Farm Update 10-Mar-2019

In another 10 days I will be visiting the farm. I am not preparing anything for that. I am not allowing myself to get exited. I must prepare myself for some disappointment. I resolve to work there for 2 days without minding anything. I must also plan to stay at the farm one day.

A portion near the windmill
Cleared of boganville shoots that had grown in
hapazard manner. This ground is ready for banana
however waiting for watering to make it
soft.

a) The rapport with my farm supervisor friend Subbu has increased once again.  He had infact wanted me to call on whatsup Video. I did. He took me around the farm live and showed areas of concern and growth.  I really appreciate the frankness, maturity and confidence in that one call that he exhibited.

b) As planned earlier, Subbu had indeed purchased around 500 saplings of Jasmine plants from Tirunelveli and brought them in a bike.  The ground was earlier worked out by JCB and around 130 holes were dug and ready. The Jasmine plants were planted by two workers with 4 each in each of the pit.  The plants cost Rs. 4/- each.  The pits were also filled with cowdung manure obtained from one of the women's cattle shed.  The new jasmine plants will also be replacing some of the older undergrown pits in earlier patch.

The newly planted Jasmine saplings

b) There is huge sunshine. Too hot. I asked Subbu to brace for it. We can expect more heat. It was not a good idea to have cleaned the farm devoid of grass and weed. They help to keep the saplings cool. However based on feedback from traditional farmer friends, Subbu had cleaned the farm thinking that will beautify.

c) The windpump amplifier is at halt. The link from windmill to the below, near the windpump rotor itself had got unscrewed. The wind velocity is so high, one cannot stop the fan from rotating. Subbu is waiting for right moment. I asked him to be cautious and slow.  Can't take any risk with heights. Let it even take few days more for wind speed to come down.

The fact is something is loose above.   All these days it seems screw motion had so far been passed on into the borewell,  unwinding the central rod systems earlier  . Those days,  every now and then the rods used to unscrew somewhere down into the borewell.  We spend time and effort to pull entire pipe assembly, find the fault and put back.  We were unable to locate the the root cause. Now with my new machine in place, that is separating the the central rod assembly from the top with the one that is going into the borewell.

Therefore any mechanical unscrew that happens due to high wind gets arrested above the ground itself. An interesting case study that I want to approach slowly. I have asked Subbu to document the findings on why something above is tight or loose causing this.

JCB is digging pit for Jasmine. They charge around  600 to 800 per hour.

Subbu is contemplating standing
on an infertile patch thinking something.

One of the assembly points on top of the tower. This had got unscrewed itself due to
wind direction, though it is designed not to. My new windpump amplifier has stopped this unscrew
action to be passed on into the long chain or rods.

Workers who helped plant 

Finally my Windmill Mechanical Amplifier working

The blue metal strips will keep
the frame to the ground.

The Mechanical Amplifier that I designed on my own 4 months back, fabricated in Pune and sent across to My farm 800 kilometers away is finally working.  The following are the advantages.

a) The ABS (Poldaw) windmill has a freedom of 10 cms (3.5 inches) verticle movement. This need to be amplified to exploit the foot valve cylinder that has over 20 inches freedom so that more water will come. This apparattus that I have designed works like a cantilever to expand this movement (energy). Presently we get 3000 to 5000 liters of water per day. This will become 20,000 to 30,000 liters per day. Already we are seeing early results even without adjusting further.

b) This will isolate windmill from underground pipe/rod assembly. So that we can work in deep well bore without stopping the windmill.

c) The twist and turn of the windpump rotor will not affect and unscrew the borewell rods anymore. Minimum repair and re-fix.

d) This will hold the weight of central rod assembly. Thus windpump is relieved of pulling the entire weight for every stroke. This is achieved by hanging the rod on moving frame and counter weight at other end of cantilever.   I want windpump to become completly free so that is runs smoothly.

Just to fix the frame on the ground has taken a month.   The holes that I made on the frame did not match the already existing bolts near the bore well.  Some measurement went wrong.  Subbu,

Kandhan and his friend Paramu could not think of an alternate solution.    There were actually so many alternate solutions available.   But they thought of the most difficult one,   and kept postponing executing it because they have to carry the heavy frame to the welding machine in another town. I dismissed their ideas.

 Finally I have to  intervene and the provide a simple solution.   Refer the photograph.  I just ask them to put a strip of metal over the Bolt we keep the frame anchored to the ground and it worked.

 Even though I had taken care of sending all the ingredients by packing in wooden box,  they misplaced a few and was searching for it later. This  was due to delay in installation.  Other times,  they were doing everything very wrongly even though I had earlier posted a demonstration Video with myself explaining everything in vernacular.

