Jordan Valley Farmer Debunks Myth of Half-Year Rest
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
Moshe Kochavi, a founder of the Tomer settlement in the Jordan Valley, spoke about the continuous, year-round labor required in the region's agriculture, refuting earlier promises of extended rest periods for settlers. His account is part of a project documenting the history of Israeli settlement.
The story in 4 lines · by baba
- Jordan Valley farmer debunks myth of half-year rest for settlers.
- Moshe Kochavi calls early promises of rest 'grandmother's tales'.
- Agricultural work in the Jordan Valley is a year-round commitment.
- Project documents the history of Israeli settlement and its pioneers.
Moshe Kochavi, a founder of the Tomer settlement in the Jordan Valley, has shared his experiences with the "Documentation of Settlement Founders and Archives" project, an initiative by the Ministry of Heritage and the Council for Conservation of Heritage Sites in Israel. The project aims to document the establishment of settlements across various regions of Israel, including the Jordan Valley, Judea, Samaria, Benjamin, the Golan Heights, and the Galilee, by interviewing pioneers and preserving their stories for future generations.
Kochavi recounted the early promises made to settlers upon arriving in the Jordan Valley. "They told us, 'You are going to the Valley - six months working, six months resting and traveling abroad.' These were grandmother's tales," he stated, highlighting the stark contrast with the reality of agricultural life in the region.
He explained that the Jordan Valley's agricultural cycle involves planting vegetables, with very hot summers and pleasant winters, but also nights with severe frost that can damage crops. Kochavi emphasized that the work is continuous throughout the year, debunking the notion of extended rest periods. "We finish a season in May, we start cleaning the fields, we start cultivating them, and in August, we are already planting, and it continues until May. There's no such thing as resting, maybe only in legends," he said.
The interview, conducted by Mordei Kershner and Noam Damski, is part of a larger effort to capture the history of Israeli settlement. Kochavi's testimony underscores the demanding and year-round nature of farming in the challenging environment of the Jordan Valley.