No Water Day 2 or Day 3

Well entire day went in hunting and discussing for a right Pump Set.

Finally we concluded what we need is a "Slow Speed Diesel Engine with Free Wheel" with Double Compressor which can reach upto 200 feet depth.

But the cost is very high.  We wanted only company Brands like Kirloskar. But they are costing above 30K + Compressor. In the maze of information in internet, we are still searching who could be the right dealer.  Willing to pay only 20+ for entire solution without compromising on quality.

let me see.....

Meanwhile the team is sitting at the farm,  fingers crossed.   Today the neighbor had agreed to provide water. But alas ! There is no current.  For entire day the current did not come.

If this situation continues - No current,  No wind, No water, we will go for a tracktor tank load of water tomorrow morning. But that would be just enough to wet the soil and survive the plants.

Meanwhile Subbu is on his way to visit a farm where a farmer wants to sell his old Engine. If that clicks it will be great.

No water No water and being pushed to the Edge

Renewable Sources or Survival First ?

The climate is hot hot and hot in my farm. There had been no rains for the past few months. Ironically there is no wind either.  It is not supposed to be this way.  Perhaps climate change is becoming a reality and a local issue ?   Elders are saying that the seasons are delaying.  This month is supposed to be having high speed wind. That was how it was last year. Today there is zero wind.

Near my farm, other towns like Nanguneri are experiencing fast depletion of water from their large ponds.  The well water levels are also going down. People were cheerful just two months back when there were rains. We hoped the water collected in ponds will stay put for many months. That seems to be not the case now.

Back in the farm, Subbu has raised the SOS.  Yesterday when I wanted to check on the progress of JCB work on the planned digging activity to expand the existing rain water pond, he was not at all in a mood to answer any questions.  His only thought was WATER. He was very sad and agitated.   He said without water the banana and other crops will dry out soon.  He urged me to do something urgently. The windmill is not working due to lack of wind.  The neighboring well owner has refused to share water because it is required for his own use.

Subbu urgently called for a suggestion.  Perhaps we need to buy an Oil Pump and Compressor. The existing mini kerosene motor is not able to pull the water.  Perhaps we need to spend 15 K on this.   Purchasing water is another option. But it costly one and is not sustainable.  The local wisdom says, we need to own our own pump set.

His urge was so much that he set out late in the evening on motorcycle to Tirunelveli market to survey new Pumps.  I asked him to wear helmet without fail.  By 8.30 PM when I checked with him, the market was half closed due to ABJ Abdul Kalam's last rites ceremony. (He is the 11th president of India).

Initial inquiry reveals that 5 KV Pumpset with Dieseal motor will cost upwards of 30K..  We decided if we go for a pump, we will go for a good company brand.  Second hand is not reliable.  Hmmmm. Need to take a call today after exploring further options.

I hate this idea of buying a Fossil fuel pump.  But what is the choice now?   When you need to water the plants in next 48 hours or less ?  We need to save the crops.  All other things take a backseat now.

***

Farm Update - 27th July, 2015

My mood was upbeat last few days.  I hear many farming activities going all over the country like tilling the soil, seeding etc in preparation for the season to come.  In my farm, the weather is still dry, but I do hope that rains will come soon.  Weatherman has predicated that there will be rains from 12th of August near Tirunelveli.  Let me prepare myself for the same.

Called Subbu and had a long chat on the planning ahead for Aadi Pattam.  We covered all topics including one of my proposal to purchase a house in my native place for later settlement.

1. Windpump is working normal.  Currently only 4 pipes are connected (40 feet). We will connect more as and when required.  I asked the extra pipes to be kept in proper order.  Earlier I had asked him to purchase/make in the welding workshop something of the shape of    'Y' in iron. The idea is two Y--------------Y  can hold the iron pipes off the ground.  Subbu mentioned it will be vulnarable for theft. But anyway it has to be kept in open.  Perhaps we can tie with a chain and lock.

2.  Wanted to increase the size of the rainwater pond. Currently it is 30 feet x 30 feet. Perhaps we need to double the size.  Tomorrow JCB is coming. That could be 2 days of work for JCB and may cost (Rs. 700 x 8 x 2) + 600.

