Life in the Farm - Point Forest at Last - Farm Update 27-Nov-2014

1. The windpump is down for the past 1 week. The bearing has slipped. Subbu has given up fixing it temperorily. It is raining in the farm. We need a permanent solution. I have asked ABS for a solution and they have sent the design problem to POLDAW engineers. Solution has been found in the form of an iron patti to keep the bearing in its place. This is ready last saturday and is being sent through courier. As usual ABS company required too much of followup to get this done. The spare should reach by Monday.

///    Subbu was so happy today to talk about his fish project. May be it was his dream for many months which came true atlast. Hard work pays.   ///

2. The fishlings are doing well. This is 2nd day.  Subbu said  he brought around 1500 Catla and balance 1000 other mixed varities. There was large number of people buying fish from the Papanasam vendor. Standing in queue, people were seen buying 40K etc.   Just for fun, we have gone for all varities. Each fishling cost Rs. 1/- .  Oil cakes (punnakku) of 40Kg has been dissolved in water as feed on the pond. It should take care for another 15 days. Cowdung also will be dissolved after few days.  I asked Subbu to fetch lotus roots from the Chirumalanji Sastha Temple to be put in the pond.

Our Fish tank

3. There is a large bird hovering around it seems. Subbu told next week we can expect more birds. I asked him to take photos. We need to protect the fish siblings from them. A net perhaps will do.  we can expect more life forms to emerge from the pond. Frog, snakes etc..  This is pure fun.

4. The first lot of banana trees may need support. Per subbu they will start flowering and fruit bearing in next 10 days hence. They are Andhra Tholuvai variety and are around 40 trees in all.

5. The new kerosene pump is yet to be started. Need to purchase tubes for drawing water.  It may require oil mixed petrol to start and run on kerosene. It is a Korean make Model LT30CX 5.5 HP mini portable costing 15K INR. This is to be used as emergency in case of windmill down.

6. As the ground is soaked with water with continous rain, not attempting to sow any vegetable seeds. Waiting for rain to stop.

7. The seeds sent for my "point forest" (Click here) is finally in its place.  We have made a round corner raised mud pit with bricks for lining and have strewn the 200 odd wild species seeds that I had collected over a period of one year and couriered it. I hope to grow here all things that can be conceived. The plants must grow on its own. No help will be provided. Fittest will survive. This will be micro forest for insects, birds and small mammals.

***********

Our first commercial sale of pumpkin, a small achievement and major milestone

Yesterday was one of the happy days and Subbu kept on talking without knowing how to stop himself.  We talked about two happy problems and one achievement.

Our first commerical sale has happened.  Pumpkin 3 Nos each weighing 5 KG. It was sold to Rs. 18/- per Kg, totally giving Rs. 270/- at Parappadi market (5 Kms from the farm). My wife was happy hearing this. We told the money to be deposited in our Native Place Temple Shri Srivaramanga Sematha Sri Deivanayaka Perumal Koil, about 10 kms from there. The first harverst is always for the God.

One plant of Tapioca that Subbu planted has matured and bursting with root tubers. This has uprooted the newly planted Lemon (Elumichchai) and Bitter orange (Narthangai) saplings, because they rooted so close. We have never experienced Tapioca. He asked what to do?. If we harvest the Tapioca, we will damage the plant. If we don't the tapioca will bounce back again from the root and Lemon can never grow properly. I told to remove everything carefully with some soil and replant elsewhere.  It is fun to do organic farming with multiple species. You learn a lot.

Subbu has finally fixed the counter weight that was pending on the WindMill propeller blades. It was

because of the scientist/carpenter Somu who can never sleep without fixing something. He was absent for few months and has returned now. As per the beautiful technology designed by PolDaw engineers, the wind pump will have a counter weight at two of the properllers which is diametrically opposite to the assembly rod which pulls the water pump rod.  This will make the propeller rotate even for slightest wind.

But since this is slow motion action, no water will be drawn from the well in very slow winds. This is the ideal configuration but was bothering Subbu. He cannot tolerate something rotating and not giving water. When you give a rotational kick with hands, water was jetting out. What to do, he was asking?  I told him to just enjoy and dont worry.

Yesterday and today the pattam was laid for planting Siru Kilangu.  Pattam is the raised mud bar made with skill. Only a skilled labor can do it. I understand the person who came to do this job, liked the organic farming methods that we are adopting. He has long since not seen organic farming anywhere and was recalling his childhood experience. Same was the case with an old woman who visited when our guest  Paramez was there. She was mentioning how to prepare organic manure with Kolinji (seen in the picture).

I need to now think about accounting and some book keeping. So far Subbu was noting down the expenses on a rough notebook. I was not even doing that and was focusing on only major trends. It is important to now provide a policy on consumption and sale.  Selling to market for high profit is not our first priority. Our first priority will be to develop small door-to-door vendors - mostly old women with basket.

*******