Before sunrise over Qalqas village, south of Hebron, 62-year-old Khader Zoz has already started his day in the fields. After Fajr prayer, he heads to the land where he grows Faqous, as he has done for years.
This time of year means long days of work for Khader. Around 60 days after preparing the soil and planting the seeds, the Faqous begins to ripen, and the field needs to be checked every day. Each morning, Khader walks between the plants, looking for the fruits that are ready to be picked before the heat sets in.
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Khader relies on years of experience in farming. He knows which fruits are ready to harvest and checks the plants for insects or signs of disease, trying to deal with any problem before it affects the crop
But the Faqous season is not something Khader handles alone. His wife, children, and grandchildren join him during the harvest. Khader oversees the field and organizes the work, while the family picks and sorts the Faqous by size. The smaller ones are mostly used for pickling, the medium-sized ones for everyday cooking, and the larger ones for stuffed dishes.
The work usually lasts two to three hours each morning. The boxes are then taken to Palestinian markets, while the field waits for the family to return the following day.
Khader makes sure his grandchildren are part of the work. For him, having them in the field is not only about helping with the harvest. It is a way for them to learn what he learned from his father and grandparents, and to become familiar with the land his family has been connected to for generations.
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For Khader, farming has never been just a job he goes to every morning. It is part of his life and part of the way his family has lived and remained connected to the land. Even after more than six decades, he still knows that every season has its own work, and that every plant needs its own care.
The day’s harvest comes to an end, and the family leaves the field. But the season continues. The next morning, Khader will return to the same land, check what has ripened, and begin another day of the Faqous season.
