Turmeric of the Year

Turmeric is a popular crop in our area grown from May to Feb. The rhizome, or underground stem, is harvested after 10 months. The variety we grow is called “Erode Turmeric”, Erode being the name of a district famous for turmeric cultivation and trade.

As we set out with the long and thin bladed hoe, the weather was cool, trees were in bloom and the birds were singing. And we had three good showers that made it even more pleasant.  But the digging got long drawn with mushy soil, sticky tools and clumps of clay that came up with the rhizomes. But we’ve learnt not to complain about rains..at least, not too much.

The yield was not uniform though all the plants looked healthy.   From quarter acre we got about 700 kgs.  Our last year’s yield from a similar area was just over a ton. Overall, it is a modest harvest compared to what other farmers around us have harvested as well. Slideshow:

 

 

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