Chettiadi Rice Cultivation - 2017

This year brought one more area into rice cultivation, this area was left fallow since I bought the farm. Cows used to graze and tilling this area with tractor was not possible, this year got a tiller and also fenced it partially and trying a traditional variety called 'Chettadi' which is a 6 months duration crop. This area has enough water till January which rice loves.

One part was seeded with seed balls, germination is good in this part also.

29-June-2017

27-July-2017

So far growth is fine, except in some area, where water was not reaching. There is a small channel flowing on the boundary just allowed to pass water through this field, but since the field was not levelled properly in some area water didn't reach.

26-Aug-2017

Time to cut it, some haven't reached good height, but one area where it gets good water grows well.

13-Sept-2017

As it was getting taller, cut it as per the usual practice. I employed a worker, she did one portion and I did it using Scythe, it was OK, but collecting the cut portion and keeping it near the bunds is a hardwork, worked for a half day, but exhausted.

23-Sept-2017

Today cut the remaining area using the scythe, growth was very fast in already cut places.  The paddy plants are quite strong with deep roots, so even if it gets pulled during cutting it just stays there. Also stamping to some extend does not affect them, and cutting very close to the ground also looks quite fine. In lot of places, it clearly outgrow grass, it looks like grass is in receding stage, typically they grow for 3-4 months and 8 month duration crop has advantage over here. Definitely this variety is a candidate for natural farming.

Rains have receded and there is no standing water in the field, the channel is directed towards other paddy fields for next crop. If there is a water shortage, the crop may fail, have to wait and see.

Very good growth in these areas...there is always water here.. 

In this area, there is less water..

This is regrowth after cutting, top portions of the leaves have the cut mark, they just elongate from the cut side.

 Regrowth after cutting, the grass which also was cut, was outgrown by paddy.

Newly cut area...

25-Sept-2017

Re-growth is quite quick, this is 2 nd after cutting, shoot might be around 6-7cms.

8-October-2017

After cutting growth is good..But there is water shortage...

4-November-2017

Water is not reaching this area, levelling problem, so weeds have come up

Very healthy plants....amazing

Some started falling....

By December, field went very dry so the crop is lost. Trying a 6 month variety in this field was too ambitious, planning to try a 4 month traditional variety next time, but again if they have to be watered from well, it may not survive, since I don't have provision for it right now.