Farm Update 01-08-2014, No rain but Hope

2 inches PVC pipe is the backbone to take water across.

A total of 25 hours of JCB work has happened in the farm last week over a period of 3 days.  Each hour cost around Rs.750/-.  There was so much rumbling and so much of digging it seems passerby were wondering what is happening. It was hard to convince that we are doing agriculture work and not constructing a factory.  Subbu was restless until the pits were closed. It was an eyesore. They were closed indeed.

The pipes are of PVC make. 2 inches diameter. Costs around 400 per pipe of 10 feet. we needed 30 of them to create a Cross. There was a rock in the path for which the pipe had to be bent twice. I am not sure if the pressure will stay. It should.

Road being laid

Inside farm Road completed

I asked the team to use the mud that came out while digging the large rainwater tank to be used to lay a road - from gate upto windpump. Each mud heap has to be taken from the east and the JCB has to all the way go and place it. Mud runs have to be done patiently. The road ultimately came out very nice. My logic was that when it rains, the road will standup and will serve as dry passage to main areas.  Rain ?  When it will come?

Fishtank ready to be constructed. Material in place. on the right is the actual pit.

 The last piece of major construction pending is the fish tank or overflow tank from windmill.  I asked Paramu (a multipurpose carpenter) to build the tank from 3/4 feet depth and around 5 feet height. So that by opening the bottom tap, water should flow on its own. Earlier they had dug a pit with 4 feet depth. I asked to close it. (bit waste of effort, but neverthless).  Below material has come for construction and it will commence today.

For a tank of 25 feet x 10 feet x 6 feet height, it requires 3 units (Rs.13000) of bricks.  Requires tractor Sand and 3 units of gravel. Including labour it should cost upwards of 45000/-. However I was not for that game. I asked Peramu to construct with least cost. Finally i gave  the plan myself. The revised plan should be cheaper and goes like this.  a) Reduce thickness of floor. They had earlier planned for 3/4 feet thick concrete flooring. I reduced it to 6 inches. No finish. a) Construct thin brick walls. For providing strength to the side walls, construct sloping pillars at 10 feet each to push the wall as in a dam. I hope this should work out bit cheaper, say around Rs. 30000/-

There is a lot of water now when there is wind being wasted. But at the same time, if there is no wind, there is no guarantee as well.  We need to start some cropping at once. The plan is to start all vegetables in small quantities around the tower and create seeds. Shown in the picture are two nursary pits, not sure what seeds they are. I did not ask subbu. I just wanted more greenary. Seems to be a nursery bed. Will be re-planted later. Hope rain will come by that time. yet to experiment with sprinkler.

 The ramp from main road directly reaching the farm gate was filled will waste gravel from far away well many months back. The road was not finished as there were objections to bring granite stones on vehicle without permission. That road was not used. Now with the mud, the infilling was done. It looks better and reusable.

There was some mud available to put a road /ramp from the main road

There was no enthu in voice of Subbu. Naturally. Everywhere one can see only dryness combined with hot air. There is no rains. Only when rain comes, will the mud settle down and we can hope to see some greenary. Only when well water we cannot irrigate mud surface.  If you pour water, it is getting absorbed. If you continuously supply tube water, the water doesnot spread, but gets absorbed in the same spot.

Subbu was upset because we were just spending money, with no actual agriculture activity. I was convinced however and told him this is an investment. Once it starts rains, we cannot do anything of the sort we are doing today. There is hope for tomorrow.

The only crop now is banana. That is coming well.