Some Update 16-12-2016

There had been a spate of things past 2 months that kept me away from the blog.

Demonitisation was one very major event that happened affecting all the 130 crore population of India starting 8th November.  I was in no mood to write anything since then as I was busy tracking news items literally every hour that is still changing.  More about that later.....

The farm is in good shape. Subbu is at his best.  After a long spell of dry weather, the farm had received little showers 10 days back. Using that  the farm had been ploughed. Without telling me, Subbu had gone ahead and purchased 400 nursary plants of Jasmine teaming with other farmers in neighbourhood from the city of Nagapatinam.  I guess he had planted them.

There is no rain now.  The rain season that was supposed to be ON is no where to be seen. There had been two cyclones hitting southern peninsula, but they crossed shore around Chennai, north of the farm at 600 kilometers.

Farmers are at cross roads and are anticipating drought this year.  This is 3rd consequtive year without rains.  It is a challenge.

I want to take this challenge.  I told Subbu to work out a scheme as follows;
a) Go to nearby market and observe.
b) Due to demonitisation (removal of 86% of currency from the market by the Government), there is scarcity of cash.  Agriculture / farmers are dumping at the yards at throw away prices as they cannot afford.  But this is temperory. very soon, with this bitter feedback they will restrict cultivation. which means the price will sky rocket.
c) look for opportunity what vegetables that can be grown at this season which others are not growing.
d) Let us employ few who are out of work due to demonitisation.  Let us create some jobs.
e) Let us grow something. If it fails also ok.

I have not spoken to him for few days now.

Farm Visual Update 21-Oct-2016

The Farm has not got its shower since 11 months now.   Whatever be the climate in India, the local climate is dry and drought as it had been in the past.   Rain was there even some 6 kilometers from my farm, but not a drop here.  Here are the visuals that I persuaded Subbu to send (Otherwise he was reluctant to send me the sight of dry farm).

Fact is fact.  Sinc the pictures are self explanatory, I am not writing any commentary for anything except few slides that cannot be understood without my comment. However I must congratulate and be grateful to Subbu to have kept all the trees with borrowed water, stolen water, purchased water and stored water. The life is struggle and it keeps going........ You must contrast these trees with the die-hard juliflora weed which itself has dried outside the farm. The juliflora is supposed to live in near zero water conditions.

The beautiful seating arrangment is now having a setting

Tree is in shape of a tree finally

Not even a blade of grass.  Except trees which are tended carefully

On the way to mud pond

These coconut trees have not come up well. They are 2nd batch purchased from valliyoor.  The earlier batch
purchased form Ramji Nursary, Nagarcoil is excellent. Now we know where to purchase from

Jasmine 1st batch. Glad the bushes have become big.

Jasmine 2nd batch in famine

Just outside the farm, the shrubs are so dry

The new borewell is covered with an old hand pump. This will be where verticle windpump will
be built. Currently our folks are pumping water in hot sun. I asked subbu to construct shade
He had purchased the knotted coconut leaves, but lack of support kept is pending

Dry and no growth except casurina.  These trees are drinking purchased water  and is a mistake

Windpump at backdrop. Which is sustaining all living things for the past 11 months silently working to maximum capacity.

2nd seating arrangement. Otherwise for water this should be greenest of places.

Near the tower.  All banana trees have gone.

The Red banana. Atlast one or two have escaped hard summar. This was procured from Thirumurthy farm near Coimbatore

Banana used to be here

Around the farm. This is the reality. My farm is an oasis.

Farm Update 06-Oct-2016

Subbu is frustrated.  It is understood.  There is intense heat there continuously.  There is no rain for the past 8 months. No. Not a single drop of water. Not even clouds.

My guess is right.  The macro climatic predictions done by Government, Met and other agencies are still far from reality. They are done for policy makers, share market and general public in cities who are unconnected with reality. Clouds appearing on satellite maps not necessarily bring rain. They never.

There is drought in this part of country. there is floods in another. None of this appear in bulletin.

Something must be done to Farmers - to record and predict local micro climatic conditions.  Even their time tested traditional techniques of observing birds is failing them because of global climate (Warming).

So no drop of water. No wind either.  Subbu is disgusted because we had to purchase water several times.  Even then the water poured is drying up within half day and the trees are drooping down. This is exactly words of Subbu's explanation of why he is frustrated.  Generally villagers donot like spending money and that too wastefully on water.  Paying for water would be accptable to city folks. Even to drink one liter of water we pay 20/- without any shame.  But in village they are yet to be dragged into corporate exploitative vicious world.  For them purchasing water is still not digestible.


