NCERT Book Class 5 EVS Chapter 19 A Seed tells a Farmer’s Story

19. A Seed Tells a
Farmer’s Story

I am a small seed!
I am a small bajra seed. I have stayed in this beautiful wooden
box since 1940. I want to tell you my story. This is a long story
– but not mine alone. It is also the story of my farmer Damjibhai
and his family. If I do not tell my story now, it might be too late!
I was born in Vangaam in Gujarat. That year there was a
good bajra (millet) crop. There was a festive mood in the village.
Our area was famous for its grain and vegetables. Each year
Damjibhai kept aside some seeds from a good crop. This way
our bajra family went on from one generation to another. Good
seeds were stored in dried gourd (lauki ) which was coated with
mud. But that year Damjibhai himself made a
strong wooden box to store us. He put in neem
leaves to protect us from insects. He put different
seeds in different compartments of the box. That
was our beautiful home!
In those days Damjibhai and his cousins lived
together. It was a large family. Everyone in the
village helped each other, even in farming. When
the crop was ready and harvested, everyone celebrated together.
Oh! Those wonderful days! With big feasts and lots to eat!
In the winter, it would be time to enjoy the undhiya (a kind of
stew). All the vegetables were put into a clay pot, along with
fresh spices. The pot was sealed and kept between hot coals.
The vegetables cooked slowly in this special cooker, on the fields.

Teacher’s Note : Encourage children to talk about their experiences before
beginning the chapter. Millet has been used only as an example. The children
can be asked to narrate their own observations about changes in crops and
vegetables that have taken place in their area.

174 Looking Around