Hi All,
below is our experience with our first crop as a farmer.
We have planted, soybean in 5 acres and jowar,groundnut in 4 acres in northern maharshtra.
Our region it was very much deficient rain this year (Just 30 to 40% of average rainfall).
We have spent almost 50k and yield was not more than 15k of market value as on today .
Jowar totally destroyed due to weeds , groundnut was worth of 5k .
Things went wrong:
Weed was not removed on time which took toll.
Soybean was cut almost 1 week late, due to which almost 50% of soy “beans” were bursted, which was a heartbreak and resulted in 50% reduction of crop.
Sliver lining:
No chemical were used as pesticides etc.
No chemical fertilizers were used.
Able to the understand ground reality of wages, how to deal with peoples etc.
Peoples around recognize as serious farmer, stop demoralizing and tend not to cheat.
Road ahead:
Working out a plan for medicinal plants (Thorny plants which animals do not eat, need less water) in 5 acres.
Planning a 50503 feets dimension water tank to store water [ JCB work of 6 to 8 hrs, spread some sand+cement mixture at base to prevent water leakage and reduce cost. Ideal plan is create water tank just like saverafarms] .
Checking feasibility of driptech.com irrigation .
Roadblocks:
Due to deficient rain irrigation department is not giving permission of retrieving Dam water from river bed.
Since no water permission EB department not giving electricity connection .
So once above mentioned water tank is ready get water by hook or crook and try to irrigate medicinal plant for 6 months (Average returns of 15 to 20k / acre in 6 months).
Good info and I am sure it was a great experience.
I am harvesting my maize crop as we speak, which is my first too. I think the biggest revenue from the first crop is experience, confidence to go ahead and as you say, recognition as a serious player.
Hi?
This is what first hand experience, wishing both of you a great happy ahead in your agriculture field.
Actually members should come up with such first hand experiments and experiences than copying from websites and pasting here.
Chandra and ppb, please do some remarkable development from the first earning from your farm produce to remember it not only for you, but next two the generations of you about your achievement. Let it be motivation for your next generations.
If we meet, I will gift you any plant which can tell the history even after two three centuries.
All the best.
Hi Swamyji and Chandra thanks for your encouragement .
I will share some more info on how I am going to get ready for planting fruits during May/June 2013 .
Swamyji,
probably I will try to spend this amount on developing a gulley dam/pond in farm which should solve water problem forever .
I would like to get rudraksha tree from you . I do remember you got one from your Nepali friends .
Chandra,
It will be great if you could put a little writeup on maize cultivation - sowing to harvest. I am planning to do a little bit of maize as well for fodder…
ppb,
Thanks for putting forth a frank analysis. Do not get discouraged…It will take some time for you to understand your soil, cliamte, marketing techniques and the business in overall…so just keep doing what you are doing…
Hi Saverafarms,
thanks for your encouraging words.
Our farm is in northern maharashtra region which is banana capital of India and I work at chennai.
Definitely we are not discouraged . We have soil and water testing detailed reports at hand.
Along with soybean we have planted little groundnut it gave a very good yield .
Land is extremely good for oil seeds and fruits .
Due to extreme water scarcity we have decided to hold any plantation till June 12 .
Initially we have thought of arranging a diesel water pump + huge water tank to store water enough for 2-3 months, and pump river water(without proper permission). But it was not possible to have all arrangements so quickly and without a tank there was risk no river water in couple of months.
Meanwhile we are trying to workout a small gulley dam at our farm (checking goverement schemes) and electricity .
Next plan is to have banana,pomgranate, lemon, sweet lime in each 2 acres and have groundnut as intercrop .
Meanwhile I am trying to find out a cheapest solution of solar fence where I will a single wire of steel to protect from wild animals.
Lot of things to do, so we will try to use next 6+ months for good planning and execution .
. I do remember you got one from your Nepali friends .