Saturday, April 9, 2016

Summer - 2016

Summer is hot and temperature is at 40 degree and no summer rain yet. Neighboring district Trichur received good rain and it is still raining from morning there. Open well is almost dried and pond used for irrigation is also in the same state.

Some views...




Earth worm castings...it is there throughout where cows does not graze...


Rice field with horse gram grown after paddy harvest...field is mulched with straw, but does not cover the whole field densily



Papayas stopped yielding...but still there are some fruits left


Only some water is left...5 families collect drinking water from this well.. Some small fishes are there and one king fisher is constantly behind them...



Termites are attacking healthy trees also..but no harm done..


Termites do a good job...


Banana circle...


Tapioca growing on Hugelkulture beds..they survive without any water...



Effect of summer heat..some plants just fall down



Termites



Hugel beds opened up during tapioca harvesting...







It is mango season...





Some more banana circles....




Water does not reach here, no grass seen







4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Nandan,

Going off topic warning...

Knowing you, you've already read it! Nevertheless, for me, the following article has been a revelation:

http://www.downtoearth.org.in/coverage/lost-in-plantation-48443

Endosulfan back in Kerala + all the other things that the article raises? May God help us all against the wickedness of our fellow human beings.

Zakir

Nandakumar said...

Hi Zakir,

Thanks for sending this article link, never saw this. As article points out, Kerala (for that matter, any place) need diverse crops, which should include cash and food crops. All marginal farmers should cultivate all foods required for them, and big farmers should be encouraged to cultivate diverse crops.

When price of rubber shot up earlier, lot of area is converted to rubber plantations and some areas has got threat of some bugs which makes their life difficult. They come in thousands at night and cooking/eating food becomes difficult. People should be given more environmental education.

Countries should focus on Gross National Happiness rather than on GDP, and politicians should be educated on this first...

Thanks Zakir....

Regards,
Nandan

Ravi said...

Dear Nandan

Snaps are really good, Every thing looks so natural, How do plants manage long dry season. Looks like you don't have any drip for young plants.

Regards
Ravinder

Nandakumar said...

Dear Ravinder,

Thanks.. We use flooding irrigation, but this time summer is too hot and well is drying up. Lot of young trees are dying...desperately looks for rain.

I don't have drip lines, so far flood irrigation was doing good,but on this summer, it became difficult.

Planning to take some trenches for rain water saving...

Regards,
Nandan