Do I have enough commitment ?

Jumping into a full time farming by renting or buying a piece of land after 10 years from now seems like a solid plan. To accomplish that, I need to start preparing, be it the change in lifestyle, financial planning or learning how to farm. All of it are new to me, never tasted them! The desire to start farming is greater but the necessary preparations do not seem to have started yet. It looks like I need a great deal of commitment and a change in mindset.

I have to see if I can spend sometime often learning or doing something towards the idea. I can start with growing some vegetables on the terrace. I can experiment and see what goes well and what doesn't. I have already failed in looking after those 2 tomato plants on the terrace. The plants grew well, I missed to water them for about a week, the plants dried and the fruits were infected. The green chili and the bird eye chili plants are holding good so far. I have just found a way to water them by using a water bottle with a small hole, which acts as a dripping system. Need to see if it works out as a watering mechanism.

Today, I went around looking for used paint buckets, seeds, potting mixture and fertilizers. Manasa and I visited the plant nursery near our house, Varsha enterprises and an old paper mart looking for things. I was pointed to Herbs to Home for the seeds. Need to check it out next week.

Traditional Farming Experience with Chinappa

16th Nov 2019

I reached the farm on my bicycle. Phani had reached early and was conversing with Chinnappa. We took some fruits along with us to give it to his wife who had come back from the hospital. We continued to dig around the Rose saplings while Chinnappa added fertilizers (something named 15-15-15, which would enhance the growth).

We wanted to ask Chinnappa if we can plant some different species of Tomatoes (cherry tomatoes) to just experiment and learn but we held ourselves back thinking that it is too early to ask him anything.

•  A Tomato plant would give about 5-6kg of fruits in its life time. Watering is based on the indication of the leaf. 
• The Rose sapling had to be pruned of the branch which do not give flowers.
• He gave me a big bunch of Nugge Soppu (Drum-Stick Leaves) and Togari Kai (Unriped Toor Dal) to take it back home.

The rose saplings had started giving flowers.
It is a delight to see that.

9th Nov 2019

My second visit to the farm and I was keenly waiting to find out what would be my assigned work for the day. My enthusiasm went a bit when I was asked to continue the digging from where I left last week but I was up for it. Digging was relatively easy since it had rained over the last couple of days and the soil was loose enough for the pickaxe to dig through. There is something to learn from repetitively doing something, I get to notice the smaller aspects which are important.

I was happy when Chinnappa told me that the raagi is ready to be harvested towards the end of the month and I was looking for a new experience of harvesting it. I cannot wait for that day. Chinnappa invited us for the harvesting and we readily said yes. Unlike his uncle who sold a part of his land and other farmers, who look for an alternate source of income from the farm land, Chinnappa wants to continue farming. He wants to cultivate some crops on the other vacant piece of land as soon as he could arrange for a water source. His hope, enthusiasm and energy are so encouraging for anyone.

His wife was in the hospital to get treatment for kidney stones. He doesn't seemed to be worried too much and I guess he has been through such difficult times. I do not carry that positive attitude during such instances. There are life lessons I need to learn from him.

Phani spoke his interest to rent a small piece of land and try farming on our own. He articulated what I had in my mind. We agreed that the idea is doable and we were also convinced that both of us would make good partners. I shared some of my ideas, learning and thoughts which I had around farming. We finally agreed that we might need some more experience to even experiment. We also knew that our initial investments would not bear any profits and what we would grow might be just enough for us and in case of anything excess, we would give it away to friends and neighbors. The idea has been echoing in my head and seems like a more feasible option right now.

• Chinnappa had sowed Palak and another green vegetable seeds in the piece of land near the entrance.

Phani took a photo of mine while digging around the rose saplings

2nd Nov 2019

Visiting Vanashree had become very infrequent since Srikanth and Preeti were not going to the farm on consecutive weekends. My urge to visit the farm hadn't reduced and I had to find a way for the getaway. There are some unanswered questions and confusions, for which, visiting the farm was the only answer. However those questions and confusions are not clear yet. Working at the farm is the only action which gives me some confidence to clearly ask those questions and sort out my confusions.

Phani, my colleague at Stellapps, had found a farm in Vittasandra Village near Electronic city. Out of his own interest he was visiting the farm over the weekends and spending some time working there. I joined him to the farm and the owner Chinnappa welcomed me. The owner was open for visitors like me. I reached there by 8.30 AM and Phani had already reached. After a short introduction, we were given the pickaxes and were asked to dig the soil around the Rose saplings. The recent rains had eroded the top soil and the soil was not good enough to hold the water. The Rose saplings were the grafted button roses which are sold on the roadside. They were planted about 2 weeks ago. We ploughed around for 2 hours, 3 rows per person. We had all indications of sour muscles by the time we winded up our work. We spoke between ourselves while we worked there and exchanged many experiences. This was the kind of farming experience I was waiting for.

Chinnappa seems to be a traditional farmer. He farms with the knowledge he got through his fore-fathers and his experience. The farm land was very large considering that it is close to Electronic city. His experience around farming seems to be very elaborate and there is a lot to learn from him.

• He had tomatoes, beans, ragi, toor dal and rose plants in his farm. 
• He was tilling a piece of land which was filled with weeds due to the recent rains. The machine was stuck due to a metal wire winded up around the blades. He was on it to resolve the problem.
• His wife and 2 kids stay in a small home built within the farm.

I am very keen on going back to farm again in the coming weekends.