I want more Green on leaves

Myself and Subbu finalised some action items to be executed right away:

Seeds had been purchased from a nearby mom and pop store. Total cost was Rs. 850 and runs like a grocery list for a medium size family. The quantity ranges from half kg to 2 Kg depending on purchasing mood.  This will be soaked in Panjagavya tomorrow. The day after, this will be spread across around half an acre of farm. "Should i have to mix all the seeds?"  Subbu reconfirmed atleast 5 times with me.  I guess this will not be eaten away by birds because it will be coated with cowdung and cowurine. Who knows ?  However I told subbu, even if birds visit, it is good as we will get bird droppings from them. Probably some rare seeds too from their gut.  It will be win-win for both of us.

These seeds will be spread on the farm, after 45 days to be smashed by light tilling. Total cost of above is Rs. 850/- 

Subbu raised alarm that it is time for us to manure the banana plants. I told him that we will apply only organic fertilisers. He said generally farmers apply Urea and Super phosphate which will give instant result and make the leaves green.  I said "Yes it will make more green, invite insects and then he will take the pesticide spray gun also and kill the soil", to which he laughed.  It is time that I translate all the organic inputs into poster size sheets and send it across for ready reference for him. I must group these into Organic Fertiliser, organic pesticides and Organic growth boosters.

He was particular that I prescribe him a Fertiliser that will make the leaf "green". He was obsessed about making the leaf dark green.  Years of conditioning of the farmers into believing that chemical fertilisers are mandatory was working on his brain.   I think he must also be fearing the comment from perhaps a fellow farmer about the not-so-green banana leaf and what he has to reply in case he is ridiculed. I said don't worry, we will fix it. Apply more Jeevamrutham for now.  Nothing will happen if the leaf is not dark green. Let it be natural in the way it is.

Continuing our topic, I said we need loads of cowdung and cowurine. Presently only a small quantity is being fetched, enough for mixing panjagavya once in 15 days.  I told we need to make daily sorties in all directions to collect these from nearby cow sheds. It is the job of Kandan to bring Cowdung and Cowurine. We both imagined kandan with his bicycle pushing with loads of dung. He has still not learned bicycle. I lost faith if he will ever.    I told let us buy the cowdung from nearby cowshed. From the lady who worked in our farm. Let us pay some 500/- per month and take all the cowdung and cow urine. That sounds like a good deal.

There is a portion of a farm which is near the gate that is sterile. That is a lifeless clay and sand Nothing grows in it. I gave a challenge. Take a small portion and keep applying panjagavya regularly. let us see if it turns good. I hope with addition of biomass, any type of soil can be converted. I have experimented this in a flowerpot which had got pollutted with soap water and fabric conditioner. Today that pot fertile with flowering plants.

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Rain Rain and Rain !

There is very heavy rain pouring over our farm since 3 PM today !.  Subbu called me to convey this good news. Next 10 days there is no work of watering.  I felt joy after many months. Now I fully understand what a joy the rain would bring to every farmer.

I guess this is the North East monsoon setting in.  As per metrological report, the South West Monsoon has already receded, officially.  While the entire India is looking dry, the rains have started in peninsular India. We are in Rainshadow region, the south west monsoon, blocked by a range of montains (white line in the picture).  Whereast the north west monsoon is free to reach the place. Hence we are confined only to 4 months of rain in a year.

I guess we need to act fast from now onwards.

a) We have the rainwater storage tank excavated and kept ready.  Need to observe water logging areas and create furrows for guiding the water to the pit.

b) Need to scatter the navadhanya (Nine grains) seeds as much as possible to enrich the soil with biomass.  The process is as follows;  Purchase a kilo or two of each of the seeds from different categories such as oil seeds, millets, food grains, green cover etc, mix them and spread on the field. Then 45 days later when the plants grow, before the flowering stage, till the soil to smash them. The organic matter will decay and create a richness to the soil.

c) Need to source local vegetable seeds

d) Need to identify one or two millets in large quantity for small commercial scale farming. Millets are in demand and I guess we can start experimenting with them first.

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Exploiting the sunshine - Plan is ready for next year

The enthusiasm at the farm is low. Energy levels are low because of continuous sunshine with blue sky. With less and less water, people are unable to think of anything but their basic needs. Luckily some wind is blowing and the team of 2 are managing to survive the existing greenary.

