Farm Fun?

Visitors at our farm.

Some of the farms in Singapore are undergoing major transformation. Instead of operating merely as a farm, they're re-inventing themselves by going into agri-tainment for extra income.
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Besides home-style villas with terraces looking out onto fields of bananas, one can expect to see spas, seafood restaurants and beer gardens with live band playing by night. Some smaller farms feel they can stay viable with this new income.

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Well, we have the farm, the space and even a nice reservoir in our backyard. In other words, we have the potential to be an agri-tainment centre.

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But I don't think this is what my parents want. Firstly, they treasure the privacy and tranquility of living in their own little haven. Every weekend, we see hordes of people descending on the vegetable farm just up the hill. Just dealing with the huge buses and large amount of cars and people milling around the estate is enough to make to make our temperature rise.

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We're lucky to live in a private area right at the end of the road. Yet, there are people who drive right through our gate, into our cul-de-sac just to make a U-turn despite our 'Private Property, No Trespassing" sign outside our estate.

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My parents treat our farm as their villa. While my dad is anxious to see some positive returns on his investment into the farm, he's not ready to remodel it into a circus. Afterall, he's already 70 and has no plans for expansion especially when he knows that it's not going to be a big money-making business.

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My mum, on the other hand, is suffering from depression from her immobility. While most tumour patients could almost revert back to normal life after radiosurgery, mom has almost become an invalid. She lies in bed most of the day, seldom venturing out of the house because of her instability and weak condition.

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I feel for her frustration, yet I am quite helpless. From a capable woman who had full control of the farm operations just a year ago, she is having difficulty even walking across the room. Instead of discussing about orchids and fussy customers like before, all she talks about is her suffering and deteriorating health. What else can I tell her besides to stay strong and be positive? But I'm not the one suffering, how can I fully understand what she's going through? Sadly, hearing the same depressing words day in day out makes one feel less sympathetic.

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My dad feels that it is now his responsibility to manage the farm, despite having to run his other business. He is working harder than before. I think having a live band playing in our garden with a happy crowd high on beer is the last thing on his mind right now.