Farm Update 01-Jan-2015
Sir, 4 buckets of cowdung were emptied into the fish pond. The water is looking greenish, said Subbu. I wonder how the fish will breath. While cowdung is a healthy food for them, in an already muddy water, there wont be space for them to see through.
Did you see the fish ? Sure they have not died because dead fish will float. Nothing of that sort. So they must be healthy. Subbu laughed. He likes mystry.
Some special visitors are coming to farm to see the windpump in operation. He is Vinod, a farmer from Tanjore and his friend who have heared about this in the Nammalwar first year annivarsary service in Vanagam. He had called me and took details.
There had been some more visitors from my relatives last week. My sisters and their children. The children of them were interested in identifying the trees that are planted all over the place near the fence. Even I cannot identify them, but they are of around 50+ different genetic varities. We had not kept any documentation after purchasing from nursary. All saplings were looking alike. Now since these are grown upto 5 to 6 feet each, they have developed their own identify. People can identify Guava, Mango, Jackfruit etc. But not any further... Need some expert to identify and label them - an activity reserved for future.
Just yesterday the windpump was down as there was a bolt that had to be replaced. Earlier, due to turning of the rotor to adjust to wind direction, a bolt had become loose and fallen. Subbu & team had lost their Ellen Key screw driver. He had to purchase from Tirunelveli and put it back. For this it was required to "hold the propellers from rotating and tie it with ropes" by 4 strong men. It is a ritual they have learned of late everytime there is some work in the pump. Now the pump is back to normal.
With well oiled and maintained pump, even without any wind, we are getting atleast 2000 liters of water.
The 50 odd Bananas are still maturing. I am told only when the fruit is formed, can we call the agents and start estimating the sale price etc. We have some time to go. Now is the flowering stage.
Activities ahead.
------------------
1. Now that there is slushy mud, it is ripe for sowing rice. We already have mappillai samba and ponni rice seeds. Subbu is planning to sow them this week.
2. Once again we discussed and confirmed the location of new bio-digester tank to be built. The place is to be adjascent to the gate to allow easy passage of dumping vehicles. Also to utilise the infertile soil. Subbu quoted Paramu of saying that let us build it with cement hollow bricks instead of normal bricks which will work out cheaper. Considering environment and cost, I said OK to go ahead with cement hollow bricks with gaps.
3. Asked Subbu to notice the vegetable waste dumping in markets of Valliyoor, Tirunelveli markets. He said they waste is being dumped into a nearby pond. That is good news. So there is no proper waste management. We can be recipient of that waste atleast a truck load. Asked him to take some notes of who are taking them away now.
4. There is no rain. No sunshine either. There is plenty of water.
5. Subbu was enthu in asking my permission to plant more Jasmine flower plants. Even i felt the same. The Jasmine flowers are always above 600/- per Kg and goes upto 1000/- I have been noticing their prices every day and has never come down below 800/- per kg in the past few months. We earlier planted 60 plants of which 10 have gone waste. Another 10 is not growing. Balance 40 are already growing and even flowering in small quantity. But as per advise of others, these are nipped in their buds so that it grows more. Tomorrow Subbut to purchase 30 more plants.
6. We need to plant atleast one Banyan tree. The place is identified. That banyan sapling will also be purchased. Meanwhile in Pune, I have isolated banyan seeds (of the size of half mustard) from some fruting trees. I need to test for germination and send it across. They are plenty and we will make seed balls to be distributed to neighborhood.
7. Recently I sent some small (country cherry) tomato seeds to many of my facebook farmer friends interested in natural farming. I collected them from wild plants that I chanced upon during our routine loitering. Myself and my friend would venture here and there around like this. The tomatos were squeezed, their seeds saved and sun dried. Put seeds in small plastic cover, Rs. 5/- samped cover and post by ordinary post. That system works well. It has reached almost all of the 40 people that I posted. Soon they will grow cherry tomatoes.
