‘Happy Mums’ farming out healthier lifestyles
SEGAMAT: Nineteen mums cooked up a storm, preparing 15 dishes to feed about 1,200 people in conjunction with SJKC Labis’ 100th anniversary celebration.
The women, dressed in their signature pink aprons and headbands, call themselves “Happy Mums” and have been advocating healthy living and eating habits since forming the group in April.
They are aged between 39 and 80-plus.
One of them, Chin Kit Sum, 39, said they wanted to give back to the community and decided that the school anniversary celebration last Saturday was also a good avenue for them to spread their positive message.
She said the dishes for the event included Hakka leicha, Taiwan-style egg and spring onion omelette, assorted sandwiches, taufu fah, chicken rice, turmeric chicken, organic sushi, nasi lemak, spaghetti bolognese and wintermelon tea as well as “ice sticks”.
“Some of us are former students of SJKC Labis while the other mums have children and grandchildren studying there, so it is all the more meaningful for us to help out,” she said yesterday.
She said they began preparing the ingredients at 11pm and fired up their stoves at about 2am to ensure that all the dishes would be ready to be served at the school at 6am.
Chin said the vegetables and fruits used were from the Happy Mums farm in Jalan Tien Han while the other ingredients were bought using the RM1,000 sponsored by a donor.
She said the farm used to be an abandoned plot of land which they took over in April and began planting all sorts of fruit and vegetables, including cabbage, long bean, winged bean, tomato, chili, leafy greens, passion fruit and papaya.
“We started out as a group of women who love going for morning exercises but wanted to do something more meaningful for the people around us. Now after our workouts, we spend time on the farm.
“We take turns watering and caring for the crops and the produce is sold cheaply to the public, including to cancer patients who need nutritious and pesticide-free vegetables,” she said.
The proceeds are used to buy more seeds and for maintenance of the farm.
Besides farming, the group also gathers at the farm during public and school holidays for picnics and cookouts.
She said their children and husbands also help with the farming and she encourages more people to lead active lifestyles and get in touch with nature.