Around 300 saplings of Casuarina (Savukku) is still in polythene bags. Subbu said it has already grown upto a feet and the roots are piercing out of the bag. No more can they be contained and they need to be rooted at once. Earlier this decision was stalled owing to the fact that watering the saplings after it is installed on the ground would be difficult manually for Kannan using hand pump. Now that the routine in the farm is settled, Kannan gained more confidence he can handle this.. But alas!
The ground is as strong as a rock. spade/hoe is not going in. Subbu is to call a JCB tomorrow (Rs. 650/- per hour and Rs. 300 bata for driver) and cut a narrow furrow next to the fence to put the saplings on the ground. I think a couple of hours of work is enough. I asked him to make further furrows on east fence also so that we buy more of the saplings and plant them. One more helping hand for pumping water and we will be comfortable.
Last month we found a good nursery to purchase plants. The village is called Parassala in Kerala near Kaliyakavilai. That is close to my native at about 2 hours driving. I sent Subbu and party over there for a picnic to find whats up. They said it will take a full day to see the entire nursery. So many plants. Rates are not cheap, but quality and volume is assured. I will buy remaining set of plants that I missed last time. Some of them are very obvious and I wonder why I missed them. By the way am I going to make a botanical garden or a farm ?
With such a hard surface (which had been tilled 6 months back), I wonder how I will make the soil pliable and soft. I guess the answer lies in putting more cow dung and adding organic humus. They must act on the soil and increase moisture content. Bringing foreign soil and mixing is costly. I donot want to do that. Presently cow dung is available from nearby farm (a truck load 1200/-). Hmm.. I must buy a bullock cart - long pending one. I had advertised in forums with no reply for past 7 months. I think I must buy a trailer with 4 tyres that can be pulled by one or two bullocks. I donot like two wheeled ones as they will stress the animal if too much load or too little is present. Perhaps two trailers are required to be purchased. One can be used permanently for fetching cow dung from nearby cow sheds and another for other uses. Last time how did they load and unload cowdung. They used hands and hoe. I wouldn't appreciate that. I must buy gum boots, hoe and plastic trays for compartmentalizing cow dung loading and handling. Need to study this logistics aspect to make this work more interesting.
Kannan has not yet prepared the Gana Jeevamruthuam that I prescribed to Subbu last week. Atleast the raw cow dung is being applied. At this stage concepts like Zero budget farming, Natural farming, Permaculture etc are far far away. I need to dilute them and create stories and deliver somehow. If only I had some volunteers who can visit the farm and impart these knowledge I will be grateful. I can pay some honorarium. Otherwise I will have to act fast and courier diagrams and CDs and keep following over phone.
But the grass growth is seen dense after tilling the land last time. The grass should act as mulch and protect the soil hopefully until it is opened for use later for cultivation. I feel once the border plants grow with watering by Kannan, they must create a micro climate and preserve the moisture for long time in soil. When I was touring in North west India recently I saw that many of the fields got their water only from the frost or dew. The plants were as healthy as if they had been watered. I am talking about desert climate.
The ground is as strong as a rock. spade/hoe is not going in. Subbu is to call a JCB tomorrow (Rs. 650/- per hour and Rs. 300 bata for driver) and cut a narrow furrow next to the fence to put the saplings on the ground. I think a couple of hours of work is enough. I asked him to make further furrows on east fence also so that we buy more of the saplings and plant them. One more helping hand for pumping water and we will be comfortable.
Last month we found a good nursery to purchase plants. The village is called Parassala in Kerala near Kaliyakavilai. That is close to my native at about 2 hours driving. I sent Subbu and party over there for a picnic to find whats up. They said it will take a full day to see the entire nursery. So many plants. Rates are not cheap, but quality and volume is assured. I will buy remaining set of plants that I missed last time. Some of them are very obvious and I wonder why I missed them. By the way am I going to make a botanical garden or a farm ?
| Common Name | Tamil Name |
| Teak | Teak |
| Coconut | Thennai |
| Hibiscus | Sembaruthi |
| Spanish cherry | Magizham |
| coral Jasmine | Pavazhamalli / Parijatam |
| Kattu Karuvepillai | |
| Bael | Vilvam |
| Pongamia | Pungai |
| Mahua | Illupai |
| Rain Tree | ToonguMoonji |
| Rose wood | Thodhagathi |
| Arjuna | Neer Marudhu |
| Portia Tree | Poovarasu |
| Rudhraksh | Rudhraksham |
| pambu kala chedi | Sarpagandha / Nava Konji |
| Singapore Cherry | Then Chittu |
| Galangal | Chittarattai |
| Indian cork tree | Mara Malli |
| Kaim | Neer Kadambai |
| Hill Mango | Kiluvai |
| Anjan | Aachi, Malai Athi |
| Wild Lime | Kattu Kichili |
With such a hard surface (which had been tilled 6 months back), I wonder how I will make the soil pliable and soft. I guess the answer lies in putting more cow dung and adding organic humus. They must act on the soil and increase moisture content. Bringing foreign soil and mixing is costly. I donot want to do that. Presently cow dung is available from nearby farm (a truck load 1200/-). Hmm.. I must buy a bullock cart - long pending one. I had advertised in forums with no reply for past 7 months. I think I must buy a trailer with 4 tyres that can be pulled by one or two bullocks. I donot like two wheeled ones as they will stress the animal if too much load or too little is present. Perhaps two trailers are required to be purchased. One can be used permanently for fetching cow dung from nearby cow sheds and another for other uses. Last time how did they load and unload cowdung. They used hands and hoe. I wouldn't appreciate that. I must buy gum boots, hoe and plastic trays for compartmentalizing cow dung loading and handling. Need to study this logistics aspect to make this work more interesting.
Kannan has not yet prepared the Gana Jeevamruthuam that I prescribed to Subbu last week. Atleast the raw cow dung is being applied. At this stage concepts like Zero budget farming, Natural farming, Permaculture etc are far far away. I need to dilute them and create stories and deliver somehow. If only I had some volunteers who can visit the farm and impart these knowledge I will be grateful. I can pay some honorarium. Otherwise I will have to act fast and courier diagrams and CDs and keep following over phone.
But the grass growth is seen dense after tilling the land last time. The grass should act as mulch and protect the soil hopefully until it is opened for use later for cultivation. I feel once the border plants grow with watering by Kannan, they must create a micro climate and preserve the moisture for long time in soil. When I was touring in North west India recently I saw that many of the fields got their water only from the frost or dew. The plants were as healthy as if they had been watered. I am talking about desert climate.
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