Next Steps - Marketing the produce.

Refreshing to see the cucumber already flowering. 

I need to plan in advance for marketing what will grow. Last few times, it did not go as planned or dreamt.  More often after we harvest that we think how and where to  sell.

In the past we have had very small yields. I would want to call it as experience or learning.  Not any more.  We need to now create sustainable growth. Enough of wait and investments for the past 7 years.

Still space to spread out.

Today I woke up and made first call to Subbu. I did not check if he is listening to me or not. But I went ahead. My plan as follows;  This is in three steps.

a) In the beginning the yields will be in small quantities. The cucumber has already started flowering and some early pieces are already visible i was told.  So we need to invite the hawkers and small carts.  These hawker (generally old village women who carry things on their head) will accept anything in small quantity, go on foot and sell at door steps.

The 100% organic vegetables will get the same price as others. If they compete in open market it will also fail as comparatively in color and texture this will be inferior in visual attraction. Therefore this has to be sold in word of mouth. People should eat and realize how tasty it is, how harmless it is. They must know their place or origin. May be visit one family outing to the farm.

Therefore our span of supply should expand slowly from ground zero.

b) Then open one shop in nearby town. I already mentioned this. I attempted to call an aunt whom i have in mind and who had agreed to open a shop in veranda of her home. But she is out of station. Otherwise this can be opened anywhere and provide one part time employment to one person provided there is regular supply of vegetables.

c) Then move the produce in bulk to either marriage hall, monastery or the nearby town and door deliver to VIP and officers homes at a premium.  That is a while away now....

Subbu acknowledged positively. He even said that he had identified the hawkers and earlier too he had given to them. It is do-able he said. That is great.

The story of Water pump:

I am running a borrowed pump from Subbu's father's farm. He says he has plenty of pumps accumulated over period of time - 14 to be precise. "Our farm will be more like a factory than a farm with machines, wires, compressors, starters, stabilisers".

Nevertheless, having obtained electricity connection recently - single Phase 240 Volt, 10+ ampere we cannot run his pump anymore with this current which is 3 Phase 5 HP.  It is ok only for the generator and I decided to keep that off for some time.  Subbu doesnot like spending on diesel. It is important now that I may myself sustainable. Investment ?

I asked Subbu to estimate what would be the cost ? He inquired and found from dealers that Texmo 3 HP, Single phase would be 23K plus another 27K for wires, pipes, rope.  That is whopping amount which I cannot afford. Kept postponing next month... next month.. But still the team kept insisting that I invest once for all.

We already have pipe, rope and wire. Subbu wanted Texmo to be lowered at 300 ft which is 50 ft extra than the current one. The vendor had dismissed our existing pipe and asked to buy new one saying the pipe will implode due to vacuum created when the pump is stopped. He also asked to buy fresh wires. I would'nt buy that story. I had seen the pipe that we have invested in already. It was very sturdier. He must be talking about some cheap plastic pipes and was trying to cash-in on the ignorance and fear.

I decided to re-use the existing investment. That means only another 50 feet of tube, cable and wire alone should be sufficient. So the Texmo came.

Day 1:  Subbu brought host of items along with pump from Valliyoor and waiting for technician.
Day 2: Old pump and pipes were removed out of the borewell.
Day 3: Texmo was connected to electricity by technician. But Subbu was very disappointed. It did not work. He told that pump kickstarts on the ground, but when inside the well, it doesnot work. He confessed that Texmo was wrong choice. I took details from him. I wanted to use all my skills to get some solution from remote.  To my surprise there is no details in the internet on a pump that is so widely popular.

I see this trend always. The agri companies are cashing on the ignorance of the people. There are too many dealers with little information. The source company doesnot publish anything. Finally I traced from the Name plate and others as follows.

TEXMO 3 HP Borewell Submersible FS022S + HMF35 / 12.  Made by www.aquagroup.in (aquasub engineering). Immediatly through my browsing skills contacted the office, the madurai dealer and finally the manager. They all responded well.

