Many Funny things at the Farm !

Subbu had ventured to Manimutharu, a small town near western ghats to buy fish.  Last year we brought from the same place.  This time, however it seems since there was so much rain in TN, everyone had brought fishlings so early and so large quantity, there is scarcity.

Finally he had spent around Rs. 2.5/- per fish and brought around 2500.  The total outlay including purchase of feed is around 12K.   The fish  is now let into the large pond, and small cement tank.  He has also had a good advise from the seller on how to manage fish.  It appears we have to feed them daily.  Earlier he had fed them once in a week in lumpsum with cowdung or oil cakes.  The mistake stands corrected.   This time, we have to feed them daily - all varieties of food including cabbage, poultry waste, cowdung, different cereals and so on... all of them in small quantities every day.

The biggest learning is  that the feed should not be applied as is.  It has to be spoilt till worms develop and then apply. For example cowdung should be covered with wet gunny bag, till it rots and develops small worms. Fish like such food.  So it goes.....  Now kandan has become very very active feeding fishes. Good that it will bind the staff to the farm. Anyway i am not going to consume,  but they are. So they will take care well.

Last year the fish was thought to have escaped through overflow water.  It could have got starved to death also due to improper feeding.  The water is muddy, you cannot observe the fish.

Meanwhile some of the fish from the cement tank that is filled with water from wind pump seems to have escaped. Around 20 of them. In Subbu's words "They are very playful. They jump out as the tank is full and overflow has started. So he has cut the supply to the tank and the water now passing into the mud pond.

We had decided we will try some organic paddy this time, come what may. Last year we could not due to water scarcity. Now is rice sowing season.  we had Mappillai Samba seeds with us in stock.

 Subbu had promptly emptied them on the field.  I believe all the storks that abound the region (they are migratory birds + some local varieties) have eaten them away.  Now he suggests we get some paddy which is IR70 or IR56 hybrid variety. I am not for that. But anyway said ok because we just want to try some paddy. But I now have to work getting the country variety once more !

Meanwhile I asked about non-usage of the Green House. I was fond of that and myself have mended when I visited the farm.  It seems, Kandan's dog has pulled the green mesh and bitten  it playfully. I can understand. The green shade was of not good quality.  I purchased online.  It is good when new. But after few months it becomes brittle.

We should not have covered the sides of the shade room at the Dogs reach. I suggest we put a high raised roof and leave it at that. The roof also should be wired above and below so that the mesh

doesnot baloon up or down due to heavy wind and get torn.  We need to purchase from local store of good quality rather than from online.  lesson of life.

Meanwhile inside this nursary the vegetables in small quantity has been put in polythene bags for sprouting.

The cleaning of the banana yard is over. All the mother plants with their root has been removed leaving the banana siblings on its own. Thus, devoid of dry matter, the farm should look more clean and green.

Today the tilling for sowing onion should have been done. Earlier we were waiting for rain to stop.  Tracktor operators are refusing to come as they fear wheels will get struck in slush. The other reason is most of them have joined the chainwheel removing tyres.

The farm is full of activity with 7 hired labors working.  Cost will be running upto 15k for all of these

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Farm in Visuals - Nov 15

Finally the photos have come after some adventure.  The browsing centre in Valliyoor had sent this in 4 Mb file each in 10 mails. I wanted to teach him how to compress the photos.

Subbu is not a good photographer..  There were many important snaps that were shaky and blurred. I remove them.  Advised him to install whatsup.  This camera that worked past 4 years have to be retired soon.

Bamboo near the room. Somehow it is not rapidly growing as expected.

The coconut tree is growing fine.

The new jasmine plant

The pond is full with recent rains.  The water will not raise this level as there are drain pipes in the side for safety.
The total depth is 5 to 6 feet.

Sapota plant

Another angle. The fence is new this year and it works. I am happy now that atleast people will be cautious to cross.
the level of water can be further increase, but we are waiting for the bund to get strengthend after top soil erodes.

Add caption

Some stray plants came on its own.  In the background are the sick banana. It was decided
to leave it as is. The babies will grow in the new rains and the mother can be removed later
typical natural farming practice

Vettiver has picked up significantly. I am happy the hardwork paid off. Now we need to transplant them
to prevent soil erosion. Now now may be a month or two after.

Nice view of a corner

In the front compound. Bogan villa I dreamt will grow taller and thicker. Perhaps I have to wait for few years.

Near Row of trees near the wind tower

Trees have grown taller and stronger.

Some Morning Thoughts on the Farm

Whenever there is a "break" in the "routine", it takes a long time to catch-up with work.  The team in the farm had a picnic last month. But still they have not come to a routine.   We have been waiting for rains for the past 7 months. Now plenty of rain and water is there. But the following is preventing brisk work;

a)  Labor is not available.  All are busy with their own fields or working on some other projects. It is difficult to get farm labors as everyone are doing some activity.

b) There is water logging.  water must drain otherwise it will kill small plants.

c)  Grass/ weeds is growing faster than expected.  Recently we had ploughed a plot of land near the cement tank with tracktor.  But weeds have grown immediatly.  In the words of subbu "They are very happy".  Initially he suggested we re-plough the land. But after seeing the looseness of soil, did not want to spoil that.  Therefore decided to go for manual de-weeding.

d) There is no focus with the staff.   They are attempting to do something which is obvious and easy to do.  I expressed my displeasure to Subbu that work is not happening at all.  Kandan has gone to look after his own farm.  After rain, every day is precious.  But team out there had planned only for planting Onions and sweet potato besides re-planting bananas.  That is not enough for me.