3.  We need to dig pits for jasmine flower saplings. Planning to expand jasmine flowers as it is giving good yield. Currently about 1/2 kg is coming per day. That is not enough for market. Ladies are adoring them.  with additional plants we can reach around 1 KG per day. Then it makes sense to sell.

4.  The first thing before digging the mud pond would be to save the bottom mud which is now full of nutrients because earlier fish had been there.  This fertail mud will be used for jasmine pits.  The saplings will be purchased in Nagarcoil nursary.

5.  There is a litigation with my plot of land that I had earlier purchased (Not part of this main farm, but at a walk-able distance. This is yet to be fenced. There is no road for this).  Someone is claiming a piece of that land belongs to himself. We are verifying the EC.  If his claim is true, then I may have to pay some money to him.  Let's see.  This plot is important for me as in near future I am planning to do my experiments on Concentrated Solar Power. I want to solve this issue asap.

6. Assuming there will be rains, I want to grow some regular crops this time, taking risk with rains.  Finalised.   we will go for one little millet and one green gram in a small available patch.

7.  Cowdung 2nd lot has come. Subbu has already made panjagavya. It will be put to jasmine plants, sapota, guva trees.  I asked him to buy neem cakes and keep them ready.

8. Some of the Red-banana is not growing well. Without wasting time, Subbu want to replace them with local country variety.  In this experiment it appears Red Banana is not suitable for our climate.

9. I urged him to put some creeper variety vegertable. For this a small "pandal" need to be constructed.  Creeper vegetables like bitter guard will give good yield. But there is no space. We will manage somewhere.

What is On top of my Mind....Self Review

Well, it is few years now that I have started my initiative.  What is that which is running in my mind. Let me try to capture with all sincerity in an unbiased manner.  This will help myself for introspection and others to know if I am fairing well or not.  I imagine someone asking these questions and answer that.

Am I exited doing farming ?
Yes, I eagerly look forward every day to hear some or other news about the farm.  There is a farm in my mind, ever growing. There is a farm out there physically, also growing.

Do I hear good news or bad news ?
Most of the time bad news. One or other problem / issue to be sorted out.  Even yesterday there was a problem with the pump which got choked. But these are good mechanical problems and food for thought.  Solution always comes in a day or two, and keeps the team engaged.

However solving problems is not farming. Only doing farming will grow farm.  Therefore it becomes difficult to get back the attention the farm deserves in growing crops.

What is happening in the farm ?
Nothing. Apparantly nothing. However it is like a ship moving to dock. You see the ship, coming coming coming slowly testing the patience. But one day it is there right in front of you. Similarly growing plants is very slow process. But cumulative effect is wonderful, irreversible and magnificent.

So what is the achievement ?
Grown Bananas - very successfully and sold also.  Grown sweet potatoes and sold.  Price is not much but  learnings are plenty.  Growing jasmine flower.  Growing various trees.  growing fence. Many other botanical specimens like Henna. But they are so small in quantity, it is not commercial success, but adds to bio-diversity.

Where do you find challenge ?
Many things.  In my dream I had a big farm,  with bullock or tracktor ploughing the farm.  Workers wearing uniform assigned with duties. They take rest have tea and lunch breaks, chat, be happy. There are lorries coming in to move the produce.  I visit often to discuss new plans. Professsors visit, seasoned farmers visit and students visit my farm. I have grown a network of organic retail network to deliver goods at home.   Cowdung and vermicompost are cured inside the farm.  There is grass cutter which cuts feed for cows. We have regular customer meet at the farm.

In reality however, my farm greenery is now confined to only few meters around the water source - the only source which is the wind pump.  Wind pump is also not working continuously all the time, therefore we borrow water.  Currently we have reached a zero sum Game in water production and consumption.   I cannot increase one more crop now. Rest of the farm is looking barren, empty and in-fertile.  I cannot increase the soil fertility without investing heavily. It also requires a purpose, which is cropping. Planting further would require more water which is just not available with one bore and one windmill. There is no,  rain no rain at all in this region and only sunshine.  Employees have not multiplied. Existing ones are sticking with a distant hope of prosperity.