So I told Subbu, don't worry. Rain will come on 15th October with a firmness of a soothsayer. He acknowledged. Let us keep doing something till then. He always likes me talking encouraging words. I told about Masanobu Fukouoka's rice clay balls. He listened with awe. Then he dismissed saying "Fukuoka should come to our farm. With zero water how will the plants grow?. Sir, he must be farming near some hill station". Subbu is not totally wrong. I must ask next time the natural farming guys how we can farm in a zero water and dry wind land.

I had already made enquiries for 35 Nos of saplings of Coconut to be procured from the nursary called Athma Nilayam, Parassala, Kerala. I used my malalayam speaking friend to get some information. This place is near Marthandam. They have 4 varieties of coconut DxT, TxD, Lakshwadeep, Malasia.  For coconut water it is Gauliyatra, Pathiinettapatta and andhra variety. I guess we need to go for country variety long standing cocunut crop.  Each should cost around Rs. 50/-. The guy said they have sapling with single leaf only. That means they donot keep stock, fast selling.

Well Subbu did not buy the idea of procuring anything now. If we get it now, we need to water them and look after. Better let it be in nursary only till we get atleast one shower. The land should become little more cool.

Meanwhile I mentioned we must make a fence for the open rainwater pit. Lest someone will fall inside if there is heavy rains. My idea was to install stumps cut from casurina trees upto 4 feet and put a chain around. Well let it wait, not a priority now.

Thinking of the brilliant bright Sun, I told subbu can we monitise this sunshine ? Atleast next year, we must not be wasting the sunlight. We can utilise the sun shine to make pappads.  So we made a plan like this.

a) We will sow the black lentil (Urad Dal) in an acre or two. I guess this will grow well going by our experience of green gram.

b) Harvest lentil, dry and powder them.

c) Make Organic pappadam using local women folk, sun dried.

d) Market them to known network and unknown stores.
Additionally we can buy basic machines from Coimbatore in case we need to create a small factory.

Thus, we were satisfied atleast on our theoritical venture plan.

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First Harvest, Baby Names and Rain Condition today

There had been a small beginning made.  The first harvest from farm was 1.75 Kg of Green Gram and 2 Kg of pearl millet.  In addition 10 Kg of cucumber. Some more is left for next harvest and that will be for first sale.  Subbu said he will check the auspicious day and give it to my mother who is in adjacent village for blessings.

How did you separate the grain from the Pod? I asked. As per process I was thinking of a clean flat square hard surface to dry and separate the grain.  He said they collected them in a bag and beat the bag. The pods break open and grain and dry leaves gets collected in the bag. Then sieve and take it. Simple.

Subbu has not named his new born baby yet. It is more than 30 days, I wondered what is he doing. He was collecting all good names and is choosing still. Finally he has written 3 names on paper slips and is going to select from that using a small child to pickup in a temple perhaps. When I was speaking to him it was 2.30 PM and could hear the sound of a Cock-a-doodle-doo, a lazy cock.  In village time goes slowly. No Hurry. He can name his child any time.

Five Year Rainfall Average - Monthwise (Courtesy; Met Dept)

With absolute no rain, we continue to depend on Windpumped water or purchase of water if there is no wind. The sky is dry as before. Notice the month of September in the above graph which is flat. Whereas the graph is district average, our Farm happens to be in the dry area of the district.

On the side note, we are finding that the Casurina planted along the borders is just drinking water. Even if one day it is not watered, it goes drooping grey.  Seems to be very sensitive plant. We should have selected only native species which can withstand drought.

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Farm Progress in Visuals

With No Rain, what best could be done.

So far there had been rain only for one day two weeks back since 8 months, with exception being a cyclone on May end.  There is no rain, no wind either. Windmill is stopped for 3 days at a stretch. Water is being purchased in water tank.  Next year we may not face that problem, as we would have stored water in the newly built water tank. But this year it was late by the time we built the fish tank.

Well, with the little water available from the wind pump in ration, Subbu is maintaining BAU (Business As usual) without much expansion. I am just holding back my dreams. However anticipating heavy rains starting next month, we are on the move to expand.  Below are some of the snaps obtained today.

The planning that was done earlier for irrigation is accomplished. And one more accomplishment is to bring all hitherto secrets of the farm out in open and tally along with spouse.

