Farm Status Feb 2020

It is very refreshing to learn several things that are now falling in place.   Subbu has brought his new camera phone. That means a lot. We can get clear photos any time.  The windpump amplifier again has been put into operation after a full long year.    Rest in visuals.

This was the state of Jasmine plants 2 months back.
Subbu had done pedicure to the jasmine. This snap is given here for comparison to see what it is looking now (below)

The same patch now All the plants are having fresh tender leaves.  Jasmine seems to be growing really well
in this soil and climate.  It was a wise decision to go for Jasmine. Only  that we could not make much money till now.
Hopefully this year, we must.

Same jasmine in another patch. Good and refreshing to see that it is being cared for by Kandan and Subbu.

Closeup of how the sprout happens. If I were there, i could not have dared to do this.

Some Bird Nest and eggs.  I have seen these birds in our farm never bother to build a nest.
They just lay eggs on the floor. Really wild

Citron plant is yielding.  Subbu said he had taken it to market last week. Must have fetched 500/-.
He will always ask for bank account No again and again but will never deposit.  :-)

The single lonley mango plant. Already flowering. Last year the mangoes were plucked by visitors. this year
we must be strict.

Already....

Not bad. The hybrid variety has grown. The coconut water is not that tasty. It is too tender now.

After a lot of followup, mistakes, repeat work, once again my indigenous make - water amplifier below the wind pump
tower is being installed.  The below concrete base took so many days, besides other works on the tower itself. The frame was
just kept aside. Subbu did not have motivation to install this. He perhaps doesnot know the magic it is going to create.

Installation going On.

And finally water being pumped out of the windpump.  Really good to see so much of water.
But this is only the starting. The device that I have made has some adjustments, by which the water can be
amplified.  However let it run for few weeks. Then I will take that call. because any wrong step (adjustment) may spoil / break
the foot valve or bearing on the windpump tower.

Farm Update 17-Dec-2018

It is usual that you plan one and what happens is another.  There are several initiatives that has taken backseat in the past few weeks. One after another issues cropped up and Subbu was busy solving them. The problems are under control now.

a) The Tamilnadu electricity board said they want to fix the 3 phase meter immediately. This is after a wait of almost 6 months of it having been delivered.  Once they come forward we should not waste time, lest it will go back to Madurai.   This activity involves replacing two wire with 3 wire upto the main post and the main room.  Any wiring upto meter is EB responsibility.  Thereafter the main meter is replaced with another digital one.  The new board would be bigger and hence new board had to be made with protection from Sun, Rain without compromising on its visibility. This involves little bit of civil work and electrical.  Typically takes a week in a remote place. This was done.

2 inch quality zinc pipe used as electric pole.
Anchored in concrete base.
Notice railings for climbing up.

b) The 3Phase current that has reached the main room must be distributed inside the farm at our own cost.  I wanted poles to be erected in such a way that we cover upto borewell, route it upto the water tank and the windmill itself.  Since wire is costly, we planned just to install the poles now and go for wiring later.

The 15 feet pipe to be used as pole

c) For the poles also instead of purchasing commercial poles that will work out costly (around 5K
above), we decided to use 2" pipes. 5 Nos of 15 feet pipes were purchased and welded with required hook, frame at the end.  The pipe was sealed off its hole. Then it was brought to the farm and erected through cement, concrete mixture. Around 2.5 Feet inside the soil and balance outside. This height is above a typical tracktor height. There was brief discussion on how we route the wire upto the generator room.

There are two poles visible in this picture.  Notice provision for wire holding and may be
street light also.

Pumping after repair

d) The existing wire that was left on the ground (against my repeated objection and warning) finally will be put on this post.  We used the existing wires only for the time being to run the bore well pump.

The faulty motor

e) The pump in the borewell failed after it ran briefly for some time. This is being run after a gap.

Reason was later suspected to be that the poles (2 wires of 3phase) could have been reversed resulting in motor rotating in reverse direction. Later after it was taken to repair shop in another town, it was found bearing fault. They were replaced. The winding also replaced. It is working fine.

The kirloskar slow speed.

f) The generator had failed long back.  A technician had been awaited for long. Finally he has come and seen some part worn out. Hopefully it must be replaced. i asked and subbu agreed  that we must keep everything in good working condition. Recently there was a huge hurricane /strom named Gaja in TN.  Several of the delta districts were cut-off electricity due to huge wind blowing at 180 Kmph speed and knocking every stranding structure on its path across the state.  Agriculture came to stand still.   Had our generator been working, we could have sent this for helping a village.

g) Finally the windpump amplifier that I made and shipped to Subbu is getting installed. Today only he found time to move it to the tower. He had been struggling to get it inside the tower. I believe he had to remove the side structure, get inside and again re-fit which took 3 hours.

h) He has doubts now. I have sent all the video, audio etc over whatsup. Hopefully in next couple of days it must be in action.

Finally the frame is in place.  However it is not fitting the bottom screws. Something will be done.

Under installation........Seems Subbu has become tired today.

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.