Planting of few indigenous mango varieties from Nadan Mavukal facebook group

Collected some indigenous mango varieties from Sakhil Ravi and Dr. Regi George of Nadan Mavukal facebook group. These will be planted this year and their growth will be monitored.

Thrissurkkaran (തൃശ്ശൂർക്കാരൻ)

Avokkaran (അവോക്കാരൻ )

Mangalassery (മംഗലശ്ശേരി )

Perumbal (പെരുമ്പാൾ )

New Mundoor (ന്യൂ മുണ്ടൂർ )

30-June-2022

Finally planted some of them in the farm..

24-August-22

30-August-22

One more new shoot has come 

(Thrissurkkaran1)

(Avokkaran)

(Chuvanna Moovandan)

(Mangalassery)

(New Mundoor)

29-June-2022

Got few other mango varieties from Sakhil of Nadan mavukal group, this was completely free

From left - Rasakadali,Harrison,Rose moovandan,Kunjoos,Ebanaseer

Also bought 5 saplings of Kuttiattoor mango from Njattuvela chanda held at Olari temple ground,each costed 100/

12-August-2022

Chemban manimavu and Chandrasekharam

24-August-2022

Dukran (name written on leaf),Komanga (the tallest), Tholikaippan (in white cover) and Sarkar (last one from front) planted today.

Selling mango from a single Moovandan tree

Even though only few mango trees flowered this time, one moovandan mango tree have enough fruits. When fruits started falling, harvested few and used at home. Today harvested remaining ones. It was around 200Kgs, so where to sell was a big question. While my farm help, Palani was harvesting, I made few calls and some suggested, it should be brought in trays which I was not having. To collect trays first I have to go there and then it has to be packed in tray and again taken to the shop. 

Later I decided that, I will just take it in the car and will see what happens. I took it to a place called 'Kamrathchalla'. They confirmed mango is of good quality and matured enough and offered 25/ per kg which was less, so went to the next shop which had ample parking space. They also told it is good quality and offered 35/ per kg. This shop's name is P.K.Haneefa,Pallam,Muthalamada (it is on the way to Kambrathchalla). They graded it and good ones were 153 Kgs and 3nd quality was 30Kgs, totally earned 5955/ good money considering a single tree.

New scythe handle from Vikalp

My existing scythe handle was locally made, it was working nice, but after the snath saver had gone bad, handle started breaking when the blade hits a hard object. Ordered a new wooden handle with mini-cradle from Vikalp, costed 1800/- totally and they shipped it promptly and it arrived without any issues.

Cutting is much easier now...grip is quite good and makes cutting much easier

Two upland rice varieties from Attappadi

I have been hearing that Attapadi tribal people cultivates upland rice in hills just based on rain water. Few years back a friend had given few seeds, saying it is 'arie nell' from Attapadi and it tillers heavily, but those seeds didn't germinate.

During an agriculture online meet one x-navy person who is a farmer now, brought out that they cultivate upland rice, this retriggered my curiosity. Called him and he promised to give some rice seeds. Since depending on a single contact to get these seeds is bit risky since when you are going there, they may not be there or some such situations can arise. Contacted one more friend called Kunju chettan who was in Attapadi and he gave another agriculture officer Ambu's phone number and this office was very prompt and he gave Doraisswamy's contact. He used to pick up phone every time and he promised to give 1 kg of seed.

Another friend whose contact number I had collected from internet, also promised to give some seeds. So myself and another friend Paulettan started the Attapadi journey. I travelled to Mannarkkad by bus from there we started on Paulettan's bike, it was nice to see around while travelling in bike. We collected some cashew nuts seeds also on the way.

Two contacts gave the seeds while one person was not reachable on