Simple Sale of tapioca and farm Update

Illustrated Cassava

As a matter of routine, Subbu mentioned he had harvested 10 KG of Tapioca and sold at Rs. 20/-. A total of Rs. 200/- it fetched.  Some of the tapioca roots were replanted again.  Regeneration is the power of Natural farming.

Yesterday I had purchased an accounting ledger notebook to be sent to Subbu. Hereafter we will starting properly noting down the expenses and income, however small it may be. This will instill discipline.  So far Subbu had been keeping his own notes and I, my own in excel sheet. Seldom will we remember to note the breakup. Atleast for me I will only note the gross expenses as it used to happen in bulk.

Till now I was making capital expenditure for farm development.   Now with the wind pump in place and a small kerosene motor for backup, there is no issue for water.  We are secure with water now.

Not our farm: Illustrated Sugar Cane

I asked Subbu to assure the neighbouring small farmer for water too.   This year we will not let his crop go dry !.

2 KG of onion has been sowed by Subbu through his own planning. This is Onion season.

I asked him to purchase SugarCane (edible black) and sow that too. It should come after Pongal atleast.

There is nothing which stops us from experimenting on Mappillai Samba. We have the seed, the piece of land and the water security.  Subbu is planning to sow Mappillai Samba rice near the cement tank after the newly laid Bananas.  That is a good choice.  It will be done in small quantity to see how it grows.

I am missing the action.  This is the time to be and enjoy on the farm.

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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.

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