Pond Mud as manure to the farm

Govt has permitted the farmers to take a scoop of pond mud.  This is like fertilizer.  Especially there are few ponds near our farm (now dry) which will have bird droppings. These are from migratory birds.

Subbu had applied for permission to local village officer. I think it went upto taluk office and came back sanctioned.  He said he took 40 farm loads to his farm.  For myself 10 tracktor loads.  There is no cost for this mud. But the tractor expense is around 300/- per trip.  We also need to spend for labor for spreading this mud.

Hmmmmm.

Town Bus to Nachankulam

I understand the local govt has started a new town bus service to Nachankulam village from Tirunelveli.  Nachankulam is the village near by Farm. It is a good news.  Subbu sent this photo. It was taken from in front of the Sastha temple. The other side is the farm (hidden from view)

I asked if we can bring consignment in that by paying extra wages. Just in case.Yes.

Generally who travels in it.  Subbu said mostly students are plying in the bus. That is a good news. More students will now start getting quality education by joining in Tirunelveli. I remember my college days when I used to travel to T. Kallikulam village in Bus No. 8.

I wonder what people travelling in this bus will think when they see my farm and the wind pump ?  It should be awesome. Children will register this in their mind and perhaps support renewable energy when they grow.

Perhaps the bus stop will be named after the windmill.  "kaathaadi". Who knows ?

Generator engine chocked

The pump that has fallen inside

Sometime last week there were simultaneous two repairs at the farm.

The windpump unscrewed the pipes from deep borewell. After taking out the pipes,  Subbu wanted to make use of this opportunity to do another operation.   He wanted to fish out an earlier foot valve that had slipped and fell 350 feet down.  There are experts for this and they were called. After spending 3 days and some 5K, the effort was futile.

The team met with repeated failures to grab the cylinder deep inside using their instruments.  Subbu asked me the photograph of the same for the team to look at. Luckily I had in my cellphone and I did the whatsup of it to him. That also did not help.  It seemed they were able to grab but could not lift beyond 15 feet as it was getting struck.  More the delay more money will be spent on labor charge.  Generally for a submersible pump they charge 9 to 12 K.   Sensing this I asked Subbu to call off.  The instruments were duly returned to them.

I must try this some other time with different techniques.

Asked the team to refix the windpumps properly for working. They did. 2 days later Subbu said he had to repeat 3 times the operation of removing all the pipes and refixing costing labor.  The reason why windpump was unscrewing was disovered later.   The ball bearing that was welded earlier at the neck of the windpump had worn out.  So whenever the rotor was turning as per change in direction of wind, it was unscrewing the pipes connected underneath. If there is enough isolation in mechnanical train, then the windpump rotor head turning around itself will not affect the pipes below.  that was not the case.  Subbu brought new ball bearing and fixed the issue. This problem was a custom  made solution.  (There are stories on this posted earlier).

The second incident was that the diesel generator collapsed.   Since the time it was put into its own small generator room, the heat generated had got built up.  Even when I was there at the farm last month I noticed that Subbu had not made any holes anywhere in that room.  Build using hollow blocks by local mason, they did not think about ventilation.  When the generator is running for 2 hours, the heat builds unbearable proportions.

Perhaps the engine had choked.  It had to be opened and mechanic found the rings melted.  So some spares were purchased by Subbu in Tirunelveli under the prescription.  Two trips due to misses and omission.  Then the engine was fixed along with fresh washers.

The room wall was broken for window ventilation in two places below the waist level for fresh air to flow. My logic is that cold air will get inside from ground level and warm air will raise up.  The exhaust pipe was extended outside the room.  All these without compromising on security as vandalism is rampant.

Now both the generator and windpump is working.   Generator is now put to rest as we donot want to spend on diesel unless required.  Windpump is giving 3000 liters per day.

Electricity at last

Several visits to the electricity office.  Several visits by them to the farm.  Lunches,  bribes, tips and stories.  Finally the electricity has arrived.

I believe there are 57 people for whom the board had kept pending.  Someone higher official had visited and fired everyone for their lethargy. Then things started moving. They also seems to be having a target.

Finally this week, they visited the farm, moved the poles to holes, fixed them, drew the current and powered ON - everything in single day.  On the last day I had to spend atleast 10K for various purposes.  The final pole is at the corner of the farm. From there to the room it is our expenditure. We also have to pay Rs. 4K for meter that was picked up at Nanguneri Village electricity office by Subbu and fixed at the room.  Other electrical wiring etc were to our cost.

Subbu had to shuttle several rounds to Parappadi, Nanguneri and Tirunelveli which he did on his bike very enthuistically. It is his dream come true.  A coil of wire cost Rs. 2.5 K which we never expected.  Anyway feat accomplished.

This is 2 phase current. In the short run we may have to purchase a matching deep borewell pump  which can run on 5 Amps current. I believe the electricity officials were happy to see the organic farm, which till now is running on windpower.

Electricity board officials in Jeep at front of gate

Work in progress

One angle. Note the wire going to the room from your right hand

Meter getting fixed. I guess he is local electrician

Hmm. Finally. The room is cleaned by Subbu. He has shifted the miscellaneous articles to his home.

Light at last. This is a great thing from security point of view also.  Henceforth i need to spend more money
to draw current inside the farm where it is necessary. This I will do slowly.

Several Stories that I missed

It has been quite some time that I had written about the farm.

Either preoccupation with my IT work, or did not find something not so significant to write about. There is severe drought  running in the place with no visibility for any rain clouds.  Had there been a single rain, I would have got rejuvenated to write more.

But now there had been quite a few milestones achieved in the past few weeks, that I myself did not realize.  I will write about the following one by one in coming days as independent articles as they are mutually exclusive subjects.

a) Finally electricity has arrived at the farm.
b) Pond manure for the Farm.
c) Repair of the Generator
d) Anger of the windmill
e) Failure to extract the lost foot valve from deep borewell.
f) Overall health of the Farm.

Farm Update 31st May, 2017

I was speaking to Subbu today.  In fact I speak every day or alternate days. I have given free rein to irrigate the land as much as possible and never mind about fuel cost.  It has given results. These are snaps sent by him last week. What is the message in all these images ?   That the plants are sprouting new leafs.  They are responding to water.

Coming to daily chores,  Kandan is still taking rest. Subbu is managing plucking flowers with one more helping hand - Sumati a temp staff.  Today yield is below half kg.  I think it is fluctuating. He was talking at length about providing some nutrition. We have never given any manure for the past year or so.  Now is the time. We have planned to manure individual plants as well as the entire farm with 6 tractor loads.  Each will cost INR 1500/-. Plus 200/- for loading off loading and distributing it.  Let me see how best we can do this subject to money constraint.

The other thing is Subbu had successfully moved the Generator into its own room that was specially constructed last month. Though they (local mason) have made a mistake of not providing any opening anywhere resulting in heat buildup. I asked Subbu to make large windows at Knee height in opposite walls. And cover with grills.    Otherwise generator is secure now.

Now a new problem. Earlier Kandan would dare not touch the generator. Now he is not even coming anywhere near the room itself.  So scared !.  What to do ?

Jasmine Flower first Sale

After a long time, it is satisfaction to know that Jasmine is flowering with a quantity that can be marketed.   Long dream come true moment.

The Jasmine bush has grown taller. With adequate pumped water now, they are flowering. I have asked Subbu to be more liberal on watering all plants. Never mind about diesel expenses.  Enough is enough. We need to see some cash flow to cheer ourselves.

Subbu, Sumati and her son are picking flowers starting early morning at 6.30 going upto 10 AM in hot Sun.  Sumati works ad-hoc for Rs.150/- a day wage and is compensating for absense of Kandan who is sick.

According to Subbu it is a painstaking job to pluck flower buds.  A large aluminium bucket full of flowers will weigh only 2 KG.  It sells at 150/- per KG.  Today they plucked 2.4 KG. Yesterday 2 KG and day before that half Kg and so on..... Hope the flowering will continue. I understand the market price is fluctuating and today the price was Rs. 200/-. Good.

Our flower is organic. But there no special deal as of now.  It gets mixed with others in Market.

Subbu has to deposit this in Moolakaraipatti market from where it will go to Tirunelveli.  They have put a "notebook" and noting down. At our farm also Subbu is noting down. I spoke to him today and asked to buy a good Weighing Scale for ourselves from Tirunelveli for max 10 KG Weight.

The Sun is so hot and shining that nothing else can be planned as of now. Rain is not in sight. However it is raining all over the place except our village.  (This is a rain shadow region). I told Subbu that this year it will rain heavily when monsoon comes (Oct-Nov) as there had not been any rain in the past two years.  Hope so.

(At the moment there are no snaps. Will insert them tomorrow)

Farm in Visuals - My visit on 6th May, 2017

As usual, this time my visit was very brief.  I had been with family and had multiple jobs to do in my native place.  Renovation of an old house, attending a large religious function, my father's annual ritual etc besides family outing. Still I managed to visit the farm three times,  once with a large group of family members including children towards evening.  But it was dark and could not take snaps.  Once on the spot it was so bright sunlight and you are out of charge on the phone that you tend to skip taking pictures.  

My first visit was disappointing because the farm posed vegetation that was dry. every third leaf had been charred by the ruthless heat wave.  After two days, I reconciled myself and started counting on positives.  Here are some snaps that I had taken from my cellphone.

This is the saviour now. I brough 10 liters of diesel while going to the farm
in a new plastic can.  Just to make a point to team to be liberal on fuel for
some time till we get some rains.  I tried my hand starting this engine. It is really rough and tough. The
rickety recoil is dangerous to the hand.  It requires some practice to remove the starting
handle once the engine starts. It is a slow speed engine and i really like the fut fut sound.

The electrical panel.  This need to be mouned on the newly constructed room.

Sapota Tree. Almost all trees are grown above shoulder. Only water scarcity otherwise it will be further tall.

Old coconut planted and the new one planted.

Each of the unnamed unlabelled trees are now developing its own personality

The shelter has become little old. Needs to be patched.  Some of the sensitive plants purchased from
nursary in Jan are kept inside this shelter to protect from heat.  Subbu has gone to Mumbai to drop
his family. He will plant them after return next week.

Look how the leaf is dried even through water was given.

Generally the circle around the coconut tree is ideal for growing tender plants. Subbu or Kandan had planted
brinjal and other plants around it. In the picture is a weed.  Otherwise i had carried with me a bag full of mixed seeds
from Pune, most of them tree seeds. I asked them to be put around the tree so that it will be taken care during
watering. Later whichever survives can be re-planted.

Survival

This is a good thing. The sitting place is really getting pretty through age. My brother enjoyed sitting here.

Otherwise dry.

Otherwise very healthy plant, Shed its leaves. 

My auto driver  gathering fruits for me. He has become friend.

Subbu (right) had reached and I met him.  On the left is auto driver Esakki. He is so friendly and nature loving
that he drove me to his friends house on the way home and gave me some rose cuttings, greens

Once 2 years back this was very luch green patch.  Hoping to turn it around.

When I ask a question, Subbu has the habit of repeating the same question if he has no answer.

Windpump water always available in small quantity. Nearby plants are fresh on account of this.
There is a neem tree that is newly grown but now very tall already.

Kandan was not so well. he was having tablets and injection for fever. He has ulcer.  Two days before he was admitted
to Hospital.  Root cause : Not eating in time.  I shouted at him. Because he can always eat in time and stay healthy.
With so much of nature around, he is eating tablets, what a shame !.  But the heat is too much

This is a multipurpose meeting hall. Planning to roof it with Kerala style tiles.

Banyan Tree... One day.........

This is a joke. I plucked many of these lemons for my mother and neighbors. Also brought this all the way home to Pune
But later found this is not lemon after cutting. This is Mosambi that is yet to grow in size.    It was such a shame in front
of the family that a person who can;t even differentiate lemon from Mosambi is doing agriculture.
I had to call everyone and say something. Back home we had to throw this in dustbin.