In our previous article we introduced you to the meanings of “garden” and “cultivate.” This article will get you started in developing your own home or community garden. Let us first go back over those definitions: A “garden” is a “plot of ground where herbs, fruits, flowers, or vegetables are cultivated,” and “cultivate” means “to prepare or prepare and use for the raising of crops.”
If you see a beautiful, well-kept garden, you can be sure that it was not the work of a “Mystery God.” Someone did some real work and obeyed some laws of Nature. In the Nation of Islam we say that we strive to do everything “right and exact.” We also say that we are “Muslims,” which means to submit our will to the will of Allah (God).
The rules of this artificial world require you to do something to get money, then you give that money to someone else who provides the food for you. As long as you obey the rules of this “system,” you get fed. However, someone behind the scenes still had to understand and obey the laws of Nature to get that food produced for you. By living in cities on concrete we have been divorced from the direct contact with Nature and her laws, even though Black people were the first to understand those laws and produce the science of agriculture.
›It is unfortunate that the enemy has tricked us off the land, stolen our science of agriculture and left us completely dependent on him for the necessities of life that we could get for ourselves directly from Creation if we so choose. In these articles we will help those who choose to go back to the root of civilization–which is agriculture, so taught the Honorable Elijah Muhammad–and live a healthy and independent life.
We, at Muhammad Farms, bear witness that as long as you obey or submit to the laws of Nature, pay attention to the seasons and do everything as close to right and exact as you can, you will be blessed with the bounties of God’s Creation.
There are a few rules that we have learned:
1. Every living thing acts intelligently within the bounds of its nature (except maybe the so-called American Negro);
2. You must pay attention to and respond properly to weather conditions;
3. You must grow your crops within its proper season;
4. You must look at your crop or plants at least every other day; and
5. After you see the condition of your crop or field and have the latest weather predictions, you must act immediately, if necessary, and do everything “right and exact.”
Mother Nature is a cruel teacher. If you disobey or are lazy, she will shut you down, flat.
First of all, plants must have ample sunlight, water, nutrients and space. You must find a piece of land or space that gets full sunshine for at least 6 hours per day. You must have a way to water your plants. If you don’t have fertile soil, you will have to bring in new soil.
Before we go into more specifics, we must emphasize the proper location. In general, city people pay little attention to the sun and the shadows caused by their house or trees. Therefore, we find that many people who have a problem with their plants have not checked to see if the plants are getting ample sunlight. Just because the sun shines on your plants at high noon does not mean that they are getting sunlight in the morning or afternoon.
Western propaganda portrays the Ancient Egyptians as worshipping many gods such as Ra (the sun); Nu (water); Min (rain); Tefnut (moisture); Amen (hidden water); Shu (air); Seb (earth); Nut (sky); Khensu (moon); Tehuti (intelligence); Set (dryness); Hapi (the Nile River); and Ma’at (balance)–and the list goes on. However, there is a difference between “worship” and “respect.” To understand and follow the laws of Nature, which these principles, or neters (laws of Nature), represent would be wise. However, the ignorant mind of a savage conqueror could easily mistake such reverence and obedience with worship.
First of all, the so-called Egyptian did not call their land Egypt, but Kemit, which means black. When the Arabs conquered Kemit, they called the science which they saw them practicing chemistry–or, the “Science of the Blacks.”
Kemit’s wealth was based on agriculture and her source of strength was the Nile River. Each of these so-called gods was really a “neter.” Each temple or university was dedicated to study a particular set of these “neters,” or principles.
In an article written by Robert Muhammad entitled “The Black Man and the Real History of Flight,” recently published in The Final Call newspaper (FCN Volume 26, Number 29, April 24, 2007 edition), it was pointed out that the Ancient Egyptians, or Kemitic people, knew the principles of flight and even built model gliders.
Programs on the “History Channel” are bringing to light more of the ancient technology of Kemit that others have previously been given credit for, such as ball bearings, steam engines, astrolabes and clocks. They even now admit that Egyptians had the wheel long before the intrusion of the Hyksos invaders. In future articles, we will go in more detail about Ancient Egyptian agriculture.
Yesterday, as today, different universities compete and brag on which school is the best. However, in the scheme of life on this planet, all of the principles–or neters–must function properly and in balance for life to continue. The Black community is divided, out of balance and poor. As a future farmer or gardener, you will learn that you must understand and obey these neters, or principles, and balance your time to obtain success.
Let us begin with Ra, pronounced “ray”–The Sun. Before the discovery of nuclear energy, all energy on this planet was derived directly or indirectly from the rays of the sun. Plants, through a process of photosynthesis, transform the light or rays of the sun into chemical compounds such as proteins, fats and starches. Animals eat the plants to obtain their nutrient and energy needs. Humans can choose to eat the power of the sun directly from the plants, or indirectly and less efficiently, from the animals that eat the plants.
Plants can capture and transform about 10 percent of the sun’s energy that reaches our planet. Animals eat the plants and retain only 10 percent of the energy taken from the plants. This is why to obtain the same amount of energy it is more efficient to get it directly from the plants instead of indirectly through eating animals.
In the past, agriculture was a net producer of energy, but now it is a net consumer and dependent on the stored energy of fossil fuels. In the past, the sun gave energy to the plants. Humans and animals turned the plants into the energy needed for them to do the work of tilling the soil to produce crops. The agricultural lands would then produce more crops than the humans or livestock on that land needed to eat. The balance was then sold outside of the farm, producing “profit.” This is why Benjamin Franklin stated that there are only three ways to produce wealth: 1.) Conquer it; 2.) Steal it; or 3.) Plant a seed.
The White man has perfected the first two methods of conquering and stealing. We hope to help you plant a seed.
(Dr. Ridgely Abdul Mu’min Muhammad is the Nation of Islam’s Minister of Agriculture, who serves as farm manager of a 1,600-acre farm is southwest Georgia owned by the Nation of Islam. Visit www.muhammadfarms.com or email [email protected].)
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