IF one sees a flourishing vegetable farm in a village in Sorens, Switzerland, one would usually assume it is being cultivated by a local.
The 5,000 sq m, or 0.5ha farm has 22 types of salads, eight types of tomatoes, five types of cucumbers, cabbage, broccoli, radishes and various other vegetables.
It is managed by Eryzal Zainal, a 41-year-old Malaysian resident in Sorens.
Originally from Ipoh, Perak, Eryzal, along with his Hungarian wife, Zsuzsanna, 40, and their five-year-old daughter, Inez, have been living in Switzerland since 2017.
The former telecommunications and oil and gas (O&G) company engineer ended up becoming a farmer in Europe when he realised the importance of appreciating the sources of food for his family.
"Starting with a quarter-acre plot next to our house, my wife and I were later invited by a neighbour to expand the latter's garden and cultivate land.
"The total area of our garden now is around 5,000 sq m. It is organically managed without the use of any banned substances. We plant based on the lunar and seasonal cycles," he said.
Eryzal, who is third of six siblings initially farmed without using machinery or heavy equipment like tractors, opting for manual methods.
"As a start, I had used whatever was available and gradually, we improved our farming equipment. Currently, we manage the vegetable plot with the help of a two-wheeled tractor."
He can harvest around 100 heads of various salad types and colours, 20kg of mixed salad, 50 kg of red radishes and 70kg of tomatoes every week, which are then sold at the market.
Previously, Eryzal took on odd jobs in the village where he now resides, and from there, he decided to become a full-time farmer after being offered land for agricultural purposes.
With this approach, villagers obtain quality produce from the vegetable garden he manages.
The other work he has done involved helping residents to manage livestock farms and vegetable gardens of which he received cash and cheese as payment.
"Among European countries, Switzerland is the most stable. I love this country because it is clean, beautiful and the administrative system runs smoothly."
FOND OF TRAVELING, BEFORE SETTLING IN SWITZERLAND
Eryzal has traveled to 60 countries after being laid off in 2014. He spent time reading and traveling, then returned to Kedah to get involved in conservation projects in Sungai Batu and Pulau Bidan in Yan.
He was practicing environmental conservation in Switzerland with friends, and a few years later, he met his wife.
"My wife and I share a common interest in nature. We decided to travel and volunteer on the farms of the countries we visited.
"In this way, we can get to know the culture and local people more deeply.
"We learned how to manage plants and animals. After a few months of wandering, we arrived in Switzerland and decided to try practicing the farming knowledge we had carried all along.
"Alhamdulillah, we are now entering our sixth season as vegetable farm entrepreneurs," he said.
VEGETABLE TRADE CONCEPT
Interestingly, the concept of buying and selling vegetables in the village mainly consists of local residents and a few people from nearby villages.
Through the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) concept, customers need to register and pay seasonal fees in advance to qualify for them to 'subscribe' to a vegetable basket service.
CSA is a farming model that directly connects consumers with local farmers, giving members access to farm produce harvested directly from the fields.
In the CSA arrangement, individuals or families buy shares or memberships from local farms, and in return, they receive a fixed share of the farm's produce throughout the growing season.
"We make vegetable baskets and deliver them to customers who register so they can receive their respective baskets every week.
"So, customers who pay every week pay the money at the beginning of the season. Many residents in Sorens use this system.
"I am responsible for providing vegetable baskets to 40 families, and they will receive vegetable supplies according to the scheduled periods," he said.
SELLING VEGETABLES AT THE MARKET
Eryzal also takes an initiative to sell the garden's produce once a week at the market.
"Every Saturday, I bring the harvested produce to the market, while my wife sells them directly from the farm. We set up a table and arrange the vegetables, and Alhamdulillah, we get a good response.
"Most customers are among those who share the same ideology about food and agriculture.
"Every week, they come and support our efforts, and some even help with work in the garden.
"Business becomes easy when you are transparent in the business world. We don't need to spend a lot of time justifying why our products are different in shape, colour and price compared to other traders.
"We plant a variety of vegetables from original seeds and not hybrid ones. Therefore, our production is not as intense as large-scale modern farming places.
"We take what nature provides and share the results with insects and other creatures," he said, adding that he practices permaculture elements, which are basically sustainable land use.
Having a permaculture landscape offers greater and better results with less labour, time and fewer resources.
By using permaculture methods, it allows farmers to plan a useful, beautiful and productive space without having to work for hours or use toxic pesticides or chemical fertilizers.
"A clean, organised and colourful garden is a soulful attraction for us, friends and customers to buy the produce. Part of the farm is designated for planting wild trees and flowers.
"This helps create a habitat for animals and insects that protect the vegetables in the garden.
"This technique is successful, and it is a great victory for us when we don't rely on the use of pesticides that clearly destroy the soil, water, and human life worldwide," he said.
FARMING STRENGTHENS THE COMMUNITY, NATURE
Gardening activities inspire Eryzal to get closer to nature, and he gets to enjoy clean and halal food for his family and the local community.
According to Eryzal, gardening and farming brings him closer to the 'community' of nature, and it has made him appreciate the God-given resources which are cultivated through hard work.
Cultivating the land is satisfying for him, especially when the vegetables grow to be lush and fresh. The community in Sorens appreciates this as they lso get to reap the fruits of their labour.
"I should be wise in choosing food, and one way is by producing our own food for the needs of the whole family.
"This methods allows us to go through every phase of food production. I feel more responsible and disciplined in producing nutritious food that does harm nature or harm consumers."
"This job is not done solely for profit. For my family, it is a form of therapy involving nature. The closeness of our relationship and love with nature will only increase.
"It is important for us to be aware about our role to nurture our environment, and to do this with our loved ones. This experience is made even sweeter when I see my child and wife wandering along the garden borders picking tomatoes and cucumbers as snacks while working," said Eryzal.
CHALLENGES AND JOYS OF FARMING
By cultivating the land, Eryzal can educate someone to become a more patient person because one has to wait for plants to bear fruit.
Being exposed to the elements, he experiences the joys and sorrows of farming as planned, especially when plans change unexpectedly. There are times when situations arise beyond expectations.
"In my opinion, working to obtain clean and nutritious food is something pure.
"With farming, we can become more patient, enjoy sharing and have a strong will. Farming is not all about beautiful things and rainbows.
"At times, there will be various problems such as storms and hail. We must go through everything because its part of the ups and downs of being human.
"We can experience incomparable satisfaction even with a small patch."