Farm Update in Visuals - Summar June, 2016

I had been to the farm last week with family.  Though it was a Summer holidays trip to various places, I had earlier planned for atleast one visit to the farm. But it turned out that I managed to visit thrice. Twice alone and once with family.

The visit was very useful and required. This time a new boring was done for water. I had first hand observation of peak summer at the farm.  Things are looking bright.

Rest in visuals......

Farm visible from approach road. An Oasis in middle of desert.

Happy to see Palm Tree sprouting. It is said it is very
difficult to get this growing. Note the casurina stem in the left. They have grown into adults

Cluster of palm trees sprouted. We cannot replant them as
their roots are deep. Let us see how it grows.

Bamboo near the gate. I had lot of hope on this. But it is not picking speed. Perhaps more water is required.

One of several trees that we brought from nursary whose name is yet to be differentiated. Birds like this tree.
fruits are very sweet. This must be The Indian jujube or Indian Plum or Indian cherry in English, “Ber” in Hindi, “Badri” in Sanskrit. The Tamil name is “Elanthai Pazham” (இலந்தை பழம்).

The seating arrangement 1 visible from this spot

Another picture of Jujube or ilandai bush.

A view of the pond. It is now a place of bio diversity (will explain later)

Another of to be identified tree.  Even subbu is confused. I just left it at that. We have a list of
trees we brought from Ramji nursary 2 years back.  We need to match the names with some
experienced people.

The elegant view of windpump.  The tree is malai vembu

My wife is spreading Sundakkai (Turkey berry) seeds.  She is a critic of my farming. However fond
of herbs. She would advocate spreading seeds randomly, in this case where kandan used to water individual trees. 

Another unknown tree coming up. I donot know if this is ornamental.

A view of Sapota plants. Note the windmill out there
supplies water for this distance. Which explains
why windmill is unable to cope with demand.

Peak summer. No vegetation near the tower. Only sustenance of all trees spread around.

Jasmine flower bed

Red banana, surviving.

Near the windpump. Some weeds growing happily.

Vettiver has grown into thick bush. Subbu said there will be rabits inside.

Otherwise dry part of the farm. My wife seeing this had registered her disappointment. This area was
paddy field few months back. Now dry. This is the place where I had put the 2nd boring (right side of this snap)

Kodukkapuli plant has grown big. Some bird has constructed a nest

Marudani (Mehndi) plant. Due to drought, it has fruited. Lots of seeds
But leaves are not dense due to water scarcity.
There was no time to pluck them.

A wine that I brought from pune and propogated. Subbu said it is not in
neighbourhood. 

Well, some neem saplings are kept near jasmine for watering. This is to be planted elsewhere
when water is available.

A tall tree near the windpump. Again don't know its name.

One more

Sapota

The egg plant has fruited. one or two are found near the coconut tree sharing water.

2nd table arrangement near tower

Had there been plenty of water this would have become more bigger
but still it is good.

Malai Vembu

Another unidentified tree. Need to label them.

Some bird has stitched the leaves and built nest

One of coconut

Subbu and kandan attempted to show us some fish. Watch carefully to observe so many small organisms
Frogs are jumping in the sides

Fishes. They were left into water back after inspection.  Look at small fishes as well.

Prayer at Sastha temple bef

Sastha

Another view

Daughter playing with sand

A view from backside of the kutir

Finally a second bore in the farm

The boring head in resting position

After weighing carefully the pros and cons, decided to go for 2nd Boring in the farm.  On my visit to the farm last week, this was executed.

Modern boring of 6" require two lorries. One supplies compressed air. The other is actually the boring machine.

By the way the farm is not that bad as my "madam" had pictured it.  It is starving for water, but vegetation and bio-diversity is at its best.  More on that later.

Now some note on boring.

Almost Done. Only outer to be fixed.

Boring completed. The man is attaching a short pipe above ground level
to the outer pipe.

The spot for boring was chosen only through pure guess work.  We did not employ any water prospector or surveyor.  Kandan felt water will be there in a particular corner based on his instinct. I also felt he must be right going by the geography.  Because this spot is in isometric level to another good open water well which is some 500 meters away.  The spot also is the lowest spot and bang middle and opposite of a bund that separates us and a rain water pond.  I guessed water must get accumulated underground from the nearby pond.

Our guess was not bad.  We hit water at 165 feet. Again at 190 feet and again at  above 250 feet.  Subbu became greedy and went upto 325 feet, whereas I had budgeted for 300 feet come what may.

The borewell will be called "Kandan Kinaru" in tribute to Kandan's accurate guess work.

