Farm in Visuals 18-Apr-2017

Now that the water is available atleast through diesal generator, the farm is now relieved temperorily from starvation. People are visibly happy.  We must have burned atleast 30 liters by now at INR 55/liter, but satisfied. Atleast works out much cheaper than water tanker.

Land is getting prepared in patches for cultivation. The cement tank that was not used for all these days is now filled with water.  Paramu I was told was swimming in the tank. Good.

Kandan is scared to go near the Generator. That is his problem. He fears technology. he will not start the generator himself through the starter handle. He fears the noise, current and vibration.  Sometime he even fears Jeep, officers and strangers. Some time back when Electricity board officials visited he ran away from the farm (ha ha...) Subbu has tough time.

Subbu would go on leave for a week in first week of May to drop his family in in-laws place. I booked ticket for him. I will be visiting the farm same time with my family. Perhaps we may meet on last day 7th.

Today an awesome experiment was done. The redbanana bunch of 7.5 KG was packed and sent to Chennai - "Restore" an Organic Store. Earlier i wanted it to be sent to myself in Pune. But changed plans. Let me sell it in a professional store. This store is run by Ananta Sayanan and team. He introduced to Gopi who is coordinating for transport of vegetables from organic farmers.  Yesterday I set a concall with Subbu and Gopi. We agreed we will send this by courier @ 45/- kg to Chennai on experimental basis. It works out to be Rs. 350 for 30 Red bananas.  Comes out Rs. 10/- per banana for transport and is very costly. But worth experimenting. Next time around Gopi advised us to send by public transport - state bus and promised he will collect it at Koyambedu bus stand twice a week.

Rest in pictures that Subbu sent.  He has installed whats'up on his smart phone. But donot know how to handle it. Just installed.

Jasmine

JCB at work to dig hole for planting the nursary purchase that we did 2 months back.
Due to water scarcity this was in safe keeping away from farm.

Sapota trees have grown in size

Well, the generator that is saving us now. Pretty used one. But good condition.

Jasmine not flowering enough. Total 200 grams only. Due to water scarcity.
Now we need to increase the yield.

Subbu had imported mud from nearby pond for preparing pits for planting 

The panel board that Subbu had prepared.  The ammeter is important. After starting
the generator they have to wait for current to attain high.

The cement tank is getting filled.

What is the construction behind ? I am surprised.  It must be the half finished multipurpose
nursary, workshop and workplace.

Farm Update 07-April-2017

There had been many eventful days in the past 2 weeks since the time we decided to bring the Generator to the farm.

1. Subbu had accomplished the movement of machine from Perumalanji a small hamlet 10 Kms away into the farm. The generator is kept on farm over 2 car tyres.  It required some more work in getting the starter customised, fuse, panel and other setups using the local technician. In this summer the pump technicians are very busy.
   
2. Last week when the generator was started, I believe it was a great moment to see the ampere meter reaching 7.5 KV.   The temporary 5 HP submersible pump of Subbu's farm that was brought here seemed to have chocked because of long gap in using it.   Then it was repaired in moolakaraipatti where such pumps are overhauled.
   
3. Presently water is gushing with high pressure.  First day they ran for 1 hour, 2nd day 3 hours and so on.    So far they have burnt around 10 liters of diseal.
   
4. The parched land that did not see water for 2.5 years is now sucking water.  Everyone are happy to irrigate all the plants that was asking water all these days. I guess the atmosphere is charged at the farm.
   
5. Subbu is making arrangements to plant the saplings that we brought in Ramji Nursery two month ago when I was there in person.  Those saplings had been kept aside for want of adequate water.  JCB had been called for digging pits for coconut planting.  Fresh karandai soil from nearby pond had been brought along with some manure.
   
6. Today workers are arranged to plant them - around 200 plants in all.
   
7. The team will continue to work near the windpump tower to re-plant the red-banana suckers.  That soil had been wetted by water in the past 2 days.
   
8. Subbu told yesterday he would want to plant "nendran" variety of banana. This variety is used for making chips and is a wild variety native to Kerala. We must get the banana plants from nursery in kalakkadu.
   
9. The Jasmine is not yielding properly due to lack of water. Now with right amount of irrigation it should start showing results hopefully.

Subbu told the price of Jasmine is down in the market. I did not like that tone.  Every crop that we are going to grow will finally under-estimated by the market brokers. We cannot allow that to happen. So  I have instructed him to do two experiments.

a) Pack the red banana in small bunchers in carton box and send to Pune - a distance of 800 Kms through courier. Let me see how it arrives here. I want to give the exprience to Subbu on how to pack and forward to long distance.

b) Pack and send the Jasmine flowers in banana leave to Chennai city. I will arrange for its sale through some organic store.  Normally farmers are spraying toxic chemicals even for jasmine.  Whereas we are growing without any chemicals, I hope the smell must be much better and buyers must be able to buy at a cost.

Bottomline:    We have water now. We can start doing professional and careful farming.  We need to find innovative was to produce and sell.

The windpump can now be subjected to R&D. I want Subbu to dismantle the central rod system and replace with Steel cables that I had already planned and procured. After that we will do something to increase the water output.  Gradually we need to reduce the usage of Generator.