Treat Nature With Kindness

Beautiful Vachellia xanthophloea (Fever Tree). This indigenous tree is typical of East African flora and often bear small, round yellow flowers. A pretty sight to behold when they flower!

I think we should all treat nature with kindness. Or at least engage in practices where being deeply immersed in nature is itself an act of kindness.

Today, my tone is a poetic one as I reflect on a Christmas break spent at my father’s farm in Kitale, Trans-Nzoia County. For the first time, I truly observed the farm, which led me to question why my dad approached farming the way he did.

Unlike most farmers I know, he doesn’t seem entrepreneurial about it. Many farmers pride themselves on intensive methods—zero-grazing cattle, constructing shelters, and investing in machinery or equipment. Others focus heavily on commercial vegetable farming or high-grade poultry farming, with systems carefully engineered for maximum yield and profit.

Mixed breed cattle grazing on a ten-acre paddock. After seven days there is a rotation to another paddock.

“Kienyeji” chicken grazing in the eucalyptus forest — free-range and naturally raised!

While most people approach conventional farming with precision and deliberate effort, my dad’s (and mine as well) approach is the opposite. His technique isn’t deliberate in the traditional sense — it’s something entirely different. It’s a kind of farming that feels old-fashioned, one where you let go and work with nature, moving in harmony with the seasons and allowing the land to follow its natural rhythms. To some, it might even appear as neglect, but I’d argue that it’s the purest form of farming — the kind that truly aligns with how nature was meant to thrive.

In fact, there is a deliberate sense of neglect in how one manages their farming practices. In Swahili we say “Kuiwachilia”. To leave it. This is the type of farming I am referring to — one that may not be widely embraced but, I would argue, represents the best form of farming. It is the kind that truly reflects the intentions of God and nature.

I once wrote an article about my father’s farm when I first started my Medium account. This piece is an extension of that initial article, delving deeper into the idea that working with nature is, in itself, a form of kindness. I’ll attempt to illustrate this analogy by sharing examples of what my dad does — or chooses not to do — on the farm.

Fruit trees of all kinds will thrive and form a food forest canopy of productive trees within a few years. Among them are mango, Washington orange, lemon, tangerines, plums, jackfruit, bananas, mulberries and macadamia nuts. A acacia mearnsii (black wattle) tree, original to the land, stands in the far top right corner. Kids run around in the fore and background.

The Concept of Old-Fashioned, Nature-Driven Farming

One striking example is how he lets the animals graze freely.

Modern farming often confines livestock to controlled spaces, but on my dad’s farm, the cattle roam paddocks, rotating every seven days between plots spanning four to ten acres. Here, they graze autonomously, choosing what they want to eat — mostly grass, but occasionally nibbling on fruit trees, leafy shrubs, and even farm crops (which can be a tad frustrating).

This peaceful grazing, I believe, has something to do with the superior quality of meat in our hometown. My sister, in particular, swears by the mutton and goat meat from local butcheries, always bringing home a “muguu ya nyama” — a leg of goat or sheep — whenever she visits. There’s a sweetness to the flavor that’s unmatched by meat sold in urban supermarkets.

Could it be that the animals, given freedom and a balanced diet, are healthier and happier? Is it kindness that lends this richness to the meat?

I don’t know for sure.

Ripe local guava on the tree (left). Guava fruits that were left to rot on the tree provided plenty for birds and insects, promoting biodiversity on this farm (right).

A worker holds a pair of pruners as he examines the quality of organically grown Hass avocados (left). A scrumptious harvest of delicious mulberries! (right)

Investing in Indigenous Trees

Another remarkable feature of my dad’s farm is the presence and abundance of indigenous trees — both fruit-bearing and otherwise. I’ve come to appreciate the benefits of productive native trees and the principles of agroforestry. These trees aren’t meticulously pruned or managed; they simply grow. Among them are soursop trees, which yield fewer but larger, juicier fruits, and guava & loquat trees that, during their peak season, become a hive of activity. Birds chirp and build nests, insects swarm, and even ants feast on the pollen and fallen fruits. During this peak season of fruiting, the guava trees are usually ladened with fruit. Together with the ants and all sorts of insects, they too enjoy this kindness of non-picked guava trees. Eating to their heart’s pleasure.

