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Farm Design - Is it REALLY necessary?

In this blog, we will see when Farm Design makes sense and when it does not make sense. We will be using a very simple example for showcasing when Farm Design makes sense. When is Farm Design (Full Fledged) not necessary? The Farm Design (Full Fledged) will not be necessary if you go for a mono-crop for the entire farm and hence there is no design requirement (for crops) at all. When is Farm Design (Full Fledged) necessary? The Farm Design is necessary if you go for a diversified crop activity including livestocks etc. Lets take 2 Farms (hypothetical example) each having 10 acres and the crops grown are Teak, Mango, Coconut & Vegetables. Both the farms has 2.5 acres allocated to the individual crops. Please note that the author does not recommend monoculture design and has taken the example for the sake of simplicity. The 1st Farm has the following design and the crops placement in it are given below. First 2.5 Acres - Teak (followed by) Next 2.5 Acres - Mango (followed by) Next 2.5 Acres - Coconut (followed by) Next 2.5 Acres - Vegetables The 2nd Farm has the following design and the crops placement in it are given below. First 2.5 Acres - Vegetables (followed by) Next 2.5 Acres - Coconut (followed by) Next 2.5 Acres - Mango (followed by) Next 2.5 Acres - Teak We will discuss why the 2nd Farm has a better design than the 1st Farm? In the 1st Farm Design, the Crops Design is absurd.

Because, Teak is a long term crop and should have been placed at the tail end of the farm for the simple reason that we may not need to attend to it daily.

Similarly, Mango's harvest happens once in a year and we may not need to attend to it on a daily basis.

Coconut's harvest comes in every 45 days or so and hence we need to attend to it on a regular basis.

Vegetables harvest comes through the year starting from 15 days for greens and extending upto 2 years as well and hence we need to attend to it on a daily basis.

Calculate the amount of time wasted for getting to the Vegetable Crops every day if this design is implemented.

Calculate the amount of load that we have to carry from the Vegetable Crops to the farm entrance.

In the 2nd Farm Design, the Crops Design is somewhat perfect.

The Vegetables Crops are at the front and hence any activity is done quickly and it is accessible as it is very near to the entrance of the farm.

The Coconuts are harvested and transported quickly as the distance to cover is less.

Same goes for the Mangoes as well.

The Teak is harvested only after 15-20 years and hence only monitoring is done at regular intervals.

In Conclusion, if we choose the right Farm Design, it will benefit us in the long run and also save us time and money.

#Farm Design

Farm Design - An Overview

In this blog, we will try to understand the basic requirements of the Farm Design and how to approach the detailed design using the basic requirements. Keeping it very simple, we need to understand the basic requirements of the Farm in the first place and jot them down. Please note that it is not required that each and every basic requirements needs to be made available immediately. What we are trying to achieve is to provide the spacing in terms of land parcel and the placing of the requirement in the right place in the farm keeping in mind our overall design. Please note that all the requirements mentioned below may or may not be required for each and every farm except for the Crops.

Crops

Fences

Roads

LiveStock

Living Quarters

Once we have decided on the basic requirements, we can create a detailed design using the basic information as the basis. The following detailed questionnaire will help us to finetune the detailed design.

What type of Fencing is required for our farm?

How much space needs to be allocated for Fencing?

What model are we going to follow in creating the Fences?

What type of crops will be grown? (Short Term, Medium Term, Long Term)

How many crops will be grown?

Where the Crops will be placed in the farm?

Whether the Crops spacing will follow Generic Spacing or Specific Spacing?

Whether the Crops will be planted Mono Planting or Poly Planting?

How many Roads are required?

Where the Roads will be constructed?

How much space for Roads need to be allocated?

Are we planning to have LiveStock? If Yes, how much space needs to be allocated to them? (Cattle, Poultry etc)

Where the LiveStock shed need to be constructed in the farm?

Are we planning to have Ponds? If Yes, how much space needs to be allocated to them?

Where the Pond needs to be constructed in the farm?

Are we planning to have Living Quarters? If Yes, how much space needs to be allocated to them? (Owner Quarters, Labour Quarters, Storage & Drying Quarters, Eco Tourism Quarters etc)

Where the Living Quarters shed need to be constructed in the farm?

#Basic Design #Farm Design #Detailed Design

Manures - Ghana Jeevamrutha

In this blog, we are going to see Ghana Jeevamrutha popularised by Subhash Palekar. Required Ingredients

S.No.Ingredient NameQty in Litres/Kgs 1 Cow Dung 100 Kgs 2 Jaggery 2 Kgs 3 Flour of any Pulse 2 Kgs 4 Soil from same land 1 Handful 5 Cow's Urine As required

Note:

If Jaggery is not available, use Palm Jaggery.

If Jaggery or Palm Jaggery is not available, add 4 Litres of ripened Tender Coconut.

Use Greengram or Blackgram or CowPea flour.

Living Soil should be used.

Method of Preparation

Mix the first 4 ingredients well and keep adding Cow's urine as required to get a good solid form.

Spread the solid form in a shaded place during the day and allow it to dry well.

Method of Storage

The manure should be kept in the shade.

How long can we store the Manure?

The manure can be stored for longer periods.

How to use the Manure?

The solid manure need to be made into a powdery form before mixing it with FYM.

Apply the manure in the ratio of 100 Kgs of FYM & 10 Kgs of Ghana Jeevamrutha.

When to use the Manure?

The manure can be used frequently.

