The arrival of animals on the farm

The first to come were the aquarium fishes - guppies and the black mollies : June 28 2009 :

then were the cows : July 12 2009 :

then the chicks : April 12 2010 :

then the emu's : April 26 2010 :

and then the Kolkatta fresh water fish - Tilapia and Common Carp : June 27 2010 :

Methods of Composting

A good quality compost free from weeds, pathogens and rich in nutrients is a prerequisite for adopting organic farming practice. Different methods have been developed for the preparation of quality compost from farm wastes. Depending upon the nature and quantity of raw material available with farmer. Any one or combination of following methods may be adopted for the production of compost.

INDORE METHOD: This is an old method of compost preparation in the pit having size of 9'x5'x3'. A portion of pit is filled with farm wastes layer by layer. Each layer is around 3" thick and over it a layer 2" of cow dung slurry mixed with urine is spread. Pit is filled with farm wastes and plastered with 2"-4" thick layer of soil and dung. This prevents moisture loss and allow the temperature to rise up to 60-65ºC within 3-4 days. Material inside the pit is turned after 15-30 days and moisture is maintained by adding water. Another turning is given after an interval of 30 days. Good quality compost become ready within 3-4 months.

NADEP COMPOST: This compost method was developed by Naryan Devrao Pandri Pandey. A brick structure measuring 10'x6'x3' is prepared with holes in the side walls to ensure adequate supply of air during composting. The brick tank is filled with farm wastes, soil and cow dung and water is added to maintain moisture between 60-75% . A tank is filled with soil, 16-18qtls, farm wastes 14-16qtls, dung 1-1.2qtls. Water is added to moisture the material and upper layer is plastered with soil and dung mixture. After 75-90 days of composting, microbial culture of Azotobacter, Rhizobium and phosphate solubilizing bacteria are added into the mixture. Compost becomes ready for use within 110-120 days. One tank provide about 2.5-2.7 t of compost sufficient for one hectare land.

Another kind of nadep is known as BHU-NADEP. In this construction of tank by bricks are not required. Method of filling is same as above.

NADEP PHOSPHO COMPOST: This is a method to prepare phosphorus enriched compost using farm wastes, rock phosphate and phosphate solubilizing bacteria. Insoluble phosphorus present in rock phosphate is transformed into soluble form through the action of certain specific micro organisms during the process of composting.

Compost is prepared using farm wastes, cow dung and soil as the quantity given for preparation of nadep compost .Rock phosphate is added to this mixture @ 12.5% w/w. This mixture is filled either in pit, NADEP tank or BHU-NADEP. This material is plastered with a mixture of dung and soil after adding sufficient water to moisten the decomposing mixture. The material is turned after 15 days and thereafter at an interval of 30 days. At each turning water is added to maintain sufficient moisture. Compost becomes ready within 3-4 months and contains N,1%, P2O5, 2-4% and K2O, 1-2%. One equal P2O5 basis this compost can substitute the use of phosphatic fertilizers in crops.

VERMI COMPOST: Earthworms are used to prepare compost from farm and livestock wastes. Earthworms continuously feed upon the organic residues and produce casts. This casts is generally termed as vermi compost, Casts of earthworms are usually rich in nutrients and organic matter and therefore serves as a good source of manure for growing crops. Certain earthworms like Eisenia foetida, Perionyx excavatus and Eudrilus eugeniae are specifically suited for the preparation of vermicompost. Vermicompost contains N,1.0-1.5% P2O5, 0.2-1.0% and K2O. 1-2% depending upon the raw materials used.

BHABHUT AMRIT PANI: This is a preparation made by mixing cow dung 10Kg with desi ghee 250gms and honey 500gms. This material is mixed with 200 liter of water and spread in the field after sowing a crop.

AMRIT SANJEEVANI: This is fermented preparation made up of cow dung 60kg, urea 3kg, single super phosphate 3 kg. Murate of potash 1.0 kg. and ground nut cake 2 kg and water 200 liter. The mixture is fermented for two days in a container. This material is sprayed over the crop two-three times in one acre area.

PITCHER KHAD: This is a fermented preparation made from cow dung 15kg, cow urine 15 liter, water 15 liter and Gud 250gms. Mixture is mixed in a container and covered with a cloth or gunny beg. The material is fermented for 4-5 days. The fermented mixture is mixed with water 200liter and sprayed over the crop in one acre area. Two -three sprays are sufficient for short duration crops.

BIO GAS SLURRY: Biogas slurry is a good manure. Slurry is dried in solar drier. Dried slurry is directly applied in fields.

GREEN MANURES: Several green manure crops provide sufficient organic matter and nitrogen for growing crops. Dhaincha and sunhamp are two most common green manure crops normally used as a source of nutrients and organic matter. They have potential to supply 60-90 kg nitrogen within a period ranging between 45-60 days. Green manuring also help in providing large amount of easily decomposable organic matter to the soil which accelerate the nutrient cycling processes and make available nutrients to the crops.

One tones Dhaincha dry matter add N 26,2Kg, P 7.3Kg, K 17.8Kg, S 1.9 Kg, Ca 1.4 Kg ,Mg 1.6 Kg , Zn 25ppm,Fe105 ppm Mn 39 ppm, Cu 7ppm per hectare in soil.

