Farm Update 31st May, 2017

I was speaking to Subbu today.  In fact I speak every day or alternate days. I have given free rein to irrigate the land as much as possible and never mind about fuel cost.  It has given results. These are snaps sent by him last week. What is the message in all these images ?   That the plants are sprouting new leafs.  They are responding to water.

Coming to daily chores,  Kandan is still taking rest. Subbu is managing plucking flowers with one more helping hand - Sumati a temp staff.  Today yield is below half kg.  I think it is fluctuating. He was talking at length about providing some nutrition. We have never given any manure for the past year or so.  Now is the time. We have planned to manure individual plants as well as the entire farm with 6 tractor loads.  Each will cost INR 1500/-. Plus 200/- for loading off loading and distributing it.  Let me see how best we can do this subject to money constraint.

The other thing is Subbu had successfully moved the Generator into its own room that was specially constructed last month. Though they (local mason) have made a mistake of not providing any opening anywhere resulting in heat buildup. I asked Subbu to make large windows at Knee height in opposite walls. And cover with grills.    Otherwise generator is secure now.

Now a new problem. Earlier Kandan would dare not touch the generator. Now he is not even coming anywhere near the room itself.  So scared !.  What to do ?

Jasmine Flower first Sale

After a long time, it is satisfaction to know that Jasmine is flowering with a quantity that can be marketed.   Long dream come true moment.

The Jasmine bush has grown taller. With adequate pumped water now, they are flowering. I have asked Subbu to be more liberal on watering all plants. Never mind about diesel expenses.  Enough is enough. We need to see some cash flow to cheer ourselves.

Subbu, Sumati and her son are picking flowers starting early morning at 6.30 going upto 10 AM in hot Sun.  Sumati works ad-hoc for Rs.150/- a day wage and is compensating for absense of Kandan who is sick.

According to Subbu it is a painstaking job to pluck flower buds.  A large aluminium bucket full of flowers will weigh only 2 KG.  It sells at 150/- per KG.  Today they plucked 2.4 KG. Yesterday 2 KG and day before that half Kg and so on..... Hope the flowering will continue. I understand the market price is fluctuating and today the price was Rs. 200/-. Good.

Our flower is organic. But there no special deal as of now.  It gets mixed with others in Market.

Subbu has to deposit this in Moolakaraipatti market from where it will go to Tirunelveli.  They have put a "notebook" and noting down. At our farm also Subbu is noting down. I spoke to him today and asked to buy a good Weighing Scale for ourselves from Tirunelveli for max 10 KG Weight.

The Sun is so hot and shining that nothing else can be planned as of now. Rain is not in sight. However it is raining all over the place except our village.  (This is a rain shadow region). I told Subbu that this year it will rain heavily when monsoon comes (Oct-Nov) as there had not been any rain in the past two years.  Hope so.

(At the moment there are no snaps. Will insert them tomorrow)

Farm in Visuals - My visit on 6th May, 2017

As usual, this time my visit was very brief.  I had been with family and had multiple jobs to do in my native place.  Renovation of an old house, attending a large religious function, my father's annual ritual etc besides family outing. Still I managed to visit the farm three times,  once with a large group of family members including children towards evening.  But it was dark and could not take snaps.  Once on the spot it was so bright sunlight and you are out of charge on the phone that you tend to skip taking pictures.  

My first visit was disappointing because the farm posed vegetation that was dry. every third leaf had been charred by the ruthless heat wave.  After two days, I reconciled myself and started counting on positives.  Here are some snaps that I had taken from my cellphone.

This is the saviour now. I brough 10 liters of diesel while going to the farm
in a new plastic can.  Just to make a point to team to be liberal on fuel for
some time till we get some rains.  I tried my hand starting this engine. It is really rough and tough. The
rickety recoil is dangerous to the hand.  It requires some practice to remove the starting
handle once the engine starts. It is a slow speed engine and i really like the fut fut sound.

The electrical panel.  This need to be mouned on the newly constructed room.

Sapota Tree. Almost all trees are grown above shoulder. Only water scarcity otherwise it will be further tall.

Old coconut planted and the new one planted.

Each of the unnamed unlabelled trees are now developing its own personality

The shelter has become little old. Needs to be patched.  Some of the sensitive plants purchased from
nursary in Jan are kept inside this shelter to protect from heat.  Subbu has gone to Mumbai to drop
his family. He will plant them after return next week.

Look how the leaf is dried even through water was given.

Generally the circle around the coconut tree is ideal for growing tender plants. Subbu or Kandan had planted
brinjal and other plants around it. In the picture is a weed.  Otherwise i had carried with me a bag full of mixed seeds
from Pune, most of them tree seeds. I asked them to be put around the tree so that it will be taken care during
watering. Later whichever survives can be re-planted.

Survival

This is a good thing. The sitting place is really getting pretty through age. My brother enjoyed sitting here.

Otherwise dry.

Otherwise very healthy plant, Shed its leaves. 

My auto driver  gathering fruits for me. He has become friend.

Subbu (right) had reached and I met him.  On the left is auto driver Esakki. He is so friendly and nature loving
that he drove me to his friends house on the way home and gave me some rose cuttings, greens

Once 2 years back this was very luch green patch.  Hoping to turn it around.

When I ask a question, Subbu has the habit of repeating the same question if he has no answer.

Windpump water always available in small quantity. Nearby plants are fresh on account of this.
There is a neem tree that is newly grown but now very tall already.

Kandan was not so well. he was having tablets and injection for fever. He has ulcer.  Two days before he was admitted
to Hospital.  Root cause : Not eating in time.  I shouted at him. Because he can always eat in time and stay healthy.
With so much of nature around, he is eating tablets, what a shame !.  But the heat is too much

This is a multipurpose meeting hall. Planning to roof it with Kerala style tiles.

Banyan Tree... One day.........

This is a joke. I plucked many of these lemons for my mother and neighbors. Also brought this all the way home to Pune
But later found this is not lemon after cutting. This is Mosambi that is yet to grow in size.    It was such a shame in front
of the family that a person who can;t even differentiate lemon from Mosambi is doing agriculture.
I had to call everyone and say something. Back home we had to throw this in dustbin.