#Ghana Jeevamrutha #Manures #Jeevamrutha

Manures - Jeevamrutha

In this blog, we are going to see Jeevamrutha popularised by Subhash Palekar. The data provided below is for ONE acre only. Required Ingredients

S.No.Ingredient NameQty in Litres/Kgs 1 Water 200 Litres 2 Fresh Cow Dung 10 Kgs 3 Cow's Urine 5-10 Litres 4 Jaggery 2 Kgs 5 Flour of any Pulse 2 Kgs 6 Soil from same land 1 Handful

Note:

If Jaggery is not available, use Palm Jaggery.

If Jaggery or Palm Jaggery is not available, add 4 Litres of ripened Tender Coconut.

Use Greengram or Blackgram or CowPea flour.

Living Soil should be used.

Please note that the stick (neem stick is better or any pole) used for mixing the ingredients should be cleaned before & after the usage so as to avoid maggots formations in the manure.

Method of Preparation

Mix all of them and keep them in a shaded place for 48 hours.

Method of Storage

The manure should be kept in the shade and covered with a wire mesh or plastic mosquito net to prevent houseflies from laying eggs and the formation of maggots (worms) in the solution. This is applicable during the preparation as well as during the shelf life of the manure as well.

How long can we store the Manure?

The manure can be stored for only 1 week due to unbearable overpowering stench.

How to use the Manure?

The manure can be mixed with irrigation water.

The manure can also be used with Drip Irrigation.

Also, can spray 10% filtered manure on the crops.

When to use the Manure?

The manure should be mixed thoroughly twice daily (in the morning & evening) for 2 days before usage

The manure should be applied when the land is wet for the plants.

Generally, it is accepted that every 15 days the manure can be applied.

For even better results, the manure can also be used thrice in a month.

#Manures #Jeevamrutha

Vegetables Crops - A Data Oriented Complete Guide - WorkInProgress

The first table (Parameters Template) will contain the parameters filter while the second table (Detailed Template) will contain more details about the crop. Note: Request readers to help update the parameters of the crops and let me know of any other parameters. Parameters Template

S.No. Common Name ST / MT / LT (age) SSH / MSH SH / MH SC (%)1AmaranthWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP52Annual MoringaWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP53Ash GourdWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP54AsparagusWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP55BabycornWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP56BasellaWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP57BeetrootWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP58Bellary OnionWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP59BhendiWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP510Bitter GourdWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP511Bottle GourdWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP512Bread FruitWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP513BrinjalWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP514BroadbeansWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP515Brussels SproutWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP516Butter BeanWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP517CabbageWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP518CarrotWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP519CauliflowerWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP520CeleryWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP521Ceylon SpinachWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP522Chakravathi KeeraiWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP523ChekurmanisWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP524ChilliesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP525Chinese CabbageWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP526Chow ChowWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP527Cluster BeansWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP528CocciniaWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP529ColeusWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP530ColocasiaWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP531CucumberWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP532Curry LeafWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP533DioscoreaWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP534Elephant Foot YamWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP535French BeanWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP536GherkinWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP537Knol-kholWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP538Lab labWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP539LettuceWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP540MintWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP541OnionWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP542PalakWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP543PaprikaWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP544PeasWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP545PotatoWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP546PumpkinWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP547RadishWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP548RhubarbWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP549Ribbed GourdWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP550Small OnionWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP551Snake GourdWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP552Sweet PotatoWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP553TapiocaWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP554TindaWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP555TomatoWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP556TurnipWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP557Vegetable CowpeaWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP558WatermelonWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP559Winged BeanWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5

Notes:

ST/MT/LT (age) stands for Short Term Crops(ST), Medium Term Crops(MT), Long Term Crops(LT), (age) stands for the economical lifetime of the crops

SSH/MSH stands for Single Season Harvest Crops(SSH), Multiple Season Harvest Crops (MSH)

SH/MH stands for Single Harvest(SH), Multiple Harvest(MH)

SC (%) stands for Shade Crops. This will help us to grow shade crops once the main crops are grown. (%) stands for percentage of shade required

Anything that starts with WIP* means Work In Progress. The same will be updated in a future date once the information is available

Detailed Template

S.No. Common Name Tamil Name Botanical Name Family Name Soil Type Spacing(R X C) (Ft/Mtrs) Crops Per Sq Ft Water Per Crop(Ltrs) Avg Yield/Crop(Nos/Kgs/Tonnes) Last Market Rate (Rs) Gestation Period (Yrs) Crop Longevity (Yrs) 1 Amaranth WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 2 Annual Moringa WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 3 Ash Gourd WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 4 Asparagus WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 5 Babycorn WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 6 Basella WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 7 Beetroot WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 8 Bellary Onion WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 9 Bhendi WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 10 Bitter Gourd WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 11 Bottle Gourd WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 12 Bread Fruit WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 13 Brinjal WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 14 Broadbeans WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 15 Brussels Sprout WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 16 Butter Bean WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 17 Cabbage WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 18 Carrot WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 19 Cauliflower WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 20 Celery WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 21 Ceylon Spinach WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 22 Chakravathi Keerai WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 23 Chekurmanis WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 24 Chillies WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 25 Chinese Cabbage WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 26 Chow Chow WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 27 Cluster Beans WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 28 Coccinia WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 29 Coleus WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 30 Colocasia WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 31 Cucumber WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 32 Curry Leaf WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 33 Dioscorea WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 34 Elephant Foot Yam WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 35 French Bean WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 36 Gherkin WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 37 Knol-khol WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 38 Lab lab WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 39 Lettuce WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 40 Mint WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 41 Onion WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 42 Palak WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 43 Paprika WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 44 Peas WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 45 Potato WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 46 Pumpkin WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 47 Radish WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 48 Rhubarb WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 49 Ribbed Gourd WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 50 Small Onion WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 51 Snake Gourd WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 52 Sweet Potato WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 53 Tapioca WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 54 Tinda WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 55 Tomato WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 56 Turnip WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 57 Vegetable Cowpea WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 58 Watermelon WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 59 Winged Bean WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11

