Confessions of a Cauliflower Cultivator

I knew that from day one. The guys at neighboring farm were up to something. They were doing something with cabbage. Something odd, that every season, the cabbages of their field became whiter and whiter. Was that the leaf or the flower? I didn't know back then. I am not that silly to jump over the fence and have a look at it. But they harvested it, loaded in carts and sent it to some unknown place every season. It happened by accident. I was in the town to sell my cabbages. There was a new shop in the market. They sold some fried food. People were all around the shop, shouting and pushing each other. It made me curious. I went near the shop.They were selling some red stuff deep fried in oil. When I was waiting for my plate of the fries, I saw the cart.

The same cart of my neighbor, which he used to carry the white stuff. The cart was parked behind the shop and his men were unloading the white stuff from the cart. Before I could get a better view, I was given my plate of the fries and asked to move on. The stuff was hot. It was nothing but the regular batter they used for other such fries. But inside it, it was the white stuff. Crunchy and juicy, with a taste that was similar to cabbage stem. But the upper part of the stuff was somewhat rough and grainy in texture. So this is the stuff they are harvesting and selling secretly! I waited in the market till evening. When the crowd had gone and the shopkeeper was counting his money, I went to him.

I asked him, what was that stuff he was selling. He gave me an odd look and continued counting his money. I told him that I am from the same village as the other farmer who supplied him the stuff. He gave me a stare and asked what I wanted. I said, I will pay you twice the money, just give me the white stuff without frying. He refused. I raised the money up to 10 times the cost of fries. But he refused and asked me to leave. I stayed that night in the market. Before the dawn, some boys rushed from the back of the shop and dumped a sac in the garbage pit. I ensured that they were back in the shop and jumped in to the pit. I loaded some of the leftovers in my bag and rushed back to home.

It was clear from the leaves. It was a cabbage plant. But something had happened. Like what happened 100 years ago, when a great demand for turnip got started, they made cabbage plant to grow turnip like stem. How they did that? I remember my grandfather explaining that to my father. First they selected the wild cabbage with somewhat stouter stem, then every generation, they replanted plants with stems that were even stouter than the previous generations, while the other plants were carefully uprooted and fed to cows. After 60 cycles, they got it! A turnip like stem, green in color and crunchy to eat. It was an instant hit! People added it to their soups and salads. Almost half of the farmers switched to this new product! So my neighbor had done something similar with the flower this time. And he kept that secret unlike how they shared the idea 100 years ago.

3 months later, it was my youngest son who went to play with my neighbor's children, brought home those pods. They were like cabbage pods. But I understood that they are of the new large-flower breed. I managed to get 8 to 10 seeds from that and planted them on a patch of land behind my cottage so that my neighbor couldn't see it easily. It grew. Exactly like how it grew in his farm. I didn't know how my neighbor will react towards this. But I was curious to show him the plants and get more information on it. I was even ready to exchange some of the new breed chicken I got from a friend abroad.

So I gave him a shout and called him to the patch of land where those white buds were smiling at the sun. He didn't expect the surprise awaited for him. He was angry and shouted that I had stolen his hard work of 15 years! I was speechless. He almost made me cry. I promised him that I will destroy the plants and will never plant them again. But that was not enough for him. He revealed that he had an agreement with the fries shop. Moreover a share of the profit, he sent to the duke as tribute in exchange for protection in case of any problem. According to him, I have stolen his work of body and mind and deserved punishment. He called his men and tied me up and took me to the duke. The duke ordered me that I should give him an years yield and I should be imprisoned for twenty years! I was on my knees and I was crying for mercy. Neither the duke nor my neighbor considered my plea.

At last, I asked for a chance to meet my eldest son to settle things before I went to the dungeons. It was granted. Apart from advices on money dealings and other stuffs, I asked him to go to hill side and get some wild cabbage. I instructed him that he should plant them and replant them selecting the ones with larger and larger flower cluster, cycle after cycle. This he had to do it in my brother's farm in the next village. It may be a hard task for a 13 year old. But still, he had to do it for the honor of his father. 20 year passed and I came out half the man I used to be. Instead of taking me to my home, my son took me to my brother's farm. It was almost the same! White mounds of flower clusters! It almost looked like those clouds in the Heaven! He did it! He did it on his own. Now nobody can come and tell that we have stolen their work. It is our own work! Our entry in to our village was almost a carnival! A cart full of the harvested flowers followed us. My wife and other children came running to me cheering and yelling.

It was almost the same! White mounds of flower clusters!

That evening was almost like a dream. We were all reunited. My youngest son was already planning what to buy with the money we get when we sell those flowers in the market. Someone knocked on the door. Then there was a bang and the door flung open. Men of the duke marched in to my house. They kept a knife on my throat and my son's throat and pulled us away to the court. My neighbor and his son were standing there, filled with anger. The duke, now a ripe old man, looked at me and wondered was it the same man he released that morning. Now my neighbor's charge against us was "copying his idea". The duke heard for some time and declared that we both had violated the law by copying his idea and stealing his wisdom. We were clueless. If selectively planting the seeds with the desired traits is the "wisdom", then it was not their wisdom. This, everyone knows. If making a cabbage plant with larger flower is the work, my son had done it on his own. What had we copied? What had we stolen? But nobody listened to us.

At last they sentenced me to death for repeated offense and my son to 20 years in prison. I begged them to give me a chance to confess my sins to you, the public, before the sword takes my life. These are the crimes I have committed. I did to the flower exactly what they did with the green turnip. I wanted to share the fruits of my work like how they shared the new breed of cow that gave more milk. I wanted to sell more cabbage flowers so that the fries will be cheaper and made at everyone's kitchen. But I stand before you awaiting the sword. For his profit, you are going to pay with that extra money every time you eat the fries. I am paying with my flesh and blood. Good bye!