What is the plan next ?
I need to produce more water now.  Need one more boring.  Need to bring new source of energy to pump water.  Wind mill experiment is over. One more windpump may do the job. But I want to try differently.  This time a hand built solar concentrator - steam generator - dynamo.  I want to be the model farm for non-conventional energy sources put to use with low cost setups.  That will engage the workers further.

Will this fetch profit ?
No.

Will it fetch business ?
Yes.  It will.  It will attract more and more visitors to witness how farming can be done in a dry desert. How non-conventional captive power can be generated. How we can have ENERGY FREEDOM.

Will it be possible to do ?
Yes. Definitely. The same manpower would construct it.  Paramu and Subbu are enough. they have gained enough experience. They can fabricate structures, move them, think of erection, execute mini projects and so on..  I am preparing many education videos for them. Mostly they will be youtube clips downloaded and packed in VCD for them to see. They donot have computer nor internet. Even if they have, they cannot search right clips to view.

So what is your farming future ?
Perhaps I may get into this business of consulting for energy or farming or something else. Just to hang on and further untill I develop agriculture to give enough returns for my livelihood. Presently I have a job and doing it, but far away from farm.  I am still here only for sake of children and future savings.   I may have to quit this job if something else picks up or I get sufficient income to support family.

Are you missing your farm from far this away ?
No. My remote farm management is a success. I have no issues at all. My farm supervisor is very sincere and truthful.  I also participate much in the farm growth.  I has definitely taken shape according to my will and vision.  

But I do miss the actual experience - of working in the farm,  being in commune with nature, watching birds, applying my thoughts immediately, save money, produce more and sell everything.

So net net will you recommend agriculture for others ?
Yes definitely. Where there is enough water.

Will organic farm produce enough food ?
Definitely.  Plenty and variety.

Why don't you quit now and take a plunge ?
I wish.   But my wife has a different opinion. She wants me to work for some more years as children are small. But of late she has realised that nature is the way to go. She is getting fed-up sooner as Global warming with modern life.

What if you change your mind and indulge into urban comforts for-ever ?
Impossible.  My company will anytime throw me away.  I am also investing in a house in a village to live later.  My children also like animals and nature more than current life style. Therefore in all likelihood if my land is not grabbed by Government or Gundas I will be in a village within 5 years. Lock stock and barrel.

Concentrated Solar Power - Lesson 2

As planned, I wanted to prepare the dish, this time with more mirrors.  Therefore removed the reflecting paper and affixed tiny mirrors, which I got cut from a nearby glass hardware shop. Purchased 2 x 3 feet mirror glass of 4 mm thickness and cut into small pieces numbering around 155.  Totally it cost Rs. 720/-.  Besides, purchased Silicon Gel for fixing the mirrors. Initially it was so hard to press the tube.  Later i learned we need a gun to do that. With couple of visits to hardware stores learned the secret. Purchased a gun for 150/-.

Well with these constructed the reflector. Alas there is no sun shine in Pune. Therefore confined my video to prepration and posted in youtube.....

How to make parabolic reflector using mirrors ?  Explained - Part 1

Ready and waiting for SunShine

Meanwhile there had been a visitor to the farm today.  He called and I made him coordinate with Subbu.  Later he sent an SMS message saying he was happy to see the farm.

Otherwise Windmill is working fine for the past few days. The slipping problem seems to have got arrested.  These days I am more and more enquiries about windmill. I am taking their email address and writing back to them with details. Also introducing them to ABS in case they wish to have a quote etc.  Lot of people have come to the farm and seen the windpump.  However none has materialised into another order so far... Perhaps more people are simply evaluating which is better, solar, windpump or current.  In the process they are not only loosing time, but also money.

Thank God I decided one and am happy with it now.

Concentrated Solar Power - Started - Lesson 1

On the left is food wrap and right is a
paper food cover (Chappati) which is laminated.