Notes:

Soil Types are

Red Loam

Laterite Soil

Black Soil

Sandy Coastal Alluviam

Red Sandy Soil

Note: Please note that the Soil Types provided here are specific to Tamilnadu, India. If anybody feel I have missed out anything here, please respond with details.

Spacing provided here is for the normally accepted standard spacing only

Water Per Crop is the accepted water requirements. The template may be modified to accomodate water requirements for each year as well in future

Avg Yield Per Crop can be in Numbers, Kgs/Tonnes. This can be expanded to accomodate Avg Yld Per Crop based on the age of the crop as well in future

Last Market Rate is the price that the market has given to the crop

Anything that starts with WIP* means Work In Progress. The same will be updated in a future date once the information is available

Water Irrigation Methods

In this blog, we will cover the water irrigation methods generally followed in and around the country. Only the important methods are covered here.

Flood Irrigation

This is the traditional method that is being used even today in most parts of our country

This is the cheapest method in terms of cost and maintenance is very less

The water loss is very high in this method

This method is suitable for Paddy, Wheat etc

Furrow Irrigation

This is another traditional method that is being used even today

This method is cheaper as well as easy to maintain

The water loss is somewhat average in this method

This method is suited for row crops or tree crops

This method is suitable for Coconut, Mango, Sugarcane, Vegetables etc

Pot Irrigation

This method is generally used in areas where the waterfall is very less and hence recommended for dryland agriculture

This involves filling up the pot every week or so and hence is a tedious work

No or minimal water loss due to evaporation / heat

Cost is negligible

This method is suitable for Tree based crops

Drip Irrigation

This is the newly introduced method mainly for the purpose of reducing/saving the water to a greater extent

This method needs infrastructure and materials (like pvc pipes etc) and hence the cost is higher

This method requires maintenance at regular intervals and there is a nominal cost associated with it

This method requires power for the water to be pumped across

Very less water loss due to evaporation

This method is suitable for Tree based crops as well as for Vegetables

Sprinkler Irrigation

This is also newly introduced method and is a better alternative than flood irrigation for certain crops

This method needs infrastructure and materials (like pvc pipes etc) and hence the cost is higher but less than that of Drip Irrigation

Little more of water loss is associated with this method

This method requires power for the water to be pumped across

This method is generally used for Vegetable based crops or even can be used for growing crops like Maize, Grasses etc where the requirement of water is minimal

RainGun Irrigation - This method is similar to Sprinkler Irrigation except the coverage and reach of the water

#Irrigation #Furrow #Drip #RainGun #Flood #Sprinkler #Pot

Internal Water Sources - An Analysis

In our last blog, we have covered the difference between Internal Water Sources and External Water Sources. In this blog, we will do a deeper analysis and understand the different Internal Water Sources and their advantages and disavantages. Borewells

AdvantagesDisadvantages 1. Occupies very less space 2. Digging of borewell is quite fast 3. No evaporation of water at all 1. Need power for lifting water 2. Identifying the water point is not fool proof 3. How much water available cannot be established?

Open Wells

AdvantagesDisadvantages 1. Occupies a little more space 2. Takes more time to dig an Open Well 3. Can measure the amount of water available and plan crops accordingly 4. Can be utilized to store water harvested 5. Recharge of groundwater happens automatically 6. Water can also be lifted by mechanical power 1. Need power for lifting water 2. Little bit of evaporation takes place 3. Mosquito menace can be a problem for humans and livestock

Calculating Water Holding Capacity of an Open Well Volume of Pond in Litres = 3.142 X Diameter/2 X Diameter/2 X Average Depth X 1000 For eg., a pond with 2.5 metres diameter and 5 metres avg depth will have 3.142 X 2.5/2 X 2.5/2 X depth X 1000 = 24547 Litres Ponds

Allocate 10% of the farmland for ponds if you wish to utilize the pond for growing fish and have only 3 to 5 feet of water for better maintenance

Allocate atleast 1% of the farmland for ponds if you need just water and increase the depth of the pond according to your needs

Confirm whether the water will be held in the pond without too much seeping

Identify the lowest point of the farm where the water rushes to during rain and create the pond there for easy collection of water and better maintenance

AdvantagesDisadvantages 1. Occupies a huge space 2. Takes a little more time to do construction of the pond 3. Can measure the amount of water available and plan crops accordingly 4. Can utilize the pond for growing fish, ducks etc 5. Can be utilized to store water harvested 6. Recharge of groundwater happens automatically 7. Water can also be lifted by mechanical power 1. Need power for lifting water 2. More evaporation takes place 3. Filling of pond takes time 4. Mosquito menace can be a problem for humans and livestock

Calculating Water Holding Capacity of a Pond Square or Rectangular Pond Volume of Pond in Litres = Length (in metres) x Width (in metres) x Average Depth (in metres) x 1000 For eg., a pond with 25 metres length and 10 metres width and 5 metres depth will have 25 m (Length) X 15 m (Width) X 5 m (Avg Depth) X 1000 = 1875000 Litres Round Pond Volume of Pond in Litres = 3.142 X Diameter/2 X Diameter/2 X Average Depth X 1000 For eg., a pond with 2.5 metres diameter and 5 metres avg depth will have 3.142 X 2.5/2 X 2.5/2 X depth X 1000 = 24547 Litres

#Open Wells #Water Capacity #Bore Wells #Ponds

Water Sources

We all know Water is a very important requirement for farming activities. In this blog, we will understand the various sources from where we can get the water for our crops. We can classify the Water Sources into two as below.

