On the topic of further on expanding the crop variety, Subbu has the following constraints.
a) "Sir, already the heat has started. This year we received heavy rain and all plants got used to ample of water. Now with the absence of that, past one month they are drooping. Let them settle down and get used scarce water. So I am going to 'train' them"
b) Windpump is working absolutely fine. It gives plenty of water. However there is no wind for most of the day. (I referred to old anemometer recordings and found March-April are dull days). But even though there is no wind, even on windless days we get minimum one drum (1000 liters), thanks to the new foot valve that we changed few months back. Windpump is working like well oiled machine. (indeed it is well greased)
Because more plants are there now compared to last year there is a demand for water. But hope we can manage. Only I cannot expand my dream further of adding more varieties.
c) Presently the water that is pumped by windpump is just sufficient for all existing plants. "We feed water in round-robin fashion. We have the burden of sustaining all existing crops, having protected them with hardwork all these days", says Subbu. He and Kandan had seen them growing from seeds. They know the pain of loosing crops in drought.
c) Casurina is still drinking water even though it has grown into adult tree and even started fruting. If there is no water applied, the (Crown of) tree is showing its face down. Once a week is mandatory.
d) "Banana needs water too. There are around 200 trees. Let us not waste our money on purchasing Drip tubes. We just pour water from tank every alternate days through hose"
e) Jasmine to be watered. Though they consume less water. So also other plants like Sapota, lemon, guava and tamarind. They are fed through drip irrigation.
f) Previously excess water was let into fish tank. Now the water is just sufficient. With Sun soaring water level is coming down in the pond. This is exposing the fishes. A lot of birds (lot of them) are visiting our farm from all around. Subbu says he cannot even identify the variety. So many of them. Luck he. I am missing the farm. They are coming here for water and to eat fish.
I told Subbu to eat the fishes. It may be around 500 to 1000 of them. But he said let it be. want to see how big it grows. He wants me to come and see. But I told, just keep 40 and eat the balance. He wouldn't listen to. He has fallen in love with Fish. He says it is a joy to see the fish playing. We can see them in clear waters.
g) Rice has come for harvesting. he wants to cut through rotovator (machine). I asked why not manually. He said it is better to cut through machine in one show. We have no manpower and it is cheap. Around Rs. 1000/- per hour is the rent. Don't know what is right thing to do. Anyway this time it was a demo for rice growing. Next time I will intervene.
h) For vegetable plots, Subbu advised let us not put Drip. Drip is useful only when space is more between the plants. In the case of Vegetables like brinjal, he is planning just 10 inches between. So sprinkler is best. He surprised me by saying that sprinkler is working even with the pressure of overhead tank. It is spraying few feet radius. That is enough. we can shift and manage it to cover all area.
So Sprinkler using gravitational force as planned. No motor. No electricity. 100% natural forces at work.
If this is not sustainable farming what is ?
a) "Sir, already the heat has started. This year we received heavy rain and all plants got used to ample of water. Now with the absence of that, past one month they are drooping. Let them settle down and get used scarce water. So I am going to 'train' them"
 |
| Satellite picture always shows clear sky these days. |
Because more plants are there now compared to last year there is a demand for water. But hope we can manage. Only I cannot expand my dream further of adding more varieties.
c) Presently the water that is pumped by windpump is just sufficient for all existing plants. "We feed water in round-robin fashion. We have the burden of sustaining all existing crops, having protected them with hardwork all these days", says Subbu. He and Kandan had seen them growing from seeds. They know the pain of loosing crops in drought.
c) Casurina is still drinking water even though it has grown into adult tree and even started fruting. If there is no water applied, the (Crown of) tree is showing its face down. Once a week is mandatory.
d) "Banana needs water too. There are around 200 trees. Let us not waste our money on purchasing Drip tubes. We just pour water from tank every alternate days through hose"
e) Jasmine to be watered. Though they consume less water. So also other plants like Sapota, lemon, guava and tamarind. They are fed through drip irrigation.
f) Previously excess water was let into fish tank. Now the water is just sufficient. With Sun soaring water level is coming down in the pond. This is exposing the fishes. A lot of birds (lot of them) are visiting our farm from all around. Subbu says he cannot even identify the variety. So many of them. Luck he. I am missing the farm. They are coming here for water and to eat fish.
 |
| Just an Illustration (Not to scale.) |
I told Subbu to eat the fishes. It may be around 500 to 1000 of them. But he said let it be. want to see how big it grows. He wants me to come and see. But I told, just keep 40 and eat the balance. He wouldn't listen to. He has fallen in love with Fish. He says it is a joy to see the fish playing. We can see them in clear waters.
g) Rice has come for harvesting. he wants to cut through rotovator (machine). I asked why not manually. He said it is better to cut through machine in one show. We have no manpower and it is cheap. Around Rs. 1000/- per hour is the rent. Don't know what is right thing to do. Anyway this time it was a demo for rice growing. Next time I will intervene.
h) For vegetable plots, Subbu advised let us not put Drip. Drip is useful only when space is more between the plants. In the case of Vegetables like brinjal, he is planning just 10 inches between. So sprinkler is best. He surprised me by saying that sprinkler is working even with the pressure of overhead tank. It is spraying few feet radius. That is enough. we can shift and manage it to cover all area.
So Sprinkler using gravitational force as planned. No motor. No electricity. 100% natural forces at work.
If this is not sustainable farming what is ?
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