The Week Ahead on 20th Feb, 2015

We can't keep celebrating success or failure for long.  Should keep moving ON.

I need to create more engagement and bring energy after a small failure. few days back Subbu had harvested sweet potato and it was a disappointment.

Not really.  Perhaps.

1.  First asked Subbu to cover the plot of land with palm leaves which he promptly did. The lesson No. 1 in natural farming is that you keep the soil covered from hot sun. We did.  Sun is very hot now.

2. Decided to go for Brinjal. I have ordered Brinjal seeds from a friend Paramez. Out of the following varities, myself and subbu have selected the once in bold. These are appealing to the native people here.  All are native varities.  The white brinjal is costly.  Once the seeds are obtained, we need to grow them in polythene bags in the new shadenet.

1. பச்சை கத்திரி
2. வரி கத்திரி
3. திண்டுக்கல் ஊதா கத்தரி
4. மணப்பாறை கத்தரி
5. வெள்ளை கத்தரி
6. கும்கோணம் குண்டு கத்திரி
7. பவானி கத்திரி

3. After chasing Vettiver Vincent for long time, I thanked and said good bye to him. He is unable to send vettiver for me.  Amids his busy schedule he is unable to visit his own farm which is hardly 50 Kms from his work for months togather.

4. I found a new source Mr. Senthil Vel, near Erode. He promptly responded my requested.  At Rs. 3.5/- per root, I am purchasing 500 Nos today.  It will reach near my farm by tomorrow through KPN travels.  Good going so far..... I asked Subbu to keep in shade net for few days and then plant around the rain water catchment pond.  He was doubting if we should actually go for it now.  But I am going to force my way. Enough of waiting. I cannot wait till next rainy season.  Vettiver I heared can withstand draught. Only in the beginning we have to take more care.

5. Need to purchase polybags for nursary. I am searching internet for suppliers. Hopefully I will place order for 500 small and 500 medium size black polythene bags.  This will be my first professional setup towards growing own saplings from seeds.  hereafter for want of water, I need to use more of shade.

6.  Two fishes have been lost yesterday.  Subbu told they had left two large and two small fish on the large cement tank which has just 1 feet of water.  Till 6 PM everything was ok. Once they retired, some large bird (eagle) was seen scooping the fish from the tank. There is no resting place there. It should have descended and ascended in flight.  While Subbu was sounding disappointed and angry, i asked him to take photos next time for me.
  
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Farm Update 02-Sep-2014

1.  Subbu is back to routine his after his post delivery paternal care. Though he never took complete leave and always kept an eye on the farm, I was not compelling him to do anything more. We reviewed the current situation today.  There is no rain yet. Only one rain was there a week back.  Last week for the first time we ran dry. There was no rain, no wind.  We had purchased water at Rs. 200 per 1000 liters because there was no wind.  Total 3000 liters were purchased, when the rain came.  The wind also started blowing. Today the wind is blowing and giving an yield of upto 5000 liters per day. Which is enough to run the show.

2. Only when the rainy season starts will we be able to till the land for banana crop.  We are planning for around 400 saplings seriously to make some money this year. Similarly the 30 odd coconut pits are waiting for rain. I want to purchase good coconut variety. The nursary at Parasala will have the required saplings. But Subbu has complaint that they are speaking only in Malayalam language. I need to get hold of one malayalee friend who can help in translation, finalise the purchase and then ask Subbu to go there.

3.  Green gram and a millet has been sown near the wind pump tower for experiment. I heared they are growing well.  Subbu is in the making of Tomato and brinjal saplings from seeds in small quantity. It is yet to be transplanted.   He doesnot believe in small quantity. My wife was also encouraging from growing vegetables. But I insisted that we grow all varities of vegerables now in small quantities to multiply seeds. My future business plan depends on vegetables and not on banana or groundnut as per conventional thinking.   These are little experiments are required keep ourselves busy. It also gives satisfaction that farming is happening at-last.

4.  Few pumpkin, watermelon seeds have also been sown by Subbu. He wanted to grow some cucumber in large scale as it is a 3 month crop. It is his self target and he wants to show some productivity. I left to his choice.

5. The 2 lady employees have been asked to stop coming for work. They have been assured of daily wages whenever there is work. They have accepted the arrangement.  The farm will now be managed by Kandan and Subbu only as before.  When compared to last year, now we have mechanized windpump, water pipes, storage tank etc...

6. The newly constructed water storage tank is having 2 feet of water. Only excess water will be stored from wind pump. Presently there is no excess.

7. Sometimes it takes ages to do small things which are obvious. Two of them were pending till now. one is completed.
a) The template, 'A' frame and pully system were to be returned to ABS company after the windpump installation. The courier guy after so many days of pressure, finally has lifted them from the farm on ToPay basis. Total weight will be around 400 Kg.
b) The staywire which was purchased to fasten the tower to protect from hurricane is still not fixed. Just 30 minutes job. Everything is ready. only Somu is required with his wire cutter. That is pending for him for more than 2 months.

8.  Subbu and kandan had climbed atop the tower and applied grease to the ball bearings of the windpump. The mechanics are working to satisfaction.

9. The permission for farm room has been obtained. Electricity board is doing survey to provide electricity. This will be 2 phase and should not be used for pumping. Only for lighting. This should come in a month's time. Farm should get some lighting for security.


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