Farm Update 20-July-2014

The JCB is running as of now in the farm digging the Swale and Rainwater catchment pond.  Many days of followup, long wait and got fed up with the existing JCB guy.  Therefore I told subbu to try for a new guy and here runs the machine.  The problem is all the swale concept must be "explained" all over again. Once again Subbu got confused.  It is but natural, when the wind is blowing, sun is shining, JCB is rolling, and you are anxious to arrange for all other things including lunch, you tend to miss the centre piece. Namely why JCB what a swale is in the first place.  Neverthless, we will be doing the following things today.

a) Cut a 25 x 40 x 4 feet pit on the mud for a water tank

b)  Create a trench as a swale parallel to the eastern fence.  The swale will be of 10 feet width and 3 feet depth. The mud will be accumulated to the inner side of the farm allowing free flow of water from outside into the trench.  I have tried my best to explain the concept.

c) Dig a pit (Rain water catchment) bit deeper in the middle of farm near the gate. The excess water from the swale and else where inside the farm, should ultimately flow into this pit. This pit will not be treated to hold water, rather it will have porous soil to seep the water inside.

d) Dig a 3 feet trench for laying a main pipeline from the wind pump upto the opposite fence. This will be the main pipe from where lateral will be taken. Subbu is positive he will do it himself.

Apart from this, it was decided to put stay wire to the wind pump tower.  As the wind is very high, there is a threat that due to wild movement of the machine at the top during heavy winds (cyclone) that the tower may bend. Therefore 5 MM thick steel wire has been purchased from Tirunelveli and kept ready. The three pits for anchoring the stay wire need to be dug, pending for someone to come.

Upon my insistence, some small vegetable beds have been created.  This is to experiment with few seeds of each of the varieties. Moreover this is also required to create work for the three workers, who are now quite relieved because of wind pump and the water tank. They are able to water the existing plants comfortable and still have more time. I wanted them to be engaged in growing food.  To begin with, some greens have been started. They also have put millets (Jowar) and green gram.

I hope the patches will start looking greener very soon.

Meanwhile the village president is waiting for us to submit a report for taking permission to construct the small room. The store room is already in place since one year.  I heard he is expecting some "money", atleast 15K to give permission.  Need to speak about that.  Instead of encouraging farming, they want to make money on every given possible way.

*****

How to get a Swale dug through Subbu ?

A typical Swale. The man is doing manually.
We will use JCB. Courtesy : Net

Theory is over. We had planned for a Swale since long (Refer earlier posts). Now for action.  Today Subbu was in Valliyoor town for a work. I asked him to visit a browsing center and sent him few photographs, which I downloaded from Net. And took an online "class" and how a Swale should look like after finish. This online coaching saved me a lot of efforts.

Earlier I had spoken to the JCB operator by drawing a diagram on the sand with my fingers. I donot know if he understood. He must have thought what this crazy guy is telling.  But this time for sure, I made Subbu take printouts and spend quality time with the JCB operator. Sort of briefing session before action.

Swale Concept from Net

The swale cutting should be lower on one side from where water enters and higher on other side not to allow water to escape. It must be deep to contain water. The overflow of water should go to a small pond that we are yet to dig along with swale.

Tomorrow bulldoser is coming. Hopefully they will do what I said. let us see.

It is important for me to close this quickly. There will be monsoon next month and once it starts rain, you cannot dig.

A JCB would cost around 750/- per hour for rent. Add Rs. 300 Bata to driver. If we do for 5 hours, it is going to cost 5 X 750 + 300 = 4050.

Last couple of months back on 2nd of May, when it rained during summer, there was water stagnation in Farm land all over. That was a learning. I called for some photographs to understand where the water is collecting. Subbu had made some temperory mud bund to contain the water, which he said was useful for 10 days after the rain.  We need to catch on this concept. I am now planning a swale exactly to the right of the mud bund so that we donot allow the water to go and spoil the interior but hold the water to the periphery of the farm.

Subbu's attempt to hold the water in May during a rare shower. Notice the dry grass all over in peak summer.

Huge Shower in the farm

There is heavy rain in the farm. Subbu called me to say this while he is at the farm. That is a great news for everyone. I asked him to document by photographs where the water is stagnating.  Sir, I will tell you right away.  The water gets accumulated right in front of the shade we have constructed. It gets collected from all directions.

That is good. I told Subbu that this point is near the center of the plot. Therefore we cannot allow all water to get collected in the center. That point will be raised when we start cultivation. Therefore now is the time to plan for Swale on the outer edges from where the water comes into the farm.

Not a single drop of water should escape. It should soak down. Let us work towards it.  I said and Subbu acknowledged.

Meanwhile back home ABS friend has felt sorry for the delay in delivery.  The painter was absent and they are managing with a second guy. Spray Painting to be done.  Hopefully the windmill should leave the garage next week.

On ground Planning for Swale

Sitting comfortably on the ground under the shade with Subbu, Mayandi and Kandan, i was able to draw a swale on the floor out of sand. This was when I visited the farm last week.  I created a small mound in the shape of long crest with bare hands from the sand and explained how it can be useful to contain runoff water and store it underground. Every drop of rain water is important and that need to be stored somewhere. Present practice of storing them in open ponds will dry them soon. Weather is very hot here for 9 months in a year. But storing underground will lock it for longer use.  Earlier I had read Bill Mollison and watched Geoff Lawton videos just to get some ideas. Recently i discovered John Kitsteiner



Run off water taken away nutrients

Subbu was immediatly able to relate to his 'borewell' experience.  While boring, we hit rock immediatly in 20 feet. From then onwards it was only rock for 160 feet. That means mud is available for only 20 feet. If I create a swale and stagnate water, the water will go down upto rock bed and then have nowhere else to go, but climb up slowly. Rather it will spread out underground. That will be useful for all plants and trees during summer.

My land is at the tip of an already created pond Nachankulam (by Government). Ideally water flow from across the land will pass through my land, which has also removed the top soil and nutrients. The entry point of water is as shown in the picture with white arrows. Water gets logged on the spot marked with Yellow arrow. If I cut a swale close to the fence inside, i must be able to harvest water and benefit from it.

water enters as in white arrow and stagnates as in yellow arrow.

"Will water works department object to the swale?", asked one.  "No, that is only in another farm where the water pass from one lake to another. This is only rain water and there is no official water path here", replied another.

I said cutting a swale is an art (impressed by D V Sridharan's experience). Therefore it has to be done carefully and slowly. "Dont worry sir, we have understood. Our JCB persons are skillful" came the reply. Another said, "We will enable JCB for channel cutting and employ manual labour for dressing"..

Swale as it should be. Courtesy : John Kitsteiner

Thus my job was over. I only need to arrange funds. I expect a swale cutting would require 2 days of work. That means Rs. 600 x 5 Hours x 2 Days = Rs. 6000/- Plus 1000 Bata for Driver for two days and food.  5 Nos of manpower Labour would be required at Rs. 300 each for two days costing 3000/-.  The total would be thus around 10000/-.

That should protect my crops and recharge my land for posterity !. And contribute to ground water recharge and make me move towards permaculture.