The only downside is this one is not very far from the earlier one.  Having two borewells around 200 feet apart and still you have a corner of farm away from you is fine.

It costs around Rs. 60/- per feet. (one dollar).  Then you have "outer" PVC pipe of 20 feet that is required to dress the first 20 feet to keep the mud packed from falling inside.  So total should come around 26K. you settle only then lorry will leave the farm.

The borewell with outer in place.  The bore width is 6.5"
 Lorry is yet to move away

The boring is pretty easy job in open fields.  Started at 7 AM and finished everything by 12 PM. The crew brings their own cooking gas stove etc....  They have tight schedules.  We waited for them for 3 days with rigorous followup.  I could not witness the water gushing. Subbu had taken snaps which I will add later to this page. I was at that time in Sastha Temple with my family. Sastha is our family deity. When Subbu called me to say we have hit water !.  God's mercy.

Now some visuals.....

The sight is a mixture of rock dust and water mixture sprewen around the borewell extending and flowing into neighboring field as well. I hope he will not object to this dirt.

We are yet to think of how to pump water now.

My earlier idea is to get a slow speed dieseal pump and compressor. But now Subbu is confident of getting some electricity by talking to officials. Not the industrial one, but domestic current.

Let's hope the best.

One by one people are moving away. Pack and go.  The fresh borewell will be
tied with gunny bag till mason builds a cement structure around.

Farm Update 24-May-2016

Land dispute and resolution:  While the 3.5 acre where we are experimenting with farming is intact with compound and windpump fed irrigation,  there is another 6 acre outside at a distance of 300 meters from the main land.  That piece doesnot have approach road and has been kept for a future expansion.     Few months back  problem came when someone claimed that a piece of that land belongs to him.   We asked for original document and he did show the piece in his document. There are no doubts.

What had happened was earlier when I was purchasing the joint holding, this guy was missed out by my seller. It is common that a each of the members will have small pieces, which when joined will become large. Originally the patriarch of the family would have divided his land among his siblings.   Out of the 6 members who owned by 6 acres, my seller had contacted and compensated only 5.  This guy had turned down the invitation at that time to come for registration office. Now he is claiming he owns his piece.  Whereas my seller should have compensated him, which he failed.

We said "take it".  "Just measure it and take your piece of land. We will fence the remaining land".

The guy wouldn't do it for few weeks. For he has to spend money to invite surveyor. He dont' want to spend money. But he badly needed money.  So we sat and negotiated with him for a settlement.

Now the options is of compensating him and registering his property as mine.  But he was unwilling to spend money for registration either.  It will be 12% of value.  So finally after few months we decided we will pay him and get his signature on stamp paper. His wife, himself and his Son had signed a stamp paper from notary such that he will not seek any more compensation.

All these was done by Subbu only. He has the sufficient knowledge in dealing with land records. Moreover the guy cited above is not so polite and Subbu did not want me to talk to him directly. In villages when someone gets an upper hand, he/she would talk too many things unnecessarily.

Meanwhile the original land is already on my name in Patta records (Government revenue records). Therefore there is no issues of him claiming in future. This settlement was done only on moral grounds.  Villagers generally abide by these.

My visit to farm :  My children are having holidays. I am taking them for a vacation and after few tourist places,  reaching my villages in first week of June.  Will be visiting the farm in person.  I may have just two days in all to meet my mother visit native place and see the farm.

New Borewell : After  many arguments my wife is half convinced on my proposal to go for a new borewell. This will be in addition to what windpump is installed on.  I hope this new borewell will be able to supply more water to complete the irrigation needs of my farm. Presently there is water shortage. With windpump giving between 1000 to 5000 liters of water per day, is not sufficient to start any new crop.

Tentatively decided to put a bore for 300 feet come what may.  The place is also decided approximately through local knowledge.  We expect to bore somewhere near the electricity tower which is diametrically opposite to a large water catchment on the other side of the road. ie., i am expecting ground water on account of the large pond (which will be dry for most part of the year).  Moreover the neighboring well at a distance of 500 meters is also in the same line of sight. that has adequate water.

The new borewell which should cost around 12K  and will be installed with some old diesel slow pump (around 25K) and a compressor. (around 16K).  We need to look for them after boring.  This will be temporary arrangement. My dream is to replace them with Concentrated Solar Energy apparatus which is currently being designed by me (albeit slowly. Because in the balcony of my apartment I cannot make huge noise with my angle grinder and drilling machine).

Unhappy Spouse : Meanwhile my wife continues to be unhappy at the sight of do-nothing farming. I have asked Subbu to till the land to clear of the weeds and make it neat so that when we visit in first week, some useful work can be started.  He is waiting for one wet rain.  It is marketing time for me now.