He had fixed the handpump in the new well.  Employed one lady employee to water the plants as we did 4 years back.  History repeats. I asked him to put a canopy for shade. He had purchased matted coconut tree leaves 20 nos for this. There is no helping hand for him to build a canopy.  Kandan is not coming

Kandan has vouched for a temple.  He has put "mala" for a local diety and has gone for alms around. Therefore he is unable to visit the farm. This will continue till he fulfils his vow.

I had asked for some pictures to be sent. But he has no time.  The coordination of water tracktor, pumping the water with hand, watering etc in the absence of Kandan is taxing on him.

The plight of small and medium farmers across the country is the same situation.   No opportunity to cultivate due to lack of water.  On a macro level the water politics, or water lobby is creating more hurdles for farmers.


Something must be done.
Something must be done.
Something must be done.
Something must be done.
Something must be done.
Something must be done.
Something must be done to small farmers.

I cannot let the farm dry after like this year after year.  Inspite of fact that now 2 bore wells are there, the pond is expanded, there are cement tanks and overhead tanks. Lack of power in the farm is another factor.

I must expedite my verticle windpump.   But even then it will not make my farm secure with water.  I need even more power. Perhaps concentrated Solar Energy again. I must ride two horses now on......

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Farm Update 21-Sep-2016

There is still scorching heat at the farm.  The last rain was many months before, probably in April or so.   We have been pulling all along with windpump and some stored water.

Subbu is busy now irrigating and sustaining the trees.  There is good amount of wind, but very hot wind.  As per subbu, they are getting two drums (2 x 1000 liters) of water before noon and 3 drums in the evening.  The wind pump works continuously and they are trying to make best use of the water.

He is visibly frustrated and wants to bring electricity asap.  He has kept aside my Verticle Windpump project aside for the time being.  I can understand.  One cannot stand in the farm for 5 minutes before grabbing water to drink.   It will be so hot and so windy.

Kandan is down with fever.  There is denge fever all over India this season. Chickenguniya and Denge are most common.  He cannot come for another week and Subbu has to manage all by himself.

He had met the electricity officials last week and given a push. They wanted my signature on a farm, which he has sent by courier. I am supposed to sign and send it back as soon as I get it. Waiting... Subbu hopes that is the last leg and we should get power in 2 weeks.

Meanwhile he is confident the windpump can also be fabricated if only he gets two full days of dedicated time along with Paramu, the carpenter / plumber and rural engineer.

A prototype of wing on one of the arms of the rotor is fixed temperorily.
The efforr that went into reaching upto this stage is tremendous.
I still have a long way to go.....

Back home at my place, I have made good progress in fabrication amidst odds.  My family has restricted my movements (Exams are going for children).  With hardly two hours to work I made lot of progress.  The good thing about this is that I have been able to use my angle grinder (Which I purchased newly 6 months back , but did not use it for fear) with ease and caution. It is wonderful power tool.  Only it makes such a horrible noise that I cannot use it in residential area (terrace) at any time.....

Full details are in the below posts.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/519702174896073/

Complete photographs without comments here ;

https://goo.gl/photos/Rb7tyMSsWqLzeNJHA

Progress On verticle Windpump by 2nd Week September

The central mast stands majestic
To this will be attached "wings"

The last week progress on the verticle wind pump construction was satisfactory.  On the 7th floor terrace of my apartment, I had started my work of assembling, drilling and painting the parts.

Each time I have to take my car,  drive down to nearest hardware shop and purchase things.  For 1" pipe i had to go to specific welding shop as the pipe of required thickness was only available there. The conventional hardware shops have good looking stainless steel coated pipes (to be used as screen rods), but they are not strong.

The following things were completed

1. Painting of A frame with rust free paint on top of existing one. I found rust on the frame because it was kept in Balcony among potted plants for long time.
2. Purchase and installation of the main verticle pipe of 8 feet.  It required boring on that pipe to lift and fix as the height was not sufficient.  I had purchased 8 feet because it can be carried in my car from hardware store to home. 
3. I learnt drilling on metal pipe. Initially it did not come. Then with a new bore bit and my bosch handheld drilling machine (10 years old), i was able to successfully make hole.
4. Fixing of the main verticle frame that was made earlier to this A frame using steel wires and painting them also.  Here the A frame acts as a stand so that I donot have to spoil the common terrace. Otherwise for field installation the A frame is not required.  This A frame I made last year for my solar experiments.
5. Fixing of ball bearing inside with rubber beading to fill the gaps.
6. Miscellaneous activities like planning for the wings of the verticle windpump.  The wings or blades will be made of plywood. I chanced on the plywood store in my locality and took no time to decide.

