”It’s happiness when one does what he likes”…

The dark and murky weather cleared away in an instant as we stepped into Mrs. Haykanush’ large greenhouse. It was green all around, and big healthy looking tomatoes were turning red… How to organise greenhouse production, properly fertilize it, determine which of the seed sorts are early-ripening or which of them are the highest yielding ones…

Aknashen village’s farmer Haykanush Yenokyan’s cellular phone is never silent. She is ready to listen to everyone familiar and strangers, and help people by giving them advice. ‘Otherwise, I will not sleep at night’- she says.

As for her farm, it has its own story.

“After the collapse of theSoviet Union, like everyone else I started thinking how I could keep my family. During those years I used my savings to buy a computer. Since I was deeply interested in seeds, I found the biggest seed company’’,- Mrs. Haykanush says, who soon becomes one of the pioneers in importing seeds from abroad. Gradually her business is expanding. Today Haykush Yenokyan even has a seed store of her own and is the official distributor of “Seminis” seeds imported from theNetherlands.

The formula of happiness is the confidence gained on a daily basis.

“My son says- you never lie. If I’m sure the new seed sort is better I cannot help myself but telling the buyer about it. Well, he will come and buy whatever he wants and he’ll leave, but he definitely needs to know there is a better one. Therefore, good seeds are sold out,- Mrs. Haykanush says grinning and adds,- anyway, I benefit, though I suffer losses if seeds are not sold. However these new seeds produce good yields, people trust us, and I go on doing my job.

After the seeds, now it was time for her own farm where she began testing good and bad seeds, measuring plant growth and crop yields.

The dark and murky weather cleared away in an instant as we stepped into Mrs. Haykanush’ large greenhouse. It was green all around, and big healthy looking tomatoes were turning red.

-Before, when we used to sell the seeds to other greenhouses I was waiting a month to see the results. I used to go there to see which ones had produced high yields, and once it turned out they had mixed the seeds, next time for some reason they could not give a definite answer …

Mrs. Haykush works meticulously. She is interested in everything. In the greenhouse they apply all the modern technological solutions: drip irrigation, and bee pollination.

“Before, when my uncle’s wife used to tell me she greatly enjoyed cultivating soil, which I didn’t realize. But now I have the same feeling as she did. I constantly walk in the greenhouse, control the works and all the plants growing without noticing how the time runs out. It’s a great happiness when one does his/her favourite work”: she says.

Instead of undeveloped land plots, Mrs. Haykush has developed a big greenhouse: she has the greenhouse constructed, installed heating and irrigation system. The 3.000 m2 land plot area Mrs. Haykush had before is now tripled.

“One should be a little lucky in business also. Though personal qualities are also of great importance. One should behave himself/ herself in a team; everything is not based on material interests. If a farmer doesn’t do his job and treat a plant with love, heavy crop can never be expected.

Our farmers carry out their work with great sense of responsibility. I teach them everything I know: which leaf to pick and when not to touch a plant , etc. All my workers are skilled agronomists.” – she says.

The education Mrs. Haykush has got is also helpful. She has graduated from the Chemistry Department of the YSU (YerevanStateUniversity).

“When I read the notes about fertilizers or chemical weed and pest killers, I understand the whole process. Sometimes when I don’t have the needed material, I add some alternative stuff.”-she says.

Today Mrs. Haykanush continues to work in her own greenhouse, do some new experiments, find the best type of seed and, staying loyal to her inquisitive nature, finds new interests.

“Recently I have started to read books about bees. It’s interesting. I am keen to understand everything about them.”

Who knows, perhaps her new hobby will later become a new business for Mrs Haykush…

Lilit Kochinyan

Yerevan- Aknashen

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“I sing for them, and they blossom by love” …