Friday 23 November 2018

Farm update 23-Nov-2018 - Mood of workers

I am not happy about the things going in the farm.

a) I sense a prolonged absence of Kandan (farmer) to the farm. Subbu also goes seldom there. It is reflected in their updates they give when talking. I asked for photos. With reluctance Subbu sent few. I explained him why it is important to work to keep ourselves in Job.   Subbu seems to be hard pressed for money. His family is expanding, so also his needs. Kandan has sowed rice in his own field taking advantage of recent rains. He is busy there.

b) Farm is getting enough rain. This is rainy season. Therefore there is no irrigation required for the trees. That is why it must be boring for the fellows and they are roaming around. But i wanted basic house keeping to be done atleast.  Which is cause of concern. But when you have less work in Corporate office, do you work more effeciently or less. I guess we also go out frequent smoking and donot attempt to do that little work. There is no motivation to do little work. It is the scene everywhere.

c) To engage Subbu and Kandan, the solution came from their mouth itself. Subbu said he is going to purchase Fish. I said Ok and sent 3 K.  Which is enough for 500 fishlings. Fish will keep these guys busy. They will make their presence daily - going by my past experience. They love fish.  Subbu went to far away place (near the hills and brought fish from vendor).  100 of the fish will be left in white cement tank as well.  That will ensure they maintain water in that tank too.

d) Subbu also wanted to buy some hen and chicks. That project is pending.

e) The windpump amplifier that I sent earlier by lorry has finally reached.  After diwali festival one lorry had picked this consignment. The transport company called me and gave coordinates of driver. Which I promptly passed on to Subbu. We both followed the driver. After few days, he went zig zac and finally delivered near the farm in a unmanned place.  Police caught and enquired what is this and why this is unloaded away from an address. Nothing wrong in police asking this.  Subbu "adjusted" him and brought the consignment to the farm. It is pending installation.

f) Meanwhile I have made an easy to understand video of installation with instructions and sent to Subbu. hopefully they must start the work anytime now.  They lack basic tools to even open the wooden box that I sent with tight nails.

https://youtu.be/6ABZAZybEmI

g) Farm needs maintenance. There is grass eveywhere. I had earlier asked 9 varieties of cereals to be sown at random so that it can be ploughed after it grows to add fiber to soil. Subbu said he has done, but could not see as grass is taller than this. Bad job.


Grass eveywhere due to rains and healthy climate.  This is good. Only in summer it will dry
and pose fire hazard.

Fishlings that Subbu had purchased.  500 of them. 

The pond.  I asked Vettiver (barely visible) photo. Since it is not grown properly he has sent this.

This is where Navadanya should have been sown. Must wait few more weeks.

My wife had asked subbu to plant these seeds at random everywhere. This is one of the long
pending and evading projects.

Rain water

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Moringa tree

This is the native palm tree siblings that are growing.

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Kandan standing. The background really looks great with thick vegetation

Fish being released into water

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At fish factory. Fish is packed in polythene bags with air pressure to sustain transport.




Thursday 8 November 2018

Farm Update 08-Nov-2018 Mechanical amplifier

Farm update:

Finally the windpump mechanical amplifier  for the Poldaw windpump is ready.  What initially I set out to design and fabricate has now been completed after several rounds of visits to lathe and welding shops.  Past 2 weeks there were intensive activity around this on followup amidst my business work.

The welding helpers lost interest at some point of time. They found this an obstacle in their shop as it occupies space. I hurried myself and finished the thing. Actually I wanted to prepare more tools for Subbu, but confined myself only to this amplifier.

Sending this was also a challenge. My farm is 1000 kilometers away. The transport / logistics company was asking invoice papers. This is R&D piece and have no papers. A search and  by chance a transporter agreed to send this by lorry "whenever it goes" after Diwali Holidays.  Hope Subbu will receive this and fit it properly.

Subbu has returned from Tirupati Darshan.  It went well. he was in touch all along partly to confirm his ticket and seats online.

Meanwhile there is plenty of rain at the farm. This is rainy season there.  Subbu has disconnected the electric wires. Kandan should feel safe. I did not approve the wire being drawn from one room to another without pole. I asked him to secure this quickly. After return from Tirupadi, Subbu has to fabricate 2" pipes in welding shop and make electric poles.


The main unit. The face plate will move up and down along with railings on both sides. This will lift the pump rod.

This mechanism will be pushed from top by the windmill.  This is a slider and can be moved back on the cantiliver.
The more it is moved back, the bigger will be the arc of sweep and hence more water.

Fulcrum at the back. The split on top is for easy removal for repair and refitting.  Theft can happen.

Side view

Sending by a mini tempo. I went in this tempo and searched transporter

This is the original drawing I conceived out of mind and drew on computer using "sketchup" software.  I hope
the final product has come out exactly like this.
This method works.