Farm Visit of Family around 1st week of May, 2016

In front gate

Last week my wife and children had visited the farm for a very brief period (30 minutes). They had been accompanied by relatives and hence could not spend more time. Later attempt to come back failed as there were various functions.

Feed back from spouse was "Disappointed".  Their auto had travelled through lush green farms enroute with ample of water. They were having huge expectations. Once they reached our farm, they were visible upset on the dry desert like appearance.  To add to woos, there is no standing crop now. Onion and paddy had been removed. Shrub and grass were allowed to grow as ground cover (which is mistaken for ill maintenance). Water was scarce and there was no time to visit corners.

Whew ! some green

One of the learning from my own earlier visits is also this. That at first sight you see nothing. Your eyes are deceiving and is used to seeing large buildings in cities.  Once you start walking towards various spots in the farm, they come alive, fulfil your vision and satisfy your needs. The farm structures are seldom protruding. A large lake for example can simply be hiding from your vision unless you go near it.

In any case this was followed with debates with spose on where the money is going honey. Luckily not much heat. She understand the practical difficulties too.  Perhaps I had to remind her of she being the reason for under development (not allowing free hand to spend) !. The argument worked looks like.  (Well the snaps were taken by my wife through her cellphone to show me there is nothing).

The following important decisions have been taken in consultation with spouse and subbu.

Mistaken for banana farm.
This is discarded area with sick
plants not removed

1) Water is inadequate to run the farm. we need more water pumped. While wife was having impression water is not there, I had to convince that ground water is not a problem. Pumping is.

2) Therefore decided to put one more borewell.  Wife seems to have suggested Subbu and he inturn exchanged his views on digging a farm well. But that will cost a bomb - around 7 lacs. I am not for it.  I therefore convinced them we will go for another borewell which will cost under 25K.

3) And put one dieseal motor with compressor - the most unwanted thing that i wanted to avoid for pumping.  This will cost around 30K.  I need to replace this pumping with some Solar Power (CSP) that I am experimenting.

Daughter is plucking Jasmine Flowers

4) Plough the land as soon as one rain comes.

5) Start taking bigger risks. Fill the nursary with seedlings.

WTO agreement and Subbu !

"So now a days what's the routine Subbu" - i asked. That was the starting point of coversation.  I knew there is no activity at present due to extremely high temperature.

"Sir myself and Kandan are in the farm only under the shade. It is very bright Sun and there is no hope of rain. Atleast here in farm there is some coolness compared to our home. So we are here". It was around 12 Noon when I called on Subbu.

Our daily routine is as follows;

a) Watering the plants from the megere water that gets collected in the windmill tank, mostly at night.

b) Fertilizing using Panjagavya / Jeevamrutham  (Just codung+Jaggery) .  I asked if there is steady supply of cowdung.

"Yes one of the lady staff has cowdung at home. We need to bring in a tracktor. Earlier she used to bring daily and was a problem. I told to accumulate so that we can bring in one tracktor" said Subbu.  I told cowdung should be fresh. He nodded. I also asked him to pay her equal to market rate. Around 1000/- per traktor load.

c) Working around the banana plantations. It is so hot in the day time the hoe work should be done in evening or morning.

d) Irrigating the individual plants with plastic container (kudam). From windmill around 30 to 40 pot full of water is obtained daily. This is manually poured to the plants like casurina in turns.

e) The fertiliser pit is still not ready. The banana waste is yet to turn into manure. Extreme dry weather is one of the reason.

The conversation turned gradully into food adultration, food poison and globalisation.  We talked about WTO agreement where India is loosing. He understood all of that and felt very sorry why local people are just living the day without worrying about anything happening around them.

Recently the WTO has urged developing nations not to stock grains, but to throw them to open market for competition. If that happens, there will be no (subsidised rice) ration.  India has to have Public Stockholding for Food Security Purposes and and if this is not allowed more people will go poor ultimately ending their life. Agriculture will die unable to face global competition. All these can be mitigated if the Government promotes agriculture. Which they have not and consistently agriculture has been ignored.

We talked about the edible oil, the lobby behind it, the content of the oil thereof, the meaning of blending, the real purpose of double refining oil, cancer causing agents and ill effects of reuse of heated oil. We concluded we need to manufacture our own oil. For him he just goes to nearby mill and crushes farm grown coconut for oil. They use Coconut oil and Palm oil for cooking. We also touched upon the global commerce behind palm oil.

It was a fruitful conversation. Atleast he will influence few people on healthy food.

