Farm Update 22-April-2015

There had been heavy rain for a day in the farm. today is very sunny as per Subbu.  I asked if we got enough water into "our pond".  He said the pond is full and fishes are not visible. They tried to catch them but with no success.  I told him to drag the net or buy a fishing rod.

Anyway I am happy. The farm must be rejuvenating with different life forms. I am scheduled to visit next week myself.  It must be visual treat.

Meanwhile Subbu is busy building the long pending shade roof for resting.  The earlier one which stood for 4 years had fallen few months back.  From then I have been planning to build a new one. Except for a small room near the gate, there is no shade for workers.

Finally the iron pipes have been purchased from Vailliyoor, a nearby town.  Costing Rs 45 to 60/- per KG of iron depending on thickness, the pipes were purchased with reasonable thickness to withstand weight. They are not new pipes.  To keep costs minimal he had gone for scarp pipes. That is good from environment recycling point.

Earlier we thought of going for stone pillars, but we could not get them as there is police raid going ON for many months in this part.  There is BAN on movement of any vehicle carrying stone, mud or sand.

The following material goes into making a large shade roofing.

6 Iron Pipes,  4 of 6 feet and 2 of 12 Feet height costing 45/- Kg of iron totalling Rs. 4500
400 Nos Coconut tree leaves knitted  at 6/- each totalling 2400
Skilled Labor for 2 days @ 500 each person total 2 persons = 2000
Concrete for iron pillars and preparing the ground = 1000

The entire focus is also put into cleaning the farm devoid of unwanted grass etc.  He has hired two ladies on part time for cutting weeds.   Subbu wants to make sure the farm look more tidy before I come.  I did want to intervene and draw other priorities, as I donot want to disturb the spirit and flow.

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Subbu's First fish feast

"Sir, we caught two fishes. I just wanted to check if the fishes are there.  They are 250 grams each"....  Subbu was narrating with much of hesistation, shyness in voice.

I understood, he wanted to eat fish.

I asked straight question.  Subbu, did you eat fish? How was it ?. He would'nt answer out of respect, as I am a vegetarian.

Then I said, don't worry, all fish is for you only. Enjoy every Sunday.

I am surprised the fishes have grown to 200 grams each. There must be hundreds of them in the mud pond which Subbu was safeguarding all these days with bare minimum water. He deserves some fun.

Farm Progress in Visual 09-Apr-2015

Few trees have come to fruition.  This will be ready for harvest in 2 weeks.  

A portion of Farm as it appears from Gate side.  Surprised to see complete change of landscape near the tower because of better care and water.

The water pipes of the windmill are extracted from the borewell and kept outside This week to reach a clog.
This was re-assembled with another pump at the end.

One of the unsent photos of February.  Shows the harvested Sweet Potato. Not bad at all.  They are looking healthy
At that time we fetched a market rate of Rs. 10/- as against going rate of 6/- due to the shining and juicy construct

Sacs of Banana roots just arrived

The healthy Juicy Red-banana roots.  To be sowed today/tomorrow.  It requires some preparation of the soil with 6 array and 12 array tracktor plough to break
the mud and create soil powder 

The 2nd batch of banana trees are growing well. I didnt expect this height.

Custom laid drop pipes by Subbu to cover fence and coconut plants

Another Segment of Drop pipes circling the jasmine plants

The tapping for Drop segments from the underground pipe coming from overhead tank.
Total 3 segments going to three different directions.

Special mention about the layout :  I had an argument with Subbu about why he has laid the pipes in long linear fashion rather than the typical one to many configuration of drop laterals.  He gave a satisfactory answer.  If we split more pipes from a common pipe, the pressure to each will reduce. Since we donot have pressure (But enough volume), he has made a long pipe winding across the farm.  So far as water reaches the last point that is good.   And It does reach.

The windpump is sick

Yesterday Subbu mentioned that the windpump is not rotating. Whereas the windmill rotor is working, the up and down motion of the rod assemble has got jammed somewhere down inside the boring.

It was decided to replace the pump by lifting all the piples and re-assembling again. We have a spare pump that was brought for our handpump.  That had a bigger boring, but would pump water only on one stroke. He had at his disposal Kandan and two ladies.  He called for one more helping hand and was prepared to lift the pipes. I wondered how he has gained confidence over a period of time. For such a similar activity, last year we called for a borewell mechanic, plumber and special wrench. Since then I have been insisting on investing on a wrench.  Now he has one.

It was 6.30 pm, by when the team has finished dis-assembling all the 12 pipes (10 x 12 = 100 feet). I asked him to call it a day as it would be dark over there. Safety is important.

Today, the team completed the remaining job.I am told the pump is working fine now.  He said he fixed only 80 feet of pipes and that is enough as there is enough water.  This shortened length would bring more water.  Logical !

Next time we need to put a pully atop the tower. So that we can lift the piples by pulling the ropes tied to them.  I suggested and we need to try this idea. I am scheduled to visit the farm this month end. Let me see......

Not an easy feat this - Transporting Red Banana Roots

Banana Roots

Getting Banana roots from across Thirumangalam.

One of my desire got fulfilled.  I have a facebook friend Thirumurthy of Sathyamangalam, Erode District. He is natural farmer. Recently he has cultivated Red Bananas. After the harvest he offered the roots to anyone of interest. I asked 250 Nos for myself.

How do I transport them from across 450 kilometers from Thirumangalam, Erode to Nanguneri, Tirunelveli ?   It has to come fresh without damage and and quick before drying up.    Finally after a week of waiting for Thirumurthy to find labor to dig the roots, we quickly coordinated each other and shifted them in 15 gunny bags overnight through a transport.  It was a new experience for either parties.  When it arrived at Tirunelveli, I coordinated with Subbu to pickup the material.  He said they are in very good condition.

Below are the details 

Description	Rate	Quantity	Amount
Digging the Roots	3	250	750
Vehicle - Auto from Sathya to Coimbatore	1	1400	1400
Root cost	3	250	750
Nellai-Kovai-Transport	1	1950	1950
Lorry Nellai-Nanguneri	1	1400	1400
			6250
	Per Root		Rs. 25

Now that the roots are on hand, we need to quickly prepare the land for sowing. We have selected the piece next to the tower so that we can put drip pipes over there from the overhead tank.

Subbu is very busy these days. He would be restless to close the call. Asked him why?. He said overall the work has increased. I can understand.  With so many pipes and butterfly valves to open and close, Kandan is unable to understand their relations. Everytime Subbu has to come to operate them.  Perhaps I have to do something for this.  Subbu has got fedup educating kandan on this.

Presently he was irrigating banana plantsr. There is power cut issue. He borrows water from nearby well. I asked why should we depend on a neighbor for water and pumping. He said he was conserving our own water.  He is obsessed that fishes should have plenty of water.  The bananas require liberal water towards the end.  The existing banana trees are just 2 months away for harvest and require more water.  Hopefully once that is harvested we can focus on these red bananas.

I already gave around 30 roots to another farmer enroute  by again coordination and sending their person to collect them.  Another 25 Nos I asked Subbu to give his father. He hesistated. I said it will create a competition.  I want to start a competition. So that we can bench mark each other. he is using fertiliser and it will be reference point for me to compare how it grows in natural and fertiliser environments.

*****