Farm Update 13-Aug-2014

Rainfall History for 10 years near my Farm

There is no rain yet.  The last time some rain poured was during summer in the month of May due to an unscheduled cyclone.  This month, while the monsoon is seen raging all over the country and breaking records in Mumbai, here in Tirunelveli and surroundings, there is no rain. Not a single drop. There is no sight of even clouds. This is corroborating with the rainfall history in this region.

The rain is not likely to come untill October. Therefore we have 1.5 months to go. That is a challenge and  I should endure this, I should demonstrate survival on a dry land.

Wind Water pump is working fine.  Daily we are able to get between 2000 liters to 5000 liters of water. It is enough to maintain the trees kept around the fence. Water is poured in alternate days per plant.

I have asked the team to go at full hog planting all vegetables around the tower in small sections. This is basically to test the whole system, learn and generate more seeds. All these are indigenous varities. Brinjal, tomato, ladies finger etc.  There is also some millets sown to experiment.

The water pressure is enough to create sprinkler system to start i guess. I have asked subbu to purchase a sprinkler of brass make, get that welded to a tripod and start using for vegetable plots. The problem is the sprinkler guns are not available in Valliyoor. One has to go to Tirunelveli and for welding to go to valliyoor. This is scheduled for tomorrow. Meanwhile there is also one idea. Of attaching a shower head to the flexible tube and using it to spray water to the tender plants.

Meanwhile the large water storage tank (Fish tank) is completed in its construction. The bottom concrete for a thickness of 6 inches was prepared manually and poured last wednesday. The brick walls are in place. There are two support slanting structures on each side at a spacing of 10 feet to support the 25 feet side, just as in a dam to hold the wall tight. The tank appears to be elegant as per Subbu and is large with 25 feet x 10 feet x 5 feet dimension.   The inside wall will be cemented today/tomorrow. The outside wall will be left as is (with bricks visible). If required a red color can be given. No white washing, I told subbu. The tank should slowly merge with background with growth of moss around. That should look beautiful.

The excess water from windmill should be stored in this tank. Hopefully this should help during drought months.

At pune there is a workshop scheduled to be conducted by Subhash Palekar, a noted natural farmer on the topic "Zero budget Natural Farming" I will try and attend the same.

*****