Raw materials for the tank. The tank bed or foundation is being watered

Tank Construction in progress. They have instructions to construct only two line of bricks. To add strength to the wall on long side, there will be dam like slops in two places.

Tank is ready. There will be no finish at the outer side to keep costs low and add aesthetic look.

Tank inside. 2 Feet of water present. See in the background the windpump and its tank. Excess water is supposed to flow into this large tank. Later we will put fishes in it. I am assuming the water pressure in this tank will be sufficient to drive the water to long distance without any pumping. Which is why i planned at ground above level with very less depth below ground.

A useful job that was envisaged for long time done.  Some more area has been brought under cultivation. Hope water will stretch. 

This is Subbu special. His first large scale Brinjal plot. The saplings are transplanted just now. Some of the portion will be left for seeds.  In the background one can see few wines of pumpkin and cucumber. Subbu has challenged that he will grow cucumber in large scale as it is 3 months old crop.  The idea is to make the surrounding green  while growing something for commercial scale.

These are green gram and pearl millet that i carried during my visit in July. Now it has grown. Experimental piece

Banana Progress. Some more leaves are seen in each tree. The root system seems to have got established. Still they are independent and have to be watered using rubber hose from wind pump tank. Notice the Casurina that has picked height. I hope next year it may not require much attention. This year all the effort went in safeguarding them from drying. It was a mistake to select non-native tree (Casurina) for the fence. It is drinking water.

Farm Update 02-Sep-2014

1.  Subbu is back to routine his after his post delivery paternal care. Though he never took complete leave and always kept an eye on the farm, I was not compelling him to do anything more. We reviewed the current situation today.  There is no rain yet. Only one rain was there a week back.  Last week for the first time we ran dry. There was no rain, no wind.  We had purchased water at Rs. 200 per 1000 liters because there was no wind.  Total 3000 liters were purchased, when the rain came.  The wind also started blowing. Today the wind is blowing and giving an yield of upto 5000 liters per day. Which is enough to run the show.

2. Only when the rainy season starts will we be able to till the land for banana crop.  We are planning for around 400 saplings seriously to make some money this year. Similarly the 30 odd coconut pits are waiting for rain. I want to purchase good coconut variety. The nursary at Parasala will have the required saplings. But Subbu has complaint that they are speaking only in Malayalam language. I need to get hold of one malayalee friend who can help in translation, finalise the purchase and then ask Subbu to go there.

3.  Green gram and a millet has been sown near the wind pump tower for experiment. I heared they are growing well.  Subbu is in the making of Tomato and brinjal saplings from seeds in small quantity. It is yet to be transplanted.   He doesnot believe in small quantity. My wife was also encouraging from growing vegetables. But I insisted that we grow all varities of vegerables now in small quantities to multiply seeds. My future business plan depends on vegetables and not on banana or groundnut as per conventional thinking.   These are little experiments are required keep ourselves busy. It also gives satisfaction that farming is happening at-last.

4.  Few pumpkin, watermelon seeds have also been sown by Subbu. He wanted to grow some cucumber in large scale as it is a 3 month crop. It is his self target and he wants to show some productivity. I left to his choice.

5. The 2 lady employees have been asked to stop coming for work. They have been assured of daily wages whenever there is work. They have accepted the arrangement.  The farm will now be managed by Kandan and Subbu only as before.  When compared to last year, now we have mechanized windpump, water pipes, storage tank etc...

6. The newly constructed water storage tank is having 2 feet of water. Only excess water will be stored from wind pump. Presently there is no excess.

7. Sometimes it takes ages to do small things which are obvious. Two of them were pending till now. one is completed.
a) The template, 'A' frame and pully system were to be returned to ABS company after the windpump installation. The courier guy after so many days of pressure, finally has lifted them from the farm on ToPay basis. Total weight will be around 400 Kg.
b) The staywire which was purchased to fasten the tower to protect from hurricane is still not fixed. Just 30 minutes job. Everything is ready. only Somu is required with his wire cutter. That is pending for him for more than 2 months.

8.  Subbu and kandan had climbed atop the tower and applied grease to the ball bearings of the windpump. The mechanics are working to satisfaction.

9. The permission for farm room has been obtained. Electricity board is doing survey to provide electricity. This will be 2 phase and should not be used for pumping. Only for lighting. This should come in a month's time. Farm should get some lighting for security.


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