, we all help Appa to take out the weeds.

Growing Plants

I am happy to see the plants growing. They are tall enough to reach my knees. The leaves have started turning yellow and drying up. This means that the onions are ready to be taken out. I may not go to school for the next few days since I will also need to help.

Do you know why?

Everyone at home will have to work to take the onions out. It is important that this should be done at the right time. If we are late, the onions will rot in the ground itself and all our hard work will be wasted.

Ö Basva helps his father in the field. Do you help the elders in your family in their work? What do you help with?

Please refer to attached file for NCERT Class 4 EVS Basva;s Farm