Internal Water Source

External Water Source

Internal Water Source Internal Water Sources are those that are available within our farms. We have some limited control on these water sources. Generally, the Internal Water Sources are created by us and some of them are given below.

Borewells

Open Wells

Ponds

I mentioned limited control in the previous paragraph, just to highlight the point, that the water in these sources can become dry if other farms in the area exploit the underground water indiscriminately by using borewells. External Water Source Any water source that is outside of our farm are considered External Water Source. We have literally no control on these water sources. Some examples of External Water Sources are

Common Wells / Ponds

Streams

Springs

Canals

Lakes

Rivers

If External Water Source need to be utilized, we may have to get permission from the concerned authorities. External Water Sources need to be used co-operatively and any naturally occuring water source is the best option as these will replenish by themselves.

#Borewells #Internal Water Sources #Water Soures #External Water Sources #Openwells #Water #Ponds #Tubewells

Manures - Panchakavya Plus

In this blog, we will see the extension of Panchakavya namely Panchakavya Plus or Panchagavya Plus. Required Ingredients

S.No.Ingredient NameQty in Litres/Kgs/Nos 1 Fresh Cow Dung 5 Kgs 2 Cow's Urine 3 Litres 3 Cow's Milk 2 Litres 4 Cow's Curd 2 Litres 5 Cow's Ghee 0.5 Kg 6 Sugarcane Juice 3 Litres 7 Tender Coconut Water 3 Litres 8 Banana (Ripe) 12 Nos 9 Toddy (or) Grape Juice 3 Litres

Note:

If Sugarcane Juice is not available, add 500 grams of Jaggery dissolved in 3 litres of water.

If Toddy is not available, add 100 grams of Yeast powder and 100 grams of Jaggery to 2 litres of warm water and add this solution to the manure after 30 minutes.

If Toddy is not available, take 2 litres of Tender Coconut Water and keep it in a closed plastic container for 10 days and this becomes toddy.

Where possible, Poovanan Banana should be used.

Method of Preparation

Non-Metallic Container should be used for preparing the manure.

The fresh cow dung and cow’s ghee has to be placed in the container and they need to be mixed thoroughly twice daily (in the morning & evening) for 3 days.

On the fourth day, add the rest of the ingredients and stir it twice daily (in the morning & evening) for 15 days.

Note:

The manure will be ready after the 18th day.

Please note that the stick (neem stick is better or any pole) used for mixing the ingredients should be cleaned before & after the usage so as to avoid maggots formations in the manure.

Method of Storage

The manure should be mixed thoroughly twice daily (in the morning & evening).

How long can we store the Manure?

The manure can be stored for 6 months time.

How to use the Manure?

Spray System - Three litres of manure to every 100 litres of water is ideal for all crops. The power sprayer of 10 litres capacity may need 300ml of manure per tank. After dilution the manure solution has to be filtered before using it for spraying.

Flow System - The solution of manure can be mixed with irrigation water at 20 litres/acre, either through drip irrigation or flow irrigation.

When to use the Manure?

Generally, it is accepted that every 15 days, 2 sprays need to be used.

During the Flowering and Pod setting stage, 2 sprays need to be used once in 10 days.

During the Flowering/Pod maturation stage, it need to be used once only.

#Organic Manure #Panchagavya Plus #Manures #Panchakavya Plus

Manures - Panchakavya

From this blog onwards, we will be covering all the manures which are part of Organic Farming. As a first step, we will fix the format for the users of this blog. You will see the same format being repeated for every manure that we are going to cover from this point onwards. Anything that has not been filled under the topic, means the data is not available currently and will be filled in once the data is available. The term manure will be used generically and it will refer to the manure in the topic unless explicitly mentioned . In this blog, we are going to see a very important manure namely Panchakavya or Panchagavya. Required Ingredients

S.No. Ingredient Name Qty in Litres/Kgs 1 Fresh Cow Dung 5 Kgs 2 Cow's Urine 3 Litres 3 Cow's Milk 2 Litres 4 Cow's Curd 2 Litres 5 Cow's Ghee 0.5 Kg

Method of Preparation

Non-Metallic Container should be used for preparing the manure.

The fresh cow dung and cow’s ghee has to be placed in the container and they need to be mixed thoroughly twice daily (in the morning & evening) for 3 days.

On the fourth day, add the rest of the ingredients and stir it twice daily (in the morning & evening) for 15 days.

Note:

The manure will be ready after the 18th day.

Please note that the stick (neem stick is better or any pole) used for mixing the ingredients should be cleaned before & after the usage so as to avoid maggots formations in the manure.

Method of Storage

The manure should be mixed thoroughly twice daily (in the morning & evening).