The below video summarises what has been accomplished till now.

More photos have been added to existing album.  This album is continuously updated.

https://goo.gl/photos/Rb7tyMSsWqLzeNJHA

Happy Mood !

Happy because of few insignificant reasons;

a) Reached Subbu after 2 days. His phone was switched off continuously. His smartphone has weak battery. He said his Son is unwell and he was taking him to a hospital in Valliyoor.  Nothing to worry. This is a season of fever due to climate change.  I wonder, with so many herbs around why people in village should get sickness at all. It is due to their in-sufficient knowledge on how to use the resources around. Even in city my wife makes various potions (Kashayam) out of common herbs as preventive medicine from cold and fever. It always works.

b) He had seen my video and photos while at Valliyoor.  He feels happy. I had started an album in Google photos and shared it. The same is added as separate page in this blog.  Here !

c) I have finished my Astronomy session to children in my housing society.  The presentation was sincerely prepared for high school, college students with lots of animation in power point. But the audience was mostly small children. That's ok.  The fee towards that will be adjusted against the rent that I may have to pay for occupying the terrace for my workshop. I started the work on Sunday by painting the material that I had gathered so far.

d) There is adequate wind blowing in the farm. Subbu is happy. he said he has completed watering the entire farm with wind as well as electric motor. He has not returned the motor and has paid around 2500 for that which includes rental for pipe, motor and cable.  This watering should take me through another two weeks by which time I expect signs of rains to come by end of this month. we need to pull up.

The opening slide of my presentation. This was a teaser slide

Rubbing the pipe with salt paper to remove rust

Painting with primer for anti-rust coating

Painting yellow even before the primer become dry resulted in bad job

Painting the stand frame work with black

Just trying to assemble on floor to guage the materials required
to secure the ball bearing.

This A frame I made last year for my solar project. All these days it was in
my balcony with flower pots. Now this will be useful as stand for my windpump

Lucky I was able to divert one pot holder to myself as work bench.  I made
4 flower pot holders from the same welding shop. It cost Rs. 950 each of variable
height.  This is multi purpose bench.
I need to cover this with a wooden plank that is lying in my house.

Farm Update 02-Sep-2016

Going by the past postings, one would assume so and so progress would have happened in the farm.    It is but natural to think that water would have come through temperory electric pump,  Subbu would have progressed on fabrication of wind pump etc....  I would also expect the same.

But the reality is different.  The stark ground reality is more painful and  disappointing and agonizing.

Animals are risk when you bring electricity using wires from neighbourhood.

There is still no water. No wind in the past one week.   Wind has just started yesterday.   Subbu's attempt to get an electric motor has failed.  After putting the submersible pump at 300 feet with pipes and wire, the motor did not start.  Some issue in coil.  The guy who gave for loan services and circulates old motors. He had to come next day, take back and another day later supplied one more.  This seems to work. Yesterday for first time Subbu had operated it for 2 hours.

The process is to get electricity from neighbouring pump room that is 300 meters away.  That is illegal and hence cannot be fixed permanently.   It must be round sleeve,  single cable without any joint in between to avoid water risk.  It cannot be laid in day time also because of stray grazing animals like cow and sheep. Therefore only by evening can he connect there and switch ON here. If everything works he can operate for an hour or two.

That is the plan and it started yesterday. He said he has watered the drying trees first. This arrangement will continue till rain comes.

Subbu has no time to visit the browsing centre to check two mails I had sent him earlier.  It is about the progress I have made in my own fabrication.

The windpump will come up here.

Back home for the verticle windpump I needed a space where I can use my drilling machine freely. I also need space to do carpentary and masonary work to fabricate.   So far I have finished all welding job outside. I had discussion with my housing society office and got the 7th floor terrace. I purchased lock and key and shared with security, with one key with self.  The society office bearers were convinced about my initiative, were interested to participate perhaps in future. But presently they wanted to charge rent for the same.

When they were discussing about a forthcoming Ganesh festival event in which they wanted to bring someone from outside with a telescope for children to appreciate (an astronony session),  I intervened. I argued it will be disappointing for children to see through telescope standing in queue one at a time - total 30 children with telescope pointing to nowhere in the sky.  In September with cloudy atmosphere, amidst city light no celestial object will be visible if at all.