I wanted more and more vegetables to be tried, even in small quantity.  Otherwise we cannot achieve a sustenance level and invite small peddlers, or vendors to sell them.  Growing large quantity of mono crop is a loss if market conditions are poor during harvesting season. But growing small number of many things will definitely help fetch money if not atleast satisfaction.

I told Subbu that we must try all vegetables - Brinjal, Lady's finger, tomato, chillies, onion, pumpkin etc. He said he will buy vegetable seeds in valliyoor and try it out right away.  No waiting for labor. Do it yourself as we have now everything - we have nursary shade, polythene bags,  space, water etc.

Meanwhile the photographs that i asked yesterday is yet to come. I believe the browsing centre was closed yesterday.  today I hope to get them. Meanwhile I advised Subbu to install whatsup in his phone to instantly exchange photos.  Earlier it was not possible. Now I have given my used smart phones. There is also sufficient data coverage in the farm.

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Rain, Rain only Rain

It has been raining like Dog in the farm for the past few days. Not only here but the entire Tamil Nadu is drenched.  Due to a low pressure in the atmosphere or some cyclone, there is continuous water flow.  Some more rain is predicted by Met man.

As far Subbu, he is not getting the manpower. Currently all are busy sowing in various fields. Even obtained, there is rain and water logging to do any useful farm work. We should wait for water to recede.  I can only give lecture over phone on organic farming,  energy independence and power generation in captivity.  I asked him to send photos of the farm with water.  Even for this he is unable to venture out.

There has been serious causalities in this part recently due to lightning strike.   One should not venture in two wheeler in country side, lest you become the lightning arrestor.

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Reports The Hindu Paper as follows

Rain lashes Tamil Nadu; schools, colleges closed

Updated: November 13, 2015 12:04 IST

  

Heavy rainfall brought daily life to a grinding halt across Tamil Nadu, as seven districts announced holidays for schools and colleges.

Tirunelveli, Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kanchipuram, Tiruvannamalai and Vellore districts have announced a day’s holiday for schools and colleges, while Kanyakumari’s District Collector has announced a holiday for schools.

Many parts of Chennai were marooned under water after a torrential downpour since Thursday night.

Puzhal recorded the highest volume of 21 cm rainfall on Friday. The weather stations in chennai and Meenambakkam recoded 15 cm and 12 cm respectively following a thunderstorm.

According to the IMD bulletin, the trough of low at mean sea over south Andaman sea and neighbourhood now lies over south Andaman Sea and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal. It is likely to develop into a low pressure area over southeast Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood during next two days

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I am missing the Farm once again

The Farm activity is going ON in full swing without me there.  I am missing the action. Anyway,

a) 100 Banana siblings have been re-located around the Wind Pump.  They were uprooted, kept for 2 days to dry and planted again evenly.  That means by next few months there will be lush green growth around the wind pump on both sides.

b) Subbu will go to a nursary to purchase some more trees. We have decided we will have;
1) Coconut trees - 10
2) Lemon trees - 5
3) Teak to replace gaps where casurina did not grow - 20
4) Any other fruit trees - Sapota few

Around 30 seeds of Country palm has also been sown.

As per latest information the pond is full with water and overflowing.

Meanwhile Subbu and Paramu had attempted to try their experiment on windpump to increase the sweep length. It is raining over there.  He called from wet phone to say that they had some issues - a wrong welding which needs correction.  A visit to nearby town to do proper welding got delayed due to power cut.  I am still wondering what device Paramu has made - after we discussed on my visit.

I have asked for photographs of the farm and the device. Subbu wanted to send me photo after making it success.  This is the problem with we Indians :-)

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Farm Back in Action after Holiday Break

The entire crew of the farm had been to Tirupati - a pilgrimage centre.  Subbu's Son was having tonsure. Kandan and Paramu also attended with family. They went by train for around 3 days and came back. They have arrived safely.   A sort of outdoor for the staff.

Meanwhile two lady temporary workers were running the show. There are many activities that need to be done in the farm as we have received sufficient rains.

a) The mud pond has filled itself for 3/4th of capacity.  That is good news.
b) Due to continuous windpump action, the cement tank has filled to its half capacity.

Today/tomorrow the banana siblings - Indian Country variety - will be uprooted and re-planted near the tower where earlier we attempted growing red-banana. That crop was a failure.  Now both sides of the windpump there will be banana trees.

Meanwhile the old dried out mother plants will be carried to the compost pit.

The late banana plants that did not yield - next to the cement tank - will be removed entirely. Using tracktor that will be ploughed. We intend to put vegetables over there.

The newly planted Jasmine plants have survived and is budding i heared from Subbu. that is good news.

Lots of work ahead this week........