“A Polyculture is simultaneously planting more than one species of plants in an area and is the only way to grow a genuine food forest” . — S. K. Nyakeya, The Microshamba Food Forest: The Market Garden.

Thirsty bees raid the cattle water troughs for the precious water! (left). Weeds and guava trees are allowed to grow peacefully together, each complementing the other with its unique qualities.

Syzygium guineense (left), this tree is prized for its traditional medicinal value (miti shamba), edible fruit, serves as bee forage, a source of tannin and strong timber. Warburgia ugandensis (right) is quite rare, also known as the East African heartwood, its timber is well sought after, together with other uses such as traditional medicinal value, resin properties, edible fruit and as an insecticide. Both are planted in the authors homestead as ornamental trees.

This unhurried, uncurated abundance seems to extend kindness not only to the animals and insects but also to the honey we harvest. Thick, sweet, and wholesome, the honey from this farm is unlike the watery versions sold elsewhere. Could it be that the rich biodiversity — the pollinators thriving among untamed flowers and unpicked fruits — plays a role in its quality?

A Lesson in Coexistence

Everything on this farm feels interconnected, a symphony of coexistence. Flowers bloom and feed the bees, who in turn pollinate the trees, which yield fruits enjoyed by birds, insects, and humans alike. This abundance, shared freely among all, reflects a kind of magnanimity—a generosity of spirit extended by the land itself.

I wonder if plants and animals, like humans, appreciate autonomy. Do they thrive when allowed to follow their natural cycles? I believe they do.

This principle of letting nature be—of allowing every part of the ecosystem to coexist and flourish—might just be the essence of restoration. Food seems endless in its season, and the cycle begins anew, naturally and without intervention.

Me with the little ones — my daughter and niece.

A tractor seen in the local center in Kwanza constituency.

Rethinking Farming

This nature- driven, slow way of farming is not just a practice; it’s an art. It’s an expression of empathy for the land and all its inhabitants. I wish it were studied more — taught not just as science but also as a philosophy in schools. Imagine if we approached agriculture with the same care and creativity as we do design thinking.

Perhaps this is the farming God intended — a method that respects the lifecycle of every plant, animal, and insect. Over-engineering and over-intervening might yield higher profits, but at what cost to the delicate balance of nature?

The perfection of creation lies in its natural cycles. Just as we value our freedom and autonomy, so too should we respect the right of nature to thrive on its terms.

Let’s show kindness to this universe. It’s all we have.

A photo of a pumpkin that grew around a tree stump and became stuck as it got bigger. It’s sitting there — natural, untidy, unengineered, and unintended, yet so authentic. Shouldn’t we let nature take its course? See how beautiful it is.

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[All images by the author. All rights reserved. Shot between November — December 2024.

To hear the original voice of the author, without any edits, kindly click the link here.]

References

Lubano, T. [@teresalubano]. (2025, January 6). “My Christmas break was… divine. I was in the village.” Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DEdccDNIFl4/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Lubano, T. (2019, October 20). On my radar is regenerative agriculture [Article]. Medium. https://teresalubano.medium.com/on-my-radar-is-regenerative-agriculture-edb261f840d0

Nyakeya S.K. (2021). Microshamba Food Forest: The Market Garden[e-book]. Gumroad. https://app.gumroad.com/d/43b5e8267ce0fd3d635c0b6811dfcdce

Tree, I., Burrel, C. (2023). The book of wilding: a practical guide to rewilding big and small. Bloomsbury Publishers. ISBN: 9781526659293https://app.gumroad.com/d/43b5e8267ce0fd3d635c0b6811dfcdce