So as mentioned already, I have successfully started backyard experiments on using Concentrated Solar Power.  At present my activities are confined to my balcony (5 feet by 5 feet space available with limited subshine where i live).  Neverthless this is good enough for my experiments.

food wrapper pasted on dish antenna - ready

1) Last week I made a paraboloid reflector using old Dish Antenna purchased from the cable TV technician.  On that I tried different materials like

a) Food wrap aluminium foil.   Struggled with this stuff for long time and gave up. It is wrinkling very much with every treatment. Tried to use iron box to remove wrinkles, lo !! you are gifted with more wrinkles.

b) Luckily when looking for shiny adhesive tape with smooth reflective surface in stationery store, I chanced upon the food cover. This is used to pack chappattis. It cost Rs. 3/- per bag. I brought 20 Nos.

After making the reflector, I had burned some cotton and paper boards, shot the video and posted in youtube.  the link is found here.  Before that I wanted to educate myself and others on how to draw a parabola shape using simple things.  This shape is required for future construction of large reflectors to concentrate energy.

1) How to draw a Parabola using string.
2) How to make a Solar Reflector using household things.

*******

Subbu Playing "Good Ball "

For the past many days there had been intermittent problem with Wind mill.  The head used to turn in whichever direction the wind blows.  That is very normal. But while doing so, it happens to turn the connecting rods also and unscrew the link going upto the bore hole.  Eventually the wind mill will get

disconnected from pump and will start rotating at high speed happily.

Subbu and Paramu wracked their brains to find a solution.  I suspected some design flaw and informed the ABS company.  Chaitanya in ABS was kind to register my complaint and started talking to POLDAW engineers already.

We all wanted closeup photographs to understand the problem.

Meanwhile Subbu wanted to fabricate a ball and socket type of joint in a nearby welding shop in Parappadi.  This is high wind season. Every hour delay will be loss of water.

It was also physical exasperation to attend to this kind of work. You need to arrange for labor to hold and stop the windmill and lift the train of pipes from boring hole.

When the D-Day came and the new local solution was to be fixed, Subbu and Paramu discovered that they had infact tightned the neck very tightly.  He recalls  earlier during a routine maintenance and greasing activity, these boys thought that the neck is loose and had tightened it.  Actually the mechanism should have been  normal earlier.  Now they loosened it and inserted a nut in between to act as a washer. Thus problem was solved (when there was no problem in the first place).  It is a big learning.

Now yesterday there was another problem.  Kandan said there was no water coming, though windmill is working.   Subbu was quick to do RCA.     "Sir, the good ball was not working.  Windmill has kicked off the good ball" said subbu.  He meant "Foot Valve" which is at the bottom of the boring at the water sucking point.  Entire pipe assembly was removed and refitted within hours.

Root cause could be that earlier when rod assembly turned, it would have loosened the foot valve also. Now it has been tightened.

All are working well.  High wind and More water flowing.  Happy days are ahead.

I need my brinjal plants to be transplanted to the field.

*****

Farm Update 08-Jul-2015 in Pictures

Farm Photos:

Some snaps were received.  Subbu had handed over the camera memory card to a browsing centre for upload. The girl at a browsing centre had uploaded photos without reducing the size. Each snap with 5 MB in size, only 5 per mail could fit in.  With great difficulty she managed to send 3 mails and dropped two more. There is no response for any followup.

I wanted to take a brief look at the current status. whatever has come is given below.

The scrotching Heat is clearly visible.  These are few fruit trees that are being taken careoff. rest of the places, there is no water. The water pipe in the middle leads to the mud pond to draw water.

The jasmine plants. They are flowering.  Subbu said daily we are
getting around 200 grams. That is being consumed by workers.  We need atleast
a KG to take it to market.  That should earn Rs. 100/- to 200/- minimum a day.
So our next plan is to expand this plot with 50 more jasmine plants. Subject to water availability.
Note the casurina plants in the background has got scrotched in heat. They can never be retrived. This piece of land is not so fertail.

Closeup of healthy Jasmine plant

Bananas, really need water and nutrition.   

Not bad at all. These organic bananas are looking healthy.  They are waiting to
go to Chirumalunji market. This will fetch Rs. 300 per bunch. Fair price.

This is where most of the action is going to be.
Seen here are Red Banana tree babies sprouting.
In between them the soil has been loosened using hoe and tracktor
Here the brinjal, tomato and Lady's finger saplings that are now growing in
the green shade will be laid after creating raised mud patches.
This is to save overall water. Water will be shared by banana and vegetables.