BIO FERTILIZER: Microorganismslike Azotobacter, Azospirillum, Rhizobium, Blue green algae and Phosphate solubilizing bacteria are being used as biofertiliser in different crops. These microorganisme promote plant growth through different process like nitrogen fixation phosphate solubilizer and production of plant growth substances. Blue green algae and Azola are been successfully used as biofertilizer in paddy.

For further reading ....

Goverment of Madhya Pradesh : Methods of composting

Food and Agricultural Organization of United Nations : Small-scale composting


NATUECO FARMING : AMRUT JAL AND AMRUT MITTI

Ingredients for Amrut Jal :

  1  liter cow dung
  1  liter cow urine
50  gms black jaggery
10  ltrs water

(substitute ingredient for black jaggery: 6 over ripe bananas or 2 glasses of plain sugar cane juice or 6 pieces of over ripe jackfruit or other over ripe sweet fruit that is may be locally available).

Mix all the above together and keep for 3 days. Stir the mixture 2 to 3 times in a day, clock wise and anti-clock wise. On 4th day, take one liter of this concentrate mixture and mix it with 10 liters of water.

This preparation is called Amrut Jal/Water.

After this comes preparation of Amrut Mitti

The existing fruit trees

The following fruit, spice, etc. trees bear year around.

Amba                         (Mango)
Awla                           (Indian Gooseberry)
Chandan                   (Sandal Wood)
Chickoo
Chinch                      (Tamarind)
Dalchini                    (Cinnamon)
Jambh                       (Water Apple)
Jambul
Kadilimbu               (Neem)
Kadipatta                (Curry leaves)
Kaju                           (Cashew)
Kawath                     (Elephant Apple, Monkey Fruit)
Keli                            (Banana)
Limbu                       (Lemon)
Naral                         (Coconut)
Passion Fruit
Peru                           (Guava)
Phanas                      (Jack fruit)
Rai Awla                  (Small Gooseberry)
Rakta Chandan     (Butterfly Tree)
Ramphal                  (Bullock Heart)
Ratambe                  (Kokum)
Shewga                     (Drumstick)
Sitaphal                   (Custard Apple)
Tamalpatra             (Bay leaf)
Tuti                            (Mulberry)
Vilayti Chinch       (Madras Thorn)

Other trees growing :
Bamboo - Green, Yellow, Ornamental, Black
Bel                             (Wood Apple)
Miri                          (Black Pepper)
Papaya
Tadgola                   (Palm)

The beginning till now

1995 :

Bought land (1 acre) with a few fruit trees and left it at that.

2002 - 2009 :

Decided to develop it a bit and planted more than 100 various fruit trees. Development naturally without chemicals / pesticides was already decided upon. Only use of either cow dung, sheep dung or chicken manure would be done.

Basics learning process with the help of locals began. Labour was intermittent and thus haphazard planting / growing of vegetables was done with mixed results. Produce distributed among friends and relatives whenever possible.

Came across vermiculture and started that, another addition to the above manures. Soon sheep dung and chicken manure started becoming pricey. Only cow dung and vermiculture to be used now.

Learnt that growing vegetables and fruits this way was considered "organic farming". Came across the Cityfarmers group and learnt about Natueco farming. Joined the Cityfarmers group in May 2009 and attended a talk on city farming. Here I learnt about amrut pani and amrut mitti.

I thought that this was the right time to start growing vegetables in a systematic way. Since the rains were around the corner amrut mitti would have to wait for now. I started a group called Organic Vegetables and Fruits  and hoped that I could organise growers and consumers of organic vegetables come together and help in promoting the cause. For the time being vegetables would be grown the traditional way.

However preparation for amrut pani and amrut mitti was undertaken. Bio mass was not a problem. For lack of availability of cow urine, a cow shed was built

and cows purchased.

Four soaking pits were also constructed.

Things were going according to plan.The first crop of vegetables had arrived and were distributed to some, however most of the vegetables were rotten from inside, reason unknown. Considering this as a temporary setback, I was looking forward to the preparation of amrit mitti, as the rains were almost at the end.

Suddenly everything just fell flat. The only worker just left without any warning. All plans had to be shelved due to unavailability of labour. Finding somebody on a daily basis to just keep things steady became a headache.

2010 :

In April found a couple of workers, explained to them what would be undertaken for the preparation of amrut mitti. Since time would not permit the 100 days process, 30 day process was chosen. In the meantime had come across raised bed farming and decided to combine the two. Ten raised beds have been made (Size : length 10' , width 3' and height 1') using bricks and filled with amrut mitti. Some vegetables are planted in these and some on the ground supplemented with amrit mitti.

The following vegetables have been planted and the wait now begins :

Bhendi           (Okra)

Bhopala         (Pumpkin)

Chavli             (Long Beans)

Dudhi             (Bottle gourd)

Gawar            (Cluster beans)

Ghewda         (Broad beans)

Kakdi              (Cucumber)

Karla               (Bitter gourd)

Mirchi            (Chillies)

Padwal           (Snake gourd)

Pudina           (Mint)

Shengdane   (Ground nut)

Shirali            (Ridge gourd)

Tomato

Tondli            (Ivy gourd)

Vangi             (Brinjal)