I would like to post some of the info I gathered last weekend. N.R.Shetti,President of Sahaja Samrudha, A retired Telecom Officer.
After retirement he purchased 1.25 acres of Land near Nelamangala,Bangalore and Started Natural farming.
He has adopted rainfed horticulutre method. During first two years he adopted a method called potfeed method. Water of 5l for each plant is eanough for 15 days.
He studied that plants cannot abosorb water in direct farm it has to be in vapor form he used this method and arrived at this technique. A earthen pot is embedded at the root zone of the plantleaving the mouth of the pot is on the surface of the land. Water is filled in the pot. Since it is earthen pot the heat in the inner earth will evoporate the water and roots will absorb this water.
This method is needed only first two years of planting.
I will visit his farm soon and post some pictures.
Shetty husband and wife are involved in promoting natural or Jaivik krishi now. They are open for any guidance. They have formed many farmers groups in and around Bangalore.
thakyou sri for this wonderful info…
hope to get more infor infuture from ur side as u always do…
its realy good even i would say great to read new new posts realted to different aspects…
good luck in future…
Here are few photos of Shetty uncle’s Farm.
1st Photo Shetty Uncle explaining his activities and procedures he followed to set up the farm.
2nd Photo- Visitors from India & Mauritious (3 foreign farmers with hat) verifying the farm status.
3d Photo showing water filled with rain water during 26-Aug-2012
I am doing nothing. We must salute people like N.R.Shetty, He is fighting to enforce poor farmers. He shared me his contact number when I asked him what is suitable time to call he says" You can call me even in midnight, I have reserved rest of my life only for farmers"
Very New to farming - trying it out in the Magadi area, which is very dry and this year in particular has had very poor rain fall. When we started we used 1 liter plastic bottles, discarded at stores when we first started - worked well but the hole clogged up after a while.
This buried earthen pot method looks interesting, however how feasible is it for 200+ fruit saplings? Also does anyone have an idea of what are the costs involved?
Labour costs for digging up of land to place the Pots
Labour for filling up the pots every week
Also, you can also try other methods like reducing the evaporation by using composts around the plant and putting coconut husks for absorbing more water during the rainy season and slowly releasing it.
Very New to farming - trying it out in the Magadi area, which is very dry and this year in particular has had very poor rain fall. When we started we used 1 liter plastic bottles, discarded at stores when we first started - worked well but the hole clogged up after a while.
This buried earthen pot method looks interesting, however how feasible is it for 200+ fruit saplings? Also does anyone have an idea of what are the costs involved?
Rgds
Aparna
[/quote] Hi?
Still few pot makers even in your area also making them, you can inquire about them with elderly people around the villages in your land, they give certain leads which may helpful if you want to have pots. You have not mentioned what saplings needs to provide water and their age.
However you can grow cover crop to protect soil from evaporation or loss of humidity around the plant you can sow horse grams around under the plant for which where you providing water, it will grow fast and it will cover entire soil around the plant within 2 to 3 weeks, it may not cost you more than Rs.5/- for plant. The benefits are unmatched comparing to any other technology.
See the photo attached in which we grown Pudina around Mango plants along with Sesabania, all they are very well covered the soil and they are not allowing sun ray to reach soil and they protecting soil by getting sunlight.
We have used ragi husk as mulching for some saplings - which by the way are around 6months in the ground.
I have spoken with the local “yelnir” man and will collect his shells. I am concerned that since there is a lot of termite activity and when they attack the husk or the coconut, will it effect the plant?
Yes I had grown a mix of ragi/corn/mixed soppu/some oil seeds at each pit - but that we put back into the soil as green manure. We usually also grow a vegetable - either tomato or brinjal or beans in the same pit so that the water is used for both.
I will try the horse gram and pudina mix. What about Indigo will that do the trick too -being taller? Please give me the local name for Sesbania - there are so many kinds that I am competely lost and also how to grow it and where to get the seed/saplings
Thanks again to all - I will put these into place and let you know what happens.
Rgds
If you use any legumes like alfalfa(kudure menthe), Velvet beans(nasagunni Kayi), Cow pea(alansande) etc it will give better results. They do nitrogen fixing. These have Rhizobium in thier roots which makes this reaction.
Make sure to thrash green manure before the plants flower.
If you grow gliricidia over the peripheri of your farm you can make use of this at best.
The cheapest seeds are sun hemp(ap-senabu)
For cover crops you treat the seeds with Bijamrith and broadcast it.
Try to grow Marigold(Chendu Hoova) and Castor(haralu) randomly. both has multiple values. Both excert natural numatode and aphid repellnats.
Castor seeds have very good commercial value now a days. The breze which pass thru castor leaves has medicinal importance.
Thank you All for you responses. And my apologies for this delay.
Yes Glyceridia has been put around the periphery of the land and around as many terraces as possible. And we use them in the fruit pits. That and the greeen manure brought back the earthworms to that section of our land.
I have attached a picture of the farm in May of 2012 - I don’t have any current pix. Will take some today and post
I will try out the other suggestions and revert to the forum.
Thanks again
1.Try to adopt trech cum bund concept. Leave 8 to 10ft gap for agroforestry or natural wind screen thruout the fencing. after this gap have a trench of 3ft wide 3ft deep. You can keep 15ft long pieces of trench the dug out soil must be placed 1ft away from trench and try to form a bund with grass. Each trench is seprated by 1ft wide wall. By doing this thw water collected in your land is not flown outside. It will recede and form a good ground water. If you form a sotne layer on the oposite side of the bund it will stop top soil erosion.
Have green cover crops especially legumes.
Even 1ft of soil must not be left unplanted. so between plants you can have onions, Okhra or creeps of pumpkeens,cucumber etc. All these act as cover crops and prevent water evopration from soil.
If you feed Jevamrith Earthworm population increases and this will solve infertility problems. Plants will not face nutrient dificciency.
If you populate your farm with lot of plants there will not be competion for nutrient but plants will have competion for sunlight.
Thank you Sir,
This Retd. Telecom Officer has adopted Mud pot Techinq as I have made 10 Years back when I was Estate Officer for Rythu Bazaar (Farmers Market).Thank for the FEEDBACK.
Sri thanks for information.
Can you provide his contact details or address.
As I am planning to visit bengaluru and hyderabad bad in may second week for only learning purpose.
As I will visit many farm around bengaluru.
If you provide details I will arrange a meet with him there if he will agree.
As I read about it but I am eager to see live and learn from him.
Regards