The one Rain and Otherwise Dry Summer

The one rain that Subbu was hoping had come and gone like a lightning.  It rained for just 1 hour 15 minutes just enough to wet the ground a couple of days back in midnight.  Lo !.   After that temperature seems to have further increased.

Whenever I call him he complains only of intense heat.  There is no other topic to discuss.  Hot Hot and Hot summer.

He says the farming activity has come to standstill in neighbourhood.  In our farm, luckily we are maintaining, thanks to some proactive action taken earlier.  But still the water is receding in the pond very very fast.

It seems in his family farm also, the water is so hot that paddy fields are simmering. Water is bubbling. He was in full appreciation for Organic Farming methods that we have experimented in my farm.  He seems to have applied only cow dung to a portion of his farm.  He got very good results and is showcasing it.  But no farmer is appreciating it.   They are hard code,  winded to chemical farming. In his words "They keep applying one after another salts to the farm.  The surface without water has hardened so much that nothing will grow. They will only abandon the farming and sell it to flats"

Meanwhile there is no Wind, only Hot weather. In the night there is bitter cold.  This is desert climate.    There is nothing more to talk.

Entire country is now facing unusual hot summer. Actually the summer has still not arrived.

When the water depletes......

Country is facing major drought like situation.  In Marathwada, the crisis is so deep, government is sending water in train wagons. 5 lakh liters of water is hardly sufficient to meet demand for 1 crore liters.  Anyway, people have started hunting for water from deeper wells.  Police protection, curfew etc have been imposed to stop riots on account of water.

Due to climate change we frequently hear this term drought, floods and extreme variation in everything. AMD (metrological dept) has predicted more than average monsoon this year. Hope it will not bring floods.

Meanwhile down south at my farm, the situation is much better.  Water, however is going down day by day.  We need 5000 liters of water to run the farm / day.  We get around 2000 liters through windpump. Amidst hot Sun, the wind is blowing only in mornings and evenings, typical of any summer.

Subbu is hoping for one rain atleast. He says that will solve many problems. But sky is blue.  When I seek good news, he will give bad. and when I loose hope, he will give shockingly good news. That is Subbu with alternating emoticons.

Fish pond is having 3 to 4 feet of water only.   I asked how are they doing. Subbu was sad. He said they have not grown at all for the amount of care he and Kandan had taken. He says he followed every damn advice of fisheries. But fish has grown only 3 finger width. Can't be sold. Can't be eaten. He was sad.

I told if more fish is concentrated on less water, with no fresh water being added, they will suffocate for lack of oxygen. Asked him to take a hard call.   "Distribute them to other places, sell or eat them leaving a few tens behind".......  But Subbu wants to wait (for that one rain).

The temporary lady staff have been inducted again with some regular work. each are paid around 120 per day to water. They have been given new plastic pots to carry water and pour on coconut and other trees.  It makes sense to give them work as otherwise their own farms are dry.

He was happy to announce that the cuddapah stones for the seating arrangement have come. Earlier foundation structure using bricks were made ready. They are looking good. But still stones are not mounted on the brick platforms as their edges are very sharp. The stones been delivered to Paramu's (Carpenter) house (about 3 Kms away) for smoothening the edges. I am told he has angle grinder with him. Electricity supply is not there in the farm to do this work.

He also mentioned the work on Nursery skeletal structure using available pipes is completed.  Earlier I had suggested to dismantle the nursery built with casurina sticks. That is to be replaced with the 1.25" pipes that we have in stock. These pipes were earlier used in borewell under windpump to pump water.  That was replaced with 2" pipe in due course.

He said the total size of skeletal structure is 20 feet x 10 feet. height is 8 feet.  That is two pipes on front and back. one pipe each on either side. one at the centre.  Total 13 pipes.  The required angles were already brought by him. he also said they are not concreting the pillar pipes. But just hardening the hole with mortar. This is to ensure we can more or remove them in future.  May be he is sick and tired of working with cement, and gravel.  Once completed, a new green shade net will be purchased from Tirunelveli town.

I am restless to see these two structure finish.  I advised Subbu that we should finish any work that we undertake.  Good or bad, just see the end.  I am getting a feeling of late we are not completing anything to its logical end.

Farm Update in Visuals - April, 2016

This time too there was a goof up in the browsing centre. The files given by Subbu was lost by that guy. After saying sorry Subbu has to travel again to Valliyoor and upload.  He has reduced the file size to 130 KB. I asked 300KB neverthless this gives an idea. 

Marigold growing slowly. This will add to beauty once it flowers and usefulness as it is tough crop.

By and large there is grass growth.  too much heat.  I told Subbu not to cut them. Let it be natural ground
cover. He too admitted.  At a distance one can see to lady staff plucking jasmine flowers and kandan working.

