Planning for Monsoon and a Big Wish List

The monsoon rains have already started in western coastal area starting from Kerala upto Mumbai. It has come on 5th June, with a delay of 5 days as per Met Dept. In Pune it started from yesterday night. Suddenly there was a heavy gush of wind from all directions. All roads were filled with tree sheddings, dry leaves and spring flowers. Then the rain like a white screen......

Far away in my farm down south,  it is still dry. I asked Subbu what is going ON today noon.  He said workers are taking rest after lunch. They will water the plants as usual between 3 PM to 5 PM. While talking to him I got a train of thoughts which I conveyed to him as action points. He may remember some.   These are things I need to do before and after rains to prepare for a full fledged agricultural activity. My farm had not had any crop so far. For the past many months, i was busy just fixing the fundamental things. Water being one of them.  But it (the hardwork) is not showing anywhere. Now is the time or never.

1. Wind Mill Installation:  One after another the engineers are taking to vacation at ABS, dragging the project timelines. Welders went on leave followed by painter, then the packer and finally now the installation engineers. They are finally scheduled to arrive on Monday to start the installation. 
2. Banana : Assuming water will start flowing, we need to prepare the soil for banana beds we intend to have quickly for Karpuravalli plantations in July.  Already coconut waste is procured and stored on the farm. Recently I have ordered 1 tonne of vermi compost and a lorry load of cow dung compost. totally it costed 16000/- plus around 4000 for the lorry transport from outskrits  of Tirunelveli. I hope this stuff is good enough to condition 1 acre of soil.
3. Change of Plan: I have changed the plan of spacing between saplings.  Inspired by success story of a farmer, we will now plant banana with wide gap in between. As per that natural farmer, we need to give enough gap for an elephant to play.  In between banana rows, we will have another crop preferably pulses like green gram which will fix nitrogen to the soil. That will benefit the banana. Think organic !.

A  Big Wish List

The following is the wish list of me that I communicated to Subbu who said yes yes  for everything. Where will the money come from?. This may remain as wish list or will get executed, depending on if I get my income tax returns and the bonus in time.

1. Shed for Vermi Compost.   My friend who supplied vermi compost mentioned that the compost will contain earth worm eggs, which may hatch and re-generate. That is a good news. Therefore he advised to keep the compost in shade till application. Now I donot have any shade. So i have asked subbu to cover the compost heap with Palmyrah Leaves, which promptly my team has  done. The Palmyrah dry leaves were removed from trees in neighborhood by Kandan. Later I intend to create a long shed. Inside the shed, using bricks, create a number of rectangle shaped compost holding tanks. The tanks should be build with bricks using cement to bind each other not tight, but very loosly with a wide gap in between them for air circulation. Hmmm. I want to try my hands on this masonary work if I visit the farm.
2. Water Pond:  It is important to store rain water and run-off water in the farm. The existing shallow point where water naturally gets accumulated will be deepended further. all other gutters will be directed towards this. This will also be the fish pond.
3. Farm lighting:  It costs around 16000/- per pole for solar lighting. Too much to spend now. Therefore planning to put one unit in the small room adj to gate with a roof top solar panel and wall mounted LED lamp.  From this point we can draw wire and extend to just two more poles. This will bring the cost down. However still the total outlay for 2 + 1 lighting may cost around 30000/- or more. Not a priority now.  Till this, currently planning to manage with Torch lights and hurricane lamps.
4. Water Tank:  Not clear what size and shape still.  Only after wind mill installation and depending of quantity of water, will this be decided. This will cost lot of money, atleast above 60000/- minimum.  presently the wind mill will pump the water above 10 feet and leave it to shower through a pipe. From this we will attach a flexi pipe and irrigate where required.
5. Bullock Cart : Have found an artisan who manufactures wooden bullock cart. Need to meet him on my visit to the farm which I am  planning in 10 days. No Idea how much it will cost. Without showing my ignorance on this subject, I want to ask that carpenter if he can use SKF ball bearing for the cart.
6. Cow Shed: A nominal Cow Shed with Tin Sheet roof and Palmyrah leaf top dressing.  The tin roof should create a neat atmosphere and prevent fire accident. The coconut or palm leave should additionally make it cool.   In preparation for the first cow & bullock which will come anytime in 2 months.
7. Multi Purpose Meeting Hall:  A large hall with wooden pillars, star shaped roofing made of tin and dry coconut leafs is required. Must be artistically done.  With flooring at 3 feet height and laid with kadapa stone or local granite.  This will serve as holding, resting and meeting place for workers and  the like. I may have to make this like a training hall also with a projector later.  This should cost around 30000/- to 50000/-
8. Pandal for Vines;  7 to 8 feet high stone pillars, tie wires are required to build a small 20 cent pandal for starting all vegetables which grow as vines like bitter guard, wine yard.  This should cost around 10000/-
9. Big platform for grain drying:  A large square flat platform with smooth surface to be built to dry the harvest. Things like drying pepper etc. This will also double up as bed to sleep in the night or storing packed material before transport arrives.
10. Victorian style lighting lamps and Park benches in the farm are taking back seat for next year.

I wonder, all the above are looking very ordinary and taken for granted for any farm. There are many farms which has all of the above facilities and more. Sure they must have accumulated over the years.

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