Meanwhile it was found out collectively by technician and the vendor that wire must be minimum of certain gauge. The fault is in wire. our wire was aluminium. Fresh thick copper wire was rented @ 500/- per day. Tested and working fine. Subbu was happy.

Then there was 300 feet distance from main EB board to the pump horizontally that needed replacement.  Otherwise the wire that was already invested into the bore-well was of good quality. It continues.

Now things are fine. pump is running.  The bonus is that Kandan knows how to switch ON the motor and run it independently of Subbu's help. It is a great relief.

The pump and Motor

Starter kit

Motor attached to pump

The pipe and rope

Guess the Subbu pump removed

Farm Progress in Visuals 20-Sep-2017

A quick update through visuals as of yesterday.

The bananas are sprouting. this piece of land is a classic one adjacent to the wind tower where we harvested bananas 3 years back. this is a fertile land.

The piece on the other side of tower. This piece was earlier water logging. Nothing was grown properly here earlier.
Once we grew tomato and lost to water. Now banana. hope this will grow good.

an angle : Hearting to see that the farm is getting greener and trees growing after water

The jasmine patch.  The surviving ones are now growing well. Note how there are empty
patches in between. Due to draught we lost many plants. Will ask Subbu to plant some more.
The majestic windpump is on the backdrop

Another angle. 

Close up

Further Incremental Visual Update - 14-Sep-2017

Just received these files from Subbu. Thought worth sharing it for two reasons. One  - it is the latest. Two - it is encouraging to share and say few words.

A very new angle from which this is taken. The majestic windpump is at the background.
I really like this picture that gives a matured impression about the farm. The heap of mud is the
natural manure Subbu told that he has imported. I guess it cost 1.5K.  He is on a spree to improve the farm
Enough of very very long wait in drought. 

The picture shows area around Windmill. It was very fertail once upon a time. Due to 2 years of continues
sunshine I have lost most of the vegetation around this tower inspite of the windpump working most of the time.  Even
the vettiver has dried up. There is a neem tree coming near the tower fertail. The banana trees are the red variety. I
have given special instruction to save them. They are prized possession.
Contrary to what Subbu told, the casurina trees at the fence are sprouting. They are not dead.

The cucumber wines have grown further. They grow fast. See the water marks on the soil.

Farm in Visuals - 13-Sep-17

last 15 days saw two rains. Good rain that filled the pond to the brim. Subbu told there was water logging for a feet around coconut trees and he wants to evacuvate. But all this for one day only. Next day he said all water had been absorbed by the parched ground like as if nothing happened. Anyway it was good news.

Sowing season.  He is on a spree to sow as many vegetables as per my request. I want to grow assorted varieties enough to fill a small shop. Let us see..... Cucumber and sweet potato, he has put in larger area.  Brinjal, tomato etc in small pieces.

Water confidance is there. Past one week there were trouble shooting of water pump that was going ON. (Separate story later).

The roots are being taken from the suckers (banana) from Eruvadi village (someone's farm)
Subbu wanted to plant atleast 200 banana trees. He had told this farm owner beforehand.
But due to drought the farmer was not willing to give anything. He was using the banana
trees as cattle feed which was scarce. Now after rains, he is giving.

Not my farm. As written above the roots are being extracted

Extracted roots.  Earlier Subbu used to say this need to be kept dormant for a week before sowing
This time he is restless. It will be planted same day.

I guess cucumber wines are sprouting. The space on either side is for it to spread out on the ground.

Look at how the plants had dried earlier. Now new leaves are sprouting on coconut saplings

Just to make a point. Look at how the farm is dry. Hope it will become fertile in coming days.

The tubers are kept in position in our farm before sowing

What he intent to show is beauty of boganvilla combined with sown banana roots

A morning scene near the wind mill tower. Look closely to see that the banana has sprouted. This is latest image

Nice to see some water logging and greenery.

A closeup.  The staff must be in joy to see the plants rejuvinating.

The technician is checking the voltage. Big story later

Water at last after 4 days of fighting with a Texmo pump.  It was found later that the 220 Volt 10 amps current
was not sufficient to drive the 3 HP motor deep 300 feet if we use aluminium wire. This needs 16mm copper cable. (more story later)