***
Sir, 4 buckets of cowdung were emptied into the fish pond. The water is looking greenish, said Subbu. I wonder how the fish will breath. While cowdung is a healthy food for them, in an already muddy water, there wont be space for them to see through.
Did you see the fish ? Sure they have not died because dead fish will float. Nothing of that sort. So they must be healthy. Subbu laughed. He likes mystry.
Some special visitors are coming to farm to see the windpump in operation. He is Vinod, a farmer from Tanjore and his friend who have heared about this in the Nammalwar first year annivarsary service in Vanagam. He had called me and took details.
There had been some more visitors from my relatives last week. My sisters and their children. The children of them were interested in identifying the trees that are planted all over the place near the fence. Even I cannot identify them, but they are of around 50+ different genetic varities. We had not kept any documentation after purchasing from nursary. All saplings were looking alike. Now since these are grown upto 5 to 6 feet each, they have developed their own identify. People can identify Guava, Mango, Jackfruit etc. But not any further... Need some expert to identify and label them - an activity reserved for future.
Just yesterday the windpump was down as there was a bolt that had to be replaced. Earlier, due to turning of the rotor to adjust to wind direction, a bolt had become loose and fallen. Subbu & team had lost their Ellen Key screw driver. He had to purchase from Tirunelveli and put it back. For this it was required to "hold the propellers from rotating and tie it with ropes" by 4 strong men. It is a ritual they have learned of late everytime there is some work in the pump. Now the pump is back to normal.
With well oiled and maintained pump, even without any wind, we are getting atleast 2000 liters of water.
The 50 odd Bananas are still maturing. I am told only when the fruit is formed, can we call the agents and start estimating the sale price etc. We have some time to go. Now is the flowering stage.
Activities ahead.
------------------
1. Now that there is slushy mud, it is ripe for sowing rice. We already have mappillai samba and ponni rice seeds. Subbu is planning to sow them this week.
2. Once again we discussed and confirmed the location of new bio-digester tank to be built. The place is to be adjascent to the gate to allow easy passage of dumping vehicles. Also to utilise the infertile soil. Subbu quoted Paramu of saying that let us build it with cement hollow bricks instead of normal bricks which will work out cheaper. Considering environment and cost, I said OK to go ahead with cement hollow bricks with gaps.
3. Asked Subbu to notice the vegetable waste dumping in markets of Valliyoor, Tirunelveli markets. He said they waste is being dumped into a nearby pond. That is good news. So there is no proper waste management. We can be recipient of that waste atleast a truck load. Asked him to take some notes of who are taking them away now.
4. There is no rain. No sunshine either. There is plenty of water.
5. Subbu was enthu in asking my permission to plant more Jasmine flower plants. Even i felt the same. The Jasmine flowers are always above 600/- per Kg and goes upto 1000/- I have been noticing their prices every day and has never come down below 800/- per kg in the past few months. We earlier planted 60 plants of which 10 have gone waste. Another 10 is not growing. Balance 40 are already growing and even flowering in small quantity. But as per advise of others, these are nipped in their buds so that it grows more. Tomorrow Subbut to purchase 30 more plants.
6. We need to plant atleast one Banyan tree. The place is identified. That banyan sapling will also be purchased. Meanwhile in Pune, I have isolated banyan seeds (of the size of half mustard) from some fruting trees. I need to test for germination and send it across. They are plenty and we will make seed balls to be distributed to neighborhood.
7. Recently I sent some small (country cherry) tomato seeds to many of my facebook farmer friends interested in natural farming. I collected them from wild plants that I chanced upon during our routine loitering. Myself and my friend would venture here and there around like this. The tomatos were squeezed, their seeds saved and sun dried. Put seeds in small plastic cover, Rs. 5/- samped cover and post by ordinary post. That system works well. It has reached almost all of the 40 people that I posted. Soon they will grow cherry tomatoes.
***
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