Sown by Hand

Science fiction. Short story. Deep in space, there are gardens. The humanity of tomorrow have found a use for the tumbling asteroids of the Kuiper Belt - deep space farms. On the surface of these asteroids are cultivated a crop essential to the survival of the species. Much of the operation is done by robotics and automated machinery, all controlled by a supercomputer on the moon Titan. Though a marvel of technological efficiency, a human caretaker is still a necessity. On one regular inspection shift, this caretaker encounters a situation which defies logic, tests courage, and reveals the power of the human spirit.