How long can we store the Manure?

The manure can be stored for 6 months time.

How to use the Manure?

Flow System - The solution of manure can be mixed with irrigation water at 20 litres/acre, either through drip irrigation or flow irrigation.

When to use the Manure?

Generally, it is accepted that every 15 days, 2 sprays need to be used.

During the Flowering and Pod setting stage, 2 sprays need to be used once in 10 days.

During the Flowering/Pod maturation stage, it need to be used once only.

#Organic Manure #Panchagavya #Manures #Panchakavya

Tamil Nadu: New red kernel groundnut variety developed

The Oilseeds Research Station, Eraiyanur near Tindivanam, under the Tamil Nadu Agriculture University, Coimbatore has released a new red kernel variety called TMV (Gn) 13 recently.

In Tamil Nadu the red coloured peanuts are found to be popular among farmers of Pollachi and Thiruvannamalai districts.

Two types

These red coloured kernels are found in both bunchy and spreading types. The bunchy types are shorter in duration (100-105 days) while the spreading ones last more than 125 days.

The red coloured variety is preferred by oil mills owing to higher oil (content) recovery. The oil is quite bitter in taste and may not be favourable for direct use in cooking.

The seeds are round with a thin, papery seed coat. The pods are 1-2 seeded types unlike another earlier one called VRI 2 which is three seeded type.

This variety mostly posseses well developed root systems which are harder than most other groundnut varieties and capable of thriving even under limited water supply. It is ideal for sowing during December-January of at a spacing of 30 x10 cm using machines or manually either at random or at row spacing. The fertilizer recommended under irrigated condition is 25:50:75 kg NPK per hectare. The seed rate may range from 110-120 kg per ha.

Measures

It is essential to keep the crop weed free up to 60 days after sowing as the maximum damage is caused during this period.

Removal of weeds manually after 45 days up to 60 days without disturbing the soil results in higher yield.

Normally herbicide application of one kg Pendimethalin on third day per hectare after sowing prevents early weed competition and one hand weeding on 20th and one at 40th day after sowing is advised.

Adopting integrated pest management (IPM) and irrigation (10-12 irrigations) farmers can easily get more than 1,800 kgs per hectare.

(Dr. R. Vaidyanathan, Professor and Head, Oilseeds Research Station, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University,Tindivanam – 604 002, Email : prof vaidy@ yahoo.co.in, Phone : 04147 – 250293, Mobile : 9442472103.)

#New Variety #Tamil Nadu #Peanut

Parameters For Crops - A Data Oriented Complete Guide - Work in Progres

We have introduced many parameters (criteria or filter) in the previous blogs. Some of the parameters were introduced as the very basis for selecting the crops while some of them were introduced as information. While some of the parameters many not be even covered by the blog, but may be important as well. To consolidate the information covered and to provide the parameters as a data, I have compiled this template as a starting point for farmers to filter the crops based on their needs. Note: Request readers to help update the parameters of the crops and let me know of any other parameters.

