Chapter 4 The Farm Workers

Originally Teddy had five workers all males but having found them as sluggish in their performance, Teddy slowly switched on to employing female workers recruited from the nearby village.These rural women folks were very tough and worked hard,much stronger than most men.

Having them for some time he found them hard working and more reliable then the earlier batch of workers.However he also recruited an "Orang Asli" or native to act as watchman at night.This guard was armed with a shot gun and a blow pipe.

He was very skillful with his blowpipe.He was a threat to all the monkeys in that area,for seeing them he will surely shoot them down with his blow pipe.Of course the poisonous darts cannot bring down the monkey immediately but when poison was effecting it,it will fall down and be captured.

To them the monkey was very good source of food.To preserve its meat the monkey will be lightly burnt over a fire to rid it of all its hair covering its body.He had the patient to rotate the dead monkey at stake until all its hair were completely burnt off.

Then only will he opened up its stomach to remove its intestines and other organs without draining the bloody liquid within the monkey's body.Following he then poured the existing liquid in that monkey's body into a cup.Like to know what he does with that semi-bloody liquid? .He drank it himself of course, saying it was excellent health tonic for the body.
Yak?.

The meat of the monkey was then smoked over a slow fire until dry.Further he chopped the whole monkey into smaller pieces and re-smoked them.When dry he stock them up and saved it for any eventual rainy days when hunting was difficult.That was the "Orang Asli" watchman not only a good hunter but extremely reliable.People all around acknowledge his skill with the blow pipe.He was best of the best.

The first five female workers he had were extended to eight then to ten.He made one of them the leader or "kapala"or head.One of the tallest,robust,strong and very energetic woman.She proved to be trustworthy and can follow instructions strictly and her name was Ah Chan.All Teddy had to do was only to dedicate all the necessary chores that required immediate actions to her.Thereafter his job was only to overseer that his instructions were strictly adhered to.

Feeding of the chickens and other birds was done by one individual at regulated time only.The feeder's job was not only to feed but also take notes on the health and eating habits of all the birds.Should there be any problems with any of them immediately she had to report to the leader or to Teddy so that actions can be undertaken to rectify the position or condition of and infected chicks or so.

Eggs laid by the chickens and ducks were collected by another worker.Her job was not that simple as she had to clean the eggs first and no washing before storing or putting them for hatching by the chickens.Only selected eggs were chosen for hatching.Later Teddy acquired an incubator for hatching of eggs and months doubled it to two then to three for more chicks to be hatched.

Then there were the fruits pickers who were to collect all types of ripe fruits in the farm back to the store.Here three workers were allotted to perform that job.As they round the field they will also have to prune off all unwanted water shoots of fruits trees,no unnecessary pruning of branches were permitted.all pruning of branches must be done after getting permission only.All fruits collected back were undergo selection and nicely placed in boxes and ready for sales.Fruits should be sold only if the Boss had not required of them that week.

The balance of workers will go on weeding.Only manual weeding was done with a hoe or "parang"or knife.Very seldom weedicides were utilized to rid the farm of weeds for fear that those weedicides might harm the delicate rootings of durian trees.Durian trees were known to be extremely sensitive to chemicals.Noxious weeds were selectively dug of from the ground.

Treatment of diseased fruit trees were also done by these weeders.But most of the diseased fruit trees were dug up inclusive of all it existing roots.Collected and left to dry,then set on fire to be burnt away.The diseased areas were treated with dusting of lime.Weekly spraying of insecticides and fungicides were done by a small tractors,mist blowing by machine attached to the tractor.A female driver was taught to perform that job.

Normally Teddy will go round checking the workers work and to see that they were properly done.With so good a labour force Teddy had no problems what so ever.His capable assistant or "kapala"Ah Chan performed her job well.

Most of the time after work the work force will gather in front of his Office to report the progress they have made for the day and to inform him of anything that required immediate attentions.In his absence they will have to report to the "kapala".

He had a satisfied work force and they were also well paid.The attendance of his workers were very good and they also rested on Sundays and other holidays,leaving behind a skeleton workforce to do the important jobs that required immediate attentions only such as feeding the chickens and eggs collections.

His Boss was very pleased with his performance and each time she came to the farm she was always putting up a very happy with board smiles.
The Boss since he had surrendered the farm to his wife seldom came in to the farm since it was in excellent hands.

Each time the Boss Rosie wanted to go round that farm he insisted that Teddy followed her around.She was the Boss and Teddy had to follow her instructions,
without fail.As they go round the field she will make Teddy to stop wherever there were ripe fruits to be collected.Many a times her children also followed her.Her children loved the farm very much especially the boys who like to climb the fruit trees.

Some times Rosie would stay at the bungalow with her friends and family during the weekends.During the school holidays their stay would be extended.Teddy has recruited a cook as well to cook for him and also for the Boss whenever she came in for holidays.For a good cook he had endured many difficulties because excellent cooks were hard to come.With a capable "kapala",his task was made simpler as she knows the villagers well.

With much difficulties a young cook as engaged but only after a series of tests where she had to satisfy Teddy's taste first.Teddy had to be sure because the cook will also had to cook for the Boss whenever she comes to the farm.No marketing were necessary as the farm has all the meat and vegetables only rice,beverages and sugar had to be purchased.

Teddy also had different ideas on how to improve the farm to bring in more revenue with the mooting of turning the farm into an orchard where tourist can come in to have a taste of farm life.The idea was well accepted by all but not the Boss Rosie.She does not envy the idea of having total strangers on her farm therefore she was against that idea.More revenue does not interest her because she has the financial means to support the farm should in the events that it is not self sufficient.

In the mean time Teddy had done well in the maintenance of the farm,although not making much profit but it broke even,so not to worry so said Rosie.Well as long as the Boss wanted it that way so be it.Teddy was not mention it again.With that ended he was requested to keep her flower garden at the back of the bungalow growing and blooming.He was allowed to purchase all the materials and flowers he required to multiply that garden.

In that garden he also alloted a special gardener to look after them.Thus the garden grew and had the most collection of roses.There were also a good collection of orchids.Teddy also added many varieties of wild orchids into this garden.Very soon it was reputed to be one of the best around.

Each time the Boss came in she will definitely go into the rose garden to admire the roses flowering there.Pots with beautiful blooming flowers were collected to the front so she can take them back home when she was done with the rounding the farm.Each time she came to the farm she also brought back those pots where its flowers had faded away.She really loved roses especially those bearing very sweet blooming with beautiful colors and sweet sense of smell.

Due to her interests in roses Teddy never missed the point to improve his breeding of roses,very often looking every where for better flowering roses.So mach so he was quite an expert in roses cultivations.Whenever there were too many flowers he had the permission to sell them away,thus generating some profits.His orchids too was taking shape but orchids were slow to flower and they requires more care.Rosie too fancy them.