The coconut is growing healthy. It is big task to keep them alive with scarce water

Finally, the dining table / general purpose discussion table is taking shape.  The cuddapah stones will have to be struck on these pillars to complete.  The centre table and 6 chairs around.  The vendor is not delivering the stone properly.
Subbu wants to change the shop.  All over again......  This is how time is wasted in remote places.

Another set in another corner.  The mango tree should give shade over a period of time.

Harvested Onion.  Looking good.  I am getting confidance now.  Subbu sounded positive too in his voice.
Rice Paddy is in the bag adjascent.  He did'nt send a picture of grains.  But said it is good.

The transplanted Brinjal plants.

Jasmine plants have come to maturity.  They should give constant yield, however small it may be.  Need to expand this

Sapota Tree

Closeup of white brinjal. This will be tasty and soft. 

Red Banana. Growth is slow. apparantly due to water logging and drought alternating.

Not so healthy this time. Let us give some time.

Well the pond is drying up rapidly.  See the water marks.  I was worried. Subbu is not. I donot know why 

Sapota

The road leading to the farm gate. to the right is visible some part of farm. I made this road.

Hot Summer misery has started already !. Need to dive deep into the issue

It is just April, and already it looks like peak summer.

Subbu had been mentioning that it is too hot over there. Water is very scarce. No wind and hence no production.  Neighborhood ponds have dried. We have to keep the farm going.

One rain would bring some relief.  It did indeed rain yesterday some 7 km away from the farm. Now there are no clouds even. They had purchased water yesterday.

Worse days are ahead.  Hmmm  Let me think......

The overall scene in India is not that great.   All rivers are dry. The sand is being looted by organised crime with help of state for construction.  The water holding capacity of many of the rivers and ponds are Nil. Ponds and lakes are occupied, not maintained or encroached.

There is draught like situation in every state.  In Maharashtra for getting a bucket of water, people stand in long queues. Govt is thinking of getting water in train.  There is riot and 144 in place in few districts.  Same situation in Andhra.  People are migrating to Delhi. Agriculture had been ignored by present government from the beginning.

Farm Update 01-Apr-2016

Subbu was down with cold.  Not fever, but persistent cold.  I could not understand why?.  After all they are living in pristine village with tons of fresh air, pure water and healthy food. But why cold ?

He himself gave the answer. "Sir the heat is so unbearable we drink water every 5 minutes. May be that has lodged itself in the head. "   It is true  I myself have experienced that.  If water is pure it is ok. But people who are going out and working tend to drink lot of water from all places.  Especially the "sharbath" drinks or soda from petty shops.

Anyway one of the reason why it took few days suffering was his own abstinence from going to a doctor and having an injection.  That was a wise thing on his part to have done. No injection, no medicine for cold. Just endure till it gets off you.   Cold has no medicine. Just develop resistance. So next time it will not come.

Farm had some activity before 3 days of break. Now work has resumed and they are as follows;

a) Paddy was harvested.  Subbu decided it shall be manual. that is good. One reason is according to him the peacocks have played in the field and paddy is not straight in many places. Machine cannot cut. you have to lift with hand and cut. Hence manual.  That is good. I prefer employing labor than pouring diesel.

b) I guess total yield was 2 Bags of paddy. Each bag is 74 Kg.  They paddy was separated from the straw by beating on stones.   After de-husking paddy in a rice mill,  it should yield half of that rice. That is around 75 KG rice.  Good for an experimental farm.

Paddy harvest in progress manually

c) Onions have been harvested.  Total 15 KG. He is drying it in his house for safe storing. In the farm, there is no proper place. Inside the room there are rats coming. The door is not so good.

d) I guess Onion is running at Rs. 20 /- kg. We will wait till it becomes 50/- Kg and sell. Till then it has to be stored.

He said both paddy and onions are healthy in shape and size.

e) Besides there are numerous vegetables in small quantity.  Time has come to sell in small quantities to visiting peddlers.  I asked him to invite those ladies and offer them the small produce. Few lemon, few guava, coriander leaves, brinjal etc.... Let them sell and we learn.

f) The stone slabs for the seating arrangement has still not arrived. It seems it came with wrong thickness. The cuddapah stone ordered was to have 2 inch thick. What came was half inch. It was sent back and fresh stones have to come. We need to put solid stones otherwise it will break if some weight is placed on the table.

g) Water scarcity has started. Subbu has started crying again. I need to think for a solution. while Windpump is working fine, there is no much wind.  Brinjal plants have been replanted. Now everything requires water. The climate is very very hot. Water holes are dry around the place.

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