S.No. Common Name Category ST / MT / LT (age) SSH / MSH SH / MH SC (%)1RiceCerealsST (60-180 days)SSHSHN2WheatCerealsST (120-150 days)SSHSHN3CumbuMilletsST (105-140 days)SSHSHN4MaizeMilletsST (120-160 days)SSHSHN5PanivaraguMilletsST (105-140 days)SSHSHN6RagiMilletsST (105-140 days)SSHSHN7SamaiMilletsST (105-140 days)SSHSHN8SorghumMilletsST (120-130 days)SSHSHN9TenaiMilletsSTSSHSHN10VaraguMilletsSTSSHSHN11BengalgramPulsesSTSSHSHN12BlackgramPulsesSTSSHSHN13CowpeaPulsesSTSSHSHN14Garden lablabPulsesSTSSHSHN15GreengramPulsesSTSSHSHN16HorsegramPulsesSTSSHSHN17RedgramPulsesSTSSHSHN18SoybeanPulsesST (135-150 days)SSHSHN19CastorOilseedsSTWIP3WIP4N20CoconutOilseedsLTMSHMHN21GingellyOilseedsSTWIP3WIP4WIP522GroundnutOilseedsST (130-140 days)SSHSHN23NigerOilseedsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP524OilpalmOilseedsLTMSHMHN25SafflowerOilseedsSTWIP3WIP4WIP526SunflowerOilseedsST (125-130 days)SSHSHN27AgaveFibreWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP528CottonFibreST (180-195 days)WIP3WIP4N29JuteFibreWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP530SugarcaneSugarST (270-365 days)SSHSHN31Sweet SorghumSugarWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP532SugarbeetSugarST (160-230 days)WIP3WIP4WIP533Cumbu NapierForagesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP534Fodder CholamForagesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP535Fodder CowpeaForagesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP536Fodder CumbuForagesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP537Fodder MaizeForagesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP538Guinea GrassForagesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP539Kolukattai PulluForagesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP540Kudirai MasalForagesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP541Muyal MasalForagesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP542SoundalForagesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP543SubabulForagesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP544AcidlimeFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP545AmlaFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP546AnnonaFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP547AppleFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP548ApricotFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP549AvocadoFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP550BananaFruitsST (300-365 days)SSHSHN51BerFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP552BilimbiFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP553Bread FruitFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP554CarambolaFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP555DurianFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP556Egg FruitFruitsST (130-140 days)WIP3WIP4WIP557FigFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP558GrapesFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP559GuavaFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP560JackFruitsLTMSHMHN61KarondaFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP562KiwiFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP563LemonFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP564LitchiFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP565LoquatFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP566Mandarin OrangeFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP567MangoFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP568MangosteenFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP569MulberryFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP570PapayaFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP571Passion FruitFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP572PeachFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP573PearFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP574PersimmonFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP575PhalsaFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP576PineappleFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4Y77PlumFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP578PomegranateFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP579RambutanFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP580SapotaFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP581StrawberryFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP582Sweet OrangeFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP583West Indian CherryFruitsWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP584AmaranthVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP585Annual MoringaVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP586Ash GourdVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP587AsparagusVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP588BabycornVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP589BasellaVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP590BeetrootVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP591Bellary OnionVegetablesST (130-175 days)SSHSHN92BhendiVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP593Bitter GourdVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP594Bottle GourdVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP595Bread FruitVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP596BrinjalVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP597BroadbeansVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP598Brussels SproutVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP599Butter BeanVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5100CabbageVegetablesST (120-140 days)WIP3WIP4WIP5101CarrotVegetablesST (100-150 days)WIP3WIP4WIP5102CauliflowerVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5103CeleryVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5104Ceylon SpinachVegetablesST (60-100 days)WIP3WIP4WIP5105Chakravathi KeeraiVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5106ChekurmanisVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5107ChilliesVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5108Chinese CabbageVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5109Chow ChowVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5110Cluster BeansVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5111CocciniaVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5112ColeusVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5113ColocasiaVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5114CucumberVegetablesST (105-130 days)WIP3WIP4WIP5115Curry LeafVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5116DioscoreaVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5117Elephant Foot YamVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5118French BeanVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5119GherkinVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5120Knol-kholVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5121Lab labVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5122LettuceVegetablesST (75-140 days)WIP3WIP4WIP5123MintVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5124OnionVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5125PalakVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5126PaprikaVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5127PeasVegetablesST (90-100 days)WIP3WIP4WIP5128PotatoVegetablesST (105-145 days)WIP3WIP4WIP5129PumpkinVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5130RadishVegetablesST (35-45 days)WIP3WIP4WIP5131RhubarbVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5132Ribbed GourdVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5133Small OnionVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5134Snake GourdVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5135Sweet PotatoVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5136TapiocaVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5137TindaVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5138TomatoVegetablesST (90-150 days)SSHMHN139TurnipVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5140Vegetable CowpeaVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5141WatermelonVegetablesST (80-110 days)SSHSHN142Winged BeanVegetablesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5143AllspiceSpicesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5144CardamomSpicesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5145CinnamonSpicesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5146CloveSpicesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5147CorianderSpicesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5148FennelSpicesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5149FenugreekSpicesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5150GarlicSpicesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5151GingerSpicesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5152MustardSpicesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5153NutmegSpicesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5154PepperSpicesST (120-210 days)WIP3WIP4WIP5155TamarindSpicesLTMSHMHN156TurmericSpicesSTSSHSHN157ArecanutPlantationsLT (40-60 Yrs)MSHMHN158BetelvinePlantationsWIP2MSHMHWIP5159CashewnutPlantationsLTMSHMHN160CocoaPlantationsLTMSHMHY161CoconutPlantationsLT (60-90 YearsMSHMHN162CoffeePlantationsLT (50-70 Years)MSHMHY163OilpalmPlantationsLT (25 Years)MSHMHN164RubberPlantationsLT (32 Years)MSHMHN165TeaPlantationsLT (50 YearsMSHMHY

Notes:

ST/MT/LT (age) stands for Short Term Crops(ST), Medium Term Crops(MT), Long Term Crops(LT), (age) stands for the economical lifetime of the crops

SSH/MSH stands for Single Season Harvest Crops(SSH), Multiple Season Harvest Crops (MSH)

SH/MH stands for Single Harvest(SH), Multiple Harvest(MH)

SC (%) stands for Shade Crops. This will help us to grow shade crops once the main crops are grown. (%) stands for percentage of shade required

Anything that starts with WIP* means Work In Progress. The same will be updated in a future date once the information is available

I have NOT considered Food Crops v/s Cash Crops, Localized, Naturalized v/s Exotic Crops, Import v/s Export Crops, Shelf Life Crops etc

#Short Term #Medium Term #Spreadsheet #Parameters #Single Harvest #Multiple Season Harvest #Multiple Harvest #Long Term #Shade #Single Season Harvest #Template #Filter #Criteria

Choosing the Right Combination of Crops - Localized, Naturalized v/s Exotic Crops

