For long, we have resisted organic certification. When some of our farmer friends asked us to simplify what the 63 pages of APEDA certification meant, it sent our heads spinning. When we learnt the cost of such a process, all we wanted to do was to keep a long distance from certification. And then, we
Came across this comprehensive presentation on tree based farming. “Agroforestry practices, cropping patterns, fodder giving trees, Nitrogen fixing trees, list of economically important fast growing tree species, trees that have gained wide spread acceptance among the farmers, list of long standing, hard wood trees that have good market value are discussed in this presentation”. Slide
Saw this video by digitalgreen…recommended by our friend Narasinga. Offers some valuable tips to create a green oasis even when water is scarce. The way agricultural land prices are sky rocketing, dry land horticulture seems to be one of the more viable avenues for aspiring farmers.
Wanted to share a wonderful article passed on by our friend, Suren, that reviews perennial staple crops aka food forests. A food forest is what I depend on when we don’t have vegetables growing in the dry season of Jan 15 – April 15. Of course it is possible grow veggies all the year round
Recently, a visitor asked us a question many people have asked us: How do we plan to grow different crops in between rows of trees in our farm that create shade? I stumbled on a metaphor that seems to answer the question and also provides a way of understanding farm design. Farm design could be
25 cents (11,000 sq ft) seems like a space that is small enough and big enough for our home needs and some sharing. The soil being what it is, we do not expect to be able to grow every thing. The list below is some thing we arrived at after some trial and error. A rough layout
25 cents (11,000 sq ft) seems like a space that is small enough and big enough for our home needs and some sharing. The soil being what it is, we do not expect to be able to grow every thing. The list below is some thing we arrived at after some trial and error. A rough layout
Because of some neighbours generously using our land in spite of repeated requests not to do so, we just finished fencing the southern and eastern boundary of the farm using the ‘traditional’ stone and barbed wire. Took a lot of time and a whole lot of money. We didn’t quite expect to be sowing so
We’ve just started work on the 25 cents(10,000 sqft) of land around our house. This area is very close to the road which is at a much higher level. Also, till a couple of years ago, when there was no check dam, the stream across the road used to cut into this portion of the
The planting season is in full swing around us and we are trying to put as much life into the soil as we can. The monsoon seems to have started much earlier than normal and is expected to bring less rains than normal. Newbies like lemons, pepper vines, some varieties of Bamboo and flowering trees