People generally expect Galaxies and planets to be visible in telescope as a disk. But will be disappointed for not seeing any.  I suggested let me give a lecture on Astronomy for one hour with audio visual.   They agreed and they said they will waive my rental.

So now I am busy preparing for my astronomy presentation for tomorrow.  I will introduce them to Cygnus constellation and the nebula, move on to Milkyway, then other objects, cover September launch schedule of various rockets, current inter-planetary missions and end with different deep space programs including cosmic ray observatories. The idea is to generate varied interest on fundamental research and distract them from only thinking about guided tour to NASA exhibition.

Now with deal fixed,   I also can peacefully start using my grinding wheel at the terrace and build my wind pump.   My wife however has objections (as always) and has sweared she will see the end of my work shop.

Farm Update 25-Aug-2016

Extreme hot Summar.  There is no rain for the past several months. No drop of water.

Water is being purchased.  6000 liters cost Rs. 1000/-

There is no availability of tracktor (water tanker) as the neighborhood guy has sold that.  Another one is busy.  Each sortie will bring 1000 liters. once the overhead tank is filled, the next trip has to be directly poured to the trees using hose. But the tracktor fellow has no time to wait.

This is the situation in the farm today.  Subbu's feedback is partially expected. But I never thought that the drought like situation will extend so much further without rain for so long.  Whereas it is monsoon in other parts of India and several areas in the north are submerged under water.

There  is absolutely no wind either.  It should be windy by now. It is not. That is the double problem.

Local climate has no correlation to global climate.  All weather reports can be trashed.

Subbu is planning to insert a hired submersible in the new borewell.  This will be electric pump and will come for "rent".  He is hoping to bring the current from neighbourhood well. Not so legal, but no choice. These are common among small farmers when they are pushed to corner.  I should find a renewable energy solution and stop this.

Compared to last year this year is better. Last year also was without water and we purchased for several days. Windpump was not working. This year, it is smooth. We also have 2nd bore with hand pump. I hope it is only few more weeks and we should get rains.

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On the vertical windmill initiative, Subbu reported he has made progress. But water problem is not allowing to concentrate.   He was sitting in welding shop when I called in near by village. They have sourced a tooth wheel of a lorry part and planning for a proper setup based on my diagram. I donot know more details and have sought for it.

My own initiative is also satisfactory.

I have started a facebook page for reporting the progress of Verticle windpump development and posting there. Not to repeat the story.  Meanwhile planning to start a separate page in this blog also when time permits.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/519702174896073/?ref=group_browse_new

Meanwhile I am running out of space in my apartment balcony. family is not allowing me to accumulate tools and trash items.  Therefore I have applied for permission with the Housing Society office to provide some space in terrace (7 story building). Let's hope.

Farm Update 16-Aug-2016

Extreme heat,  dry and hot winds is the short description of farm today.  It is months since rain has come in this area.  Though there is north east monsoon in India, this place is always dry. It is a rain shadow region.

Last year same time also it was very dry.  I had given some assignments to keep the team busy like painting the gates, putting fence around the pond etc.  We had to purchase water several days.  This year is much better, thanks to the continuous working of windpump. There is water to survive all trees.

Otherwise the bushes, grass and even  Prosophis Juliphora gives a burnt appearance in this heat.  Team is working hard to keep the plants alive.

Meanwhile baby steps towards fabricating a verticle windpump has started both at the farm and in my home here.  At the farm the handpump has been installed.  It has some repair works and getting done.  Back home, I spent some time yesterday in running between cycle shop, welding shop and automobile shops to match freewheel, identify iron pipe and purchase ball bearing respectively.

More on that as separate page.  Now for some visuals obtained from farm.

The nursary is dismantled and the pipes are to be used in the 2nd borewell to fix the handpump.

Suppotta trees surviving

Coconut tree is looking better. The other trees are stunted for lack of water

This is where the first rice was grown. Now parched. The new boring is land at the corner of this plot. Look
at the casurina trees at the fence. They look tired. Even now they need to be irrigated

I asked Subbu to test pumping with this small kerosene pump. It did not work well.

Some guests at the farm. They had come to attend the Sastha temple nearby

Sastha temple and pilgrims. I had asked Subbu to provide all help. this was last week.

A vew of the windpump.

Paramu testing the handpump. This is going to be a historic site with the
new Verticle windpump being fabricated by our own ideas.

Subbu wants to show me the new arrival.

Neem tree that my wife wanted to grow as much as possible. Was waiting for right moment.