We will see the difference between Localized, Naturalized & Exotic Crops and also will see how to make a little bit more money than the general crops. What is meant by Localized, Naturalized & Exotic Crops? Localized Crops - Any crop that grows in your area naturally and is also part of the local community for many centuries are considered Localized Crops For eg, Coconut, Mango, etc Naturalized Crops - Any crop that has been introduced into the local community and has been accepted by the local community are considered Naturalized Crops For eg, Glyricidia, Carrot, Beet Root, Palm Oil, Date Palm etc Exotic Crops - Any crop that is neither part of the local community nor has been naturalized so far but specifically grown for catering to a specific reason are considered Exotic Crops For eg, Lettuc, Braccoli etc Is it necessity to have Localized, Naturalized & Exotic Crops? Simply putting it, both Localized Crops and Naturalized Crops are better than Exotic Crops. The Naturalized Crops are those that have been able to grow in our environmental conditions and as well as accepted by the local community. Only those Exotic Crops that are adaptable to our environmental conditions should be grown and in future this may become a Naturalized Crop. Until that point of time, it is better to restrict ourselves to a small percentage of Exotic Crops. By growing Naturalized Crops & Exotic Crops, we are doing ourselves a favour and to the nation by reducing the import of those crops (like Date Palm, Oil Palm etc) and thereby saving outflow of precious foreign reserves. When & Who should go for Exotic Crops? Any farmer whose very survival is already taken care of by Localized & Naturalized Crops but would like to get additional (premium) income should opt for Exotic Crops. Generally, Exotic Crops are favoured only by a few segment of people and hence it is advisable that only those farmers who have a market for these crops should go fo it. The very purpose of going for Exotic Crops is to get extra premium income from your crops. For eg, if you live nearby metropolitan cities and if you are able to get contract from 5 star hotels for supplying exotic crops, you will get bumper profit. Another option is to supply exotic crops to those Bed & Breakfast type of motels/houses. In my above example, I have mentioned Lettuce & Broccoli specifically keeping in mind American & European visitors in mind. But you also should consider other exotic crops as there is a possibility of visitors from China, Japan and the Middle East may surpass other visitors in future. How much percentage of Exotic Crops is required? While the Localized Crops & Naturalized Crops should be your main crop and a large portion need to be allocated to it, the Exotic Crops (less than 5-10%) can be limited to very little of your total crops.

#Localized #Exotic Crops #Naturalized

Mechanised transplantation of paddy improves productivity

RAVIPRASAD KAMILA

The Hindu

GAMBLE PAYS OFF: Prabhakara Mayya of Nada village near Ujire in Belthangady taluk adopted mechanised cultivation and harvesting of paddy on his two-acre plot five years ago. Photo: Raviprasad Kamila

‘The yield increased to 20 quintals of paddy an acre’

With area under paddy cultivation shrinking in coastal belt for want of workers and with the price of rice soaring, the challenge before farmers is to increase productivity.

“Switching over to mechanised paddy planting will increase productivity,” says Prabhakara Mayya, a progressive farmer at Nada village, near Ujire in Dakshina Kannada.

Mr. Mayya says paddy saplings should not be planted in depth as the saplings did not have mother root. They should be just planted on the surface of the slush field for roots to spread. Under the manual method, workers planted them at six-inch depth. When the machine is used it plants the saplings just on the surface with ideal spacing for the plants to breathe and spread roots. As a result, the plants grow healthy and yield more.

Mr. Mayya’s family owned only two acres of paddy field. Yet it harvested 25 quintals of paddy from an acre in 2012 khariff by adopting mechanised planting.

He says the family switched over to mechanised planting, harvesting and processing of paddy five years ago. For the first time after adopting mechanised planting five years ago, the family produced 20 quintals of paddy an acre.By following the usual manual planting method, the family produced only 15 quintals of paddy an acre. Mr. Mayya says he tried SRI (system of rice intensification) method of planting under which the production of paddy reached 18 quintals an acre. Usually, a quintal of paddy yields 68 kg of rice, he says. Rice produced from the paddy cultivated on an acre of land under mechanised planting can take care of the needs of a 10-member family for one year. He says he did not purchase the machines, instead rented it from Agriculture Department.

The progressive farmer who is in his 40s now says increasing productivity had nothing to do with applying more fertilizers. Recalling his experience, he says after mechanised planting he required less quantity of fertilizers as the roots were on the surface. Mr. Mayya says he did allow the space on the bunds of paddy field to go waste. He planted 90 saplings of cowpea of YB 7 (yard long beans) variety on the bunds in August 2012. They started yielding after 40 days.

He harvested six quintals of cowpea from them in five months till December. It fetched him between Rs. 20 and Rs. 40 a kg in the market. It was an additional income, he says.

#Productivity Improvement #Mechanization #India #Paddy and Rice

Choosing the Right Combination of Crops - Food Crops v/s Cash Crops

We have already seen 3 filters so far and in my view those are the very important filters for choosing the right combination of crops. If that being the case, what is the new filter I am talking about? Please see the difference between the previous filter titles and the current title. In my previous titles, I have used "&" (a combination) and in this title, I have used "v/s" (exclusion). What is meant by Food Crops & Cash Crops? Food Crops - Generally, any crop that are consumed directly as food are considered Food Crops For eg, Vegetables, Mango, Coconut, Sapota, Cereals, Millets etc Cash Crops - Generally, any crop that are not consumed directly as food or any crop that is used as input and comes as output in some other form are considered Cash Crops For eg, Sugarcane, Tobacco, Cotton, Flowers, Oil Seeds, Rubber, Tea, Coffee, Coleus, Vettiver etc Is it necessity to have both Food Crops and Cash Crops? Simply putting it, the main necessity is to have Food Crops and it is better to avoid the Cash Crops. The main reason I have used "v/s" in the title is to re-inforce that it is not a combination but can be used sparingly. When & Who should go for Cash Crops? Any farmer whose very survival is already taken care of by Food Crops but would like to get additional (premium) income should opt for Cash Crops. Putting it in another way, if your expenses are not dependent on the income generated by the farm, you can go for Cash Crops to a large extent subjecting to the filters already mentioned. How much percentage of Food Crops and Cash Crops are required? While the Food Crops should be your main crop and a large portion need to be allocated to it, the Cash Crops can be limited to very little (less than 5%) of your total crops.