They misplaced the video message in WhatsApp.     Finally everything is in place.  Minor adjustments here and there are still required. But water is coming.  Subbu had taken pains in the last 2 days to mend the pipe, fittings and actually worked very hard.  Only the counter weight is still not properly placed.  Subbu was reluctant to add weight. When forced, he said he will hang a lorry tyre. I got wild and ridiculed his thinking process itself. Suggested him to hang sand bag. 

But the windmill mis-behaved. It threw the weight out. Some clamps came down heavily.  Luckily there is no injury. I need to investigate why it did not take counter weight.  I think it is because of speed of windpump that there are unnecessary jerks in its movement.     I asked for clear video. But subbu is not an ace shooter. The photos he sent were not that useful.

Rest in pictures.

Subbu's friend fixing the frame.

Atlast the water. 3/4 inch pipe full of water.  This will be diverted to overhead tank

installation in progress.

Farm Update 19-Feb-2018 - All is not well

It has been a quite a long gap this time in updating this.  The main reason for this is overwhelming information.   Yes. in this age of connectivity and always online, the communication gap is at the highest.  That is the paradox. Same applies to blog posts also.

When some story is developing, you wait till it completes.  When the story keeps taking twist and turn with new issues and solutions, you also keep postponing writing. That way days, weeks and even months pass.

Following are the updates.

a) The relationship with Subbu was not all that well. I had to firmly talk to him and impress upon him that nothing is happening at the farm.  The same paradox that was explained above works here also. Farm now has adequate water and other resources. But agriculture activity has halted. Long back when the farm was having acute scarcity, we were growing several things. Today everything is there and the output is abysmally nil.   One of the reason is attention diversion, lazyness, gross mistakes, not having enough motivation etc.  But nothing can explain or justify the money that is being spent to up-keep the farm. People have to work.  No choice.

b) Kandan had been absent for several days. I am not clear about his attendance.  He is not communicative. Basically good guy. But lazy.  Last rains, he was taking care of his own farm, I was told.  He even asked for extra money (loan) which I refused.  Later he fell seriously ill. He always refused to do any extra work and confined his scope only to watering existing trees.  I had to pay another person in his absence to survive the plants without cutting his salary also.  I was patient all through. I wanted Subbu to pass on this message that he will to be fired from job if he continues to be absent. I have no choice.

c)  For several days Subbu will be unavailable.   His phone was not picked up or he was not reachable for days together.   Later I learnt he was building his mother in law's house.   He also said that his customers (Household village ladies) from his cable TV business where pestering him with complaints. So he had to keep the phone switched off.   (There have been recently change in delivery of cable TV with an on ground technology change which operators like him found cumbersome to train foot soldiers to implement)  

However what upset me most was his continuous absence to the farm.   His father is a professional farmer and a very rare visitor to our farm.   He seems to have scolded him why he is keeping the farm so dirty.   Subbu called me promptly ordered for tractor and ploughed the fields without any purpose.

d) Subbu suddenly came with an idea of building a poultry farm on the empty half constructed place. He wanted to use the casurina poles for that. He wanted to keep country hen and said this will bind Kandan to the farm and ensure his attendance.  He also said the profit will be ploughed back to paying salary to Kandan and himself.  All right I said, but it is upto you. I donot encourage farm at this stage.  

Later one day he called for workers, bricks and ordered for sheets.  As usual he started ranting the plan hinting that I have to foot the bill. I refused. I scolded him saying anything should be started simple with available material. Why build a big room for a poultry which may or may not be success. how can we trust Kandan. or for that matter yourself ? Who will give injection, feed etc. What expense?  Why get me into more trouble, when we have not been able to grow even small quantity vegetables  ?  I asked several questions like this and perhaps a longest conversation that I had in recent times clocking around 1.5 hours.  He said he is dropping that idea.

e)  He called to say he is mentally upset. I left it at that. Let him sink the feeling. I did not defend him. I only advised him to go out to Thovalai and watch the flower market. I urged him to watch others, how they are doing business. He indeed went to Tirunelveli to a nursary. That is his beauty. He will never do what we ask.

f) Presently he seems to have realised.  That means more planting, more expenses and more activity. That is fine.  This includes getting JCB to dig around 100 holes for fresh Jasmine plot.  He had identified Jasmine nursary in Tirunelveli costing Rs. 6/- per plant. Had ordered. I also felt we must expand Jasmine as a commodity for sure / future

(Will continue)

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

Add caption

Moringa tree

This is the native palm tree siblings that are growing.

Add caption

Kandan standing. The background really looks great with thick vegetation

Fish being released into water

Add caption

At fish factory. Fish is packed in polythene bags with air pressure to sustain transport.

Farm Update 08-Nov-2018 Mechanical amplifier

Farm update:

Finally the windpump mechanical amplifier  for the Poldaw windpump is ready.  What initially I set out to design and fabricate has now been completed after several rounds of visits to lathe and welding shops.  Past 2 weeks there were intensive activity around this on followup amidst my business work.

The welding helpers lost interest at some point of time. They found this an obstacle in their shop as it occupies space. I hurried myself and finished the thing. Actually I wanted to prepare more tools for Subbu, but confined myself only to this amplifier.

Sending this was also a challenge. My farm is 1000 kilometers away. The transport / logistics company was asking invoice papers. This is R&D piece and have no papers. A search and  by chance a transporter agreed to send this by lorry "whenever it goes" after Diwali Holidays.  Hope Subbu will receive this and fit it properly.

Subbu has returned from Tirupati Darshan.  It went well. he was in touch all along partly to confirm his ticket and seats online.

Meanwhile there is plenty of rain at the farm. This is rainy season there.  Subbu has disconnected the electric wires. Kandan should feel safe. I did not approve the wire being drawn from one room to another without pole. I asked him to secure this quickly. After return from Tirupadi, Subbu has to fabricate 2" pipes in welding shop and make electric poles.

The main unit. The face plate will move up and down along with railings on both sides. This will lift the pump rod.

This mechanism will be pushed from top by the windmill.  This is a slider and can be moved back on the cantiliver.
The more it is moved back, the bigger will be the arc of sweep and hence more water.

Fulcrum at the back. The split on top is for easy removal for repair and refitting.  Theft can happen.

Side view

Sending by a mini tempo. I went in this tempo and searched transporter

This is the original drawing I conceived out of mind and drew on computer using "sketchup" software.  I hope
the final product has come out exactly like this.
This method works.

Farm in Visuals Oct 2018

This is a period of waiting.  There had been rains coming. We need to plough the field. Today is Saraswati puja, Ayutha Puja at Farm.  Subbu told he has brought all the materials for worship yesterday.  I asked if I need to send some money. He said No. he owes me and feels guilty he has still not enabled Phone banking yet.

He also told that brinjal is selling at 70 Kg/- and our farm produced 1 kg today.  Great. But knowing fully well that vegetables are selling why we are not doing anything at all ?

Few days back I had argument with Subbu.  He was talking about new electrical wiring to be done to match the 3 phase. The talk went ON and ON only around technical things that need to be done. Like welding posts in nearby town etc.  We had also been exchanging various photos about the windpump amplifier that I am fabricating in workshop in Pune. I have completed that (Details in next post).

I stopped in mid way and asked "when are we doing to grow food, which is our priority.  Let technical work keep waiting. After all we waited for so long.  We also need to grow food".  This irked him and he went into his usual thought.  It was also partially because for several weeks now he had not been to the farm regularly nor supervised Kandan properly. He knows his fault.  He knows his guilt.  That said.. these are the snape he promptly sent at once.

So temperory workers (ladies) with whom we are not in touch for quite long, has been invited to the farm for today's worship. Hope Durgashtami will bring more happiness and growth in coming day.  For one thing, we are going to grow (crops).

The brush like grass is growing which is native to this place (on the left). This is mid way path to Windpump

Can't identify what that tree is.

Trees are growing. Only the citrus plants are always seen eaten by insets.

Well, banana season is over. This patch has been cleaned and waiting for ploughing.
Now rain has come. It will be seeded with Nine Grains and later polughed. This will add green manure

Beside the porai or the resting place.  Gradually shade is engulfing.

The main entrance as we walk in from the gate.  Subbu is fond of taking photo from this angle,
because this is the only part of farm showing neat growth. Sort of bench mark

Notice the small square patch that I made in July. Nothing has grown inside it. I put lot of seeds in it.
May be they have floated out.

Kind of academic climate is forming here. 

A new angle. from inside the half finished room. I hope to develop this into an open room where  we can keep
heavy machinery once 3 phase comes. Like oil extraction machine.  This can also be multipurpose hall.

Asked Subbu to note the water marks and water logging places.

Notice the circular bund made around the trees. Compare photo above. The water logging is not affecting the tree due to this.

This needs attention.

Jasmine. My only hope and commercial crop now.

Wish I expand more flower beds like this. This is very hard work.

Very funny.  The coconut tree with Zero height.

Classic view of windpump. A new angle too.  This spot from which he has taken was very infertile patch.