Sticks for Banana Support

Subbu had brought around 30 sticks (casurina) to give support to Bananas.  I am eager to see how tall the trees have grown and how big Banana fruits are developing.  It seems the weight of the bunch need some external support.

Today they will be put in place.  Each stick cost around Rs. 75/-. Total cost was around 2200/-

Only 12 Plants require such support.  So that is 24 sticks. Balance,  I wanted to be cut into half and used as pillars around the fish tank. I am always worried about the slippery edges around the muddy fish tank.  I wanted to secure with Vettiver. But my coimbatore friend is yet to supply the same.  Vincent P, a Vettiver exponent is feeling tired to travel to his farm. So I have to wait.

Can I bring Vegetable Market Garbage to the Farm ?

Today I happened to see the interview from Lower Bhavani Farmers Association President S. Nallasamy in a TV interview on Farmer's day special. He was worried about the current state of affairs of agriculture in India. Besides many important and very good points that he spoke, one thing hit me hard.

It is about breakage of link between city garbage and farm yard manure after the industrial agriculture era started 40 years back. He said while on the one hand, for lack of manure and ease of application, farmers have switched to chemical fertilizer, on the other hand the cities are heaping piles of garbage

Illustration : Courtesy Internet

without doing anything about it.  Both are bad.

40 years back, the city garbage will be converted into compost mature and supplied to village. The Village inturn will export farm produce to cities. It was a win-win situation.

To put thought into action I spoke to Subbu and restarted the same topic which I left half finished since month.

Earlier, I had assigned him to visit a busy fruit juice shop in Valliyoor, a nearby town and enquire about the leftover fruit cuttings. Subbu had enquired the owner and found that the shop doesnot waste any fruit. Not even the spoilt ones.  The business secret is all of them go into juice making. The only waste is coconut kernal and banana peel. So the attempt was left at that.

Today I assigned him to visit nearby towns vegetable markets and find what they do with their green waste. I must tie up for atleast one lorry load of vegetable market discards a month.  Well that must be brought into the farm and used for generating manure using cowdung solution.  The only expense must be some nominal payment to municipal, loading and the transport.

As a first step and a pilot, a 10 feet by 15 feet brick tank has to be built in the farm.  Digging a pit in the ground is ruled out as it will get filled with water. Moreover I feel the tank should be used for vermi composting also in case...

Why brick ? we have already some leftover bricks and we need to just buy some more.  The bricks must be placed with 3 inches gap between them and cemented to create a grilled appearance for airflow and water out.

Luckily today Paramu, our all round carpenter/mason was available in the farm beside Subbu.  My farm is a great place for them to meet. Otherwise what our lonely Subbu and  Kandan will do?  Today they were attempting to put the Kerosene engine water pump to take some water out of the fish pond for irrigation.   Spoke to Paramu asked him to start the work right away. Estimate around Rs. 10000/-.  The compost tank to be built near the High Tension Electricity Tower as place will not have any buildings or tall trees in future.

Good Job.

*****

I am still a beginner, but friends can't wait

Recently there has been an article published by www.agricultureinformation.com about our Farm. Last year, they contacted for an article. I avoided. But this year, they took more initiatives themselves and compiled a video. Took my permission and published.

So far I have not done anything great. I have not even done 10% of what i wanted to do.  I recall, some time last year, in the shout box i had promised friends that i will document everything I am doing. I am following that principle till date.

But perhaps this may be inspiration for many like me. Therefore I am happy to introduce you to the article.  It can be viewed on the main page of above site. There is also a simple youtube video.  The article will unfold if you click anywhere on the page.

www.agricultureinformation.com

****

Simple Sale of tapioca and farm Update

Illustrated Cassava

As a matter of routine, Subbu mentioned he had harvested 10 KG of Tapioca and sold at Rs. 20/-. A total of Rs. 200/- it fetched.  Some of the tapioca roots were replanted again.  Regeneration is the power of Natural farming.

Yesterday I had purchased an accounting ledger notebook to be sent to Subbu. Hereafter we will starting properly noting down the expenses and income, however small it may be. This will instill discipline.  So far Subbu had been keeping his own notes and I, my own in excel sheet. Seldom will we remember to note the breakup. Atleast for me I will only note the gross expenses as it used to happen in bulk.

Till now I was making capital expenditure for farm development.   Now with the wind pump in place and a small kerosene motor for backup, there is no issue for water.  We are secure with water now.

Not our farm: Illustrated Sugar Cane

I asked Subbu to assure the neighbouring small farmer for water too.   This year we will not let his crop go dry !.

2 KG of onion has been sowed by Subbu through his own planning. This is Onion season.

I asked him to purchase SugarCane (edible black) and sow that too. It should come after Pongal atleast.

There is nothing which stops us from experimenting on Mappillai Samba. We have the seed, the piece of land and the water security.  Subbu is planning to sow Mappillai Samba rice near the cement tank after the newly laid Bananas.  That is a good choice.  It will be done in small quantity to see how it grows.

I am missing the action.  This is the time to be and enjoy on the farm.

******

Mynah Nest atop Windmill

A Mynah Nest is seen inside the windpump rotor.  Subbu told it has live siblings.
Decided not to disturb the family. I donot know how they ignore the rotating shaft

Banana near the tower. 

Current growth of the small patch

Another angle. Seen is the overhead tank into which windpump will fill water

The new batch of banana plants 

Windmill back to Normal, plan ahead Dec, 2014

The windmill has been finally repaired by Subbu and his team (all local).  They have made few attempts shuttling between Valliyoor and the farm welding, mending some of the moving parts and finally fixed it.  Subbu was down with fever for 2 days and hence there was stoppage of work.

Presently the windmill is rotating with excellent speed. The washer in the borewell pump has been replaced. Very minor work is pending.  earlier  it was found that the water was not coming from the well, even after proper operation. Later a faulty valve in the deep of the well was replaced by taking out all the pipes from the borewell. This is a team work and require expertise to lift the entire assembly of pipe one by one. It costs 1500/- for labor.

It has started working just when there is necessary for water.  There is no rain for the past 4 days. The sweet potato is due for its water.

Subbu has fallen in love with the windmill after handling it in all angles.  He swears that no one can stop the spinning blades. It requires three people and only by tilting the entire head away from the direction of the wind, can anyone attempt to stop the blades.  good that means it is running like well oiled machine.  We discussed some safety measures.

The following are planned activities
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1. Purchase of rubber hose pipes and starting of kerosene motor for testing.  The 70 feet pipe will be inserted into the same borewell to be shared with windmill and tested for sucking water. For this, a hole has been cut on the upper plate covering the borewell.    This will be useful for emergency purpose. Should cost between 1000/- to 2000/-

2. Watering the sweet potato

3. Purchase of hand operated sprayer.  This should cost around 1800/-. I wanted them to spray Panjagavya or Jeevarmrutham over the leaf of Banana plants.  So far the fertilisers were being applied only to the roots.

4. Fishes are doing well. We estimate that around 2000/- should still be there. Around 500/- should have "escaped".  We will not worry about them.

5. Now that the soil conditions have improved (Not so wet) it is time to test some vegetables, whose seeds are ready.

6. The tomato plants which were dropping down and spoiling the fruits with water logging has been straightned with jute ropes.

Three main points which were in the back burner to be brought front
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1. Construction of toilet on the farm
2. Digging of pit for compost preparation.
3. A small nursary with green shade. This is to start the seeds.  Don't know where we can get the green netted cover. to Search.

*****

Subbu and Paramu atop Windmill tower

They are trying to repair the windmill which has a bearing slip problem for the past 10 days or more.  Since monsoon is at peak, we have plenty of rain and water. Therefore we reported this to ABS who went into action slowly and sent a solution.

The part has arrived after a delay of week. As expected it is not useful to solve the problem. Therefore Subbu told that they will go in Jugad way. Dismantle the part, take to valliyoor and re-do the thing.   The objective is to keep the slipping ball bearing in place.

Hope they will achieve their objective.