#Cash Crops #Food Crops

Fruit Crops - A Data Oriented Complete Guide - Work in Progress

I am creating a Fruit Crops Template wherein the very basic information is captured for the particular crop along with its varieties. This will allow the farmer to understand whether the crops is suitable to him and can focus his energies to deep dive on that particular crop. I am sure many of you will have questions related to this template and I would like to receive them so that the template can be refined for better use. I request the farming community to provide the data so that the other farmers can benefit from this information. Also, I am planning to include the Varieties Within a Crop rather than just the overview of the crop. Hence, while providing the data keep this in mind. Please note that the current template may be expanded and I have left out many criteria due to lack of space and information and may be incorporated at a later point of time. The first table (Parameters Template) will contain the parameters filter while the second table (Detailed Template) will contain more details about the crop. Note: Request readers to help update the parameters of the crops and let me know of any other parameters. Parameters Template

S.No.Common NameST / MT / LT (age)SSH / MSHSH / MHSC (%)1AmaranthWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP52Annual MoringaWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP53Ash GourdWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP54AsparagusWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP55BabycornWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP56BasellaWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP57BeetrootWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP58Bellary OnionWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP59BhendiWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP510Bitter GourdWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP511Bottle GourdWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP512Bread FruitWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP513BrinjalWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP514BroadbeansWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP515Brussels SproutWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP516Butter BeanWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP517CabbageWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP518CarrotWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP519CauliflowerWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP520CeleryWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP521Ceylon SpinachWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP522Chakravathi KeeraiWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP523ChekurmanisWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP524ChilliesWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP525Chinese CabbageWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP526Chow ChowWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP527Cluster BeansWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP528CocciniaWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP529ColeusWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP530ColocasiaWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP531CucumberWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP532Curry LeafWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP533DioscoreaWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP534Elephant Foot YamWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP535French BeanWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP536GherkinWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP537Knol-kholWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP538Lab labWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP539LettuceWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP540MintWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP541OnionWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP542PalakWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP543PaprikaWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP544PeasWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP545PotatoWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP546PumpkinWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP547RadishWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP548RhubarbWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP549Ribbed GourdWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP550Small OnionWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP551Snake GourdWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP552Sweet PotatoWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP553TapiocaWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP554TindaWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP555TomatoWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP556TurnipWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP557Vegetable CowpeaWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP558WatermelonWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP559Winged BeanWIP2WIP3WIP4WIP5

Notes:

ST/MT/LT (age) stands for Short Term Crops(ST), Medium Term Crops(MT), Long Term Crops(LT), (age) stands for the economical lifetime of the crops

SSH/MSH stands for Single Season Harvest Crops(SSH), Multiple Season Harvest Crops (MSH)

SH/MH stands for Single Harvest(SH), Multiple Harvest(MH)

SC (%) stands for Shade Crops. This will help us to grow shade crops once the main crops are grown. (%) stands for percentage of shade required

Anything that starts with WIP* means Work In Progress. The same will be updated in a future date once the information is available

Detailed Template

S.No. Common Name Tamil Name Botanical Name Family Name Soil Type Spacing(R X C) (Ft/Mtrs) Trees Per Acre Water Per Tree (Ltrs) Avg Yield/Tree (Nos/Kgs/Tonnes) Last Market Rate (Rs) Gestation Period (Yrs) Crop Longevity (Yrs) 1 Acidlime Sathukkudi Citrus aurantifolia Rutaceae WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 2 Amla WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 3 Annona WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 4 Apple WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 5 Apricot WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 6 Avocado WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 7 Banana WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 8 Ber WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 9 Bilimbi WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 10 Bread Fruit WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 11 Carambola WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 12 Durian WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 13 Egg Fruit WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 14 Fig WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 15 Grapes WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 16 Guava WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 17 Jack WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 18 Karonda WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 19 Kiwi WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 20 Lemon WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 21 Litchi WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 22 Loquat WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 23 Mandarin Orange WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 24 Mango WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 25 Mangosteen WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 26 Mulberry WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 27 Papaya WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 28 Passion Fruit WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 29 Peach WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 30 Pear WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 31 Persimmon WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 32 Phalsa WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 33 Pineapple WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 34 Plum WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 35 Pomegranate WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 36 Rambutan WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 37 Sapota WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 38 Strawberry WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 39 Sweet Orange WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11 40 West Indian Cherry WIP1 WIP2 WIP3 WIP4 WIP5 WIP6 WIP7 WIP8 WIP9 WIP10 WIP11

Notes:

Soil Types are

Red Loam

Laterite Soil

Black Soil

Sandy Coastal Alluviam

Red Sandy Soil

Note: Please note that the Soil Types provided here are specific to Tamilnadu. If anybody feel I have missed out anything here, please respond with details.

Spacing provided here is for the normally accepted standard spacing only and may not cover HD, UHD etc

Water Per Tree is the accepted water requirements. The template may be modified to accomodate water requirements for each year as well in future

Avg Yield Per Tree can be in Numbers (Coconuts, Jackfruit etc), Kgs/Tonnes (Mangoes, Sapota etc). This can be expanded to accomodate Avg Yld Per Tree based on the age of the crop as well in future

Last Market Rate is the price that the market has given to the crop

Anything that starts with WIP* means Work In Progress. The same will be updated in a future date once the information is available

#Data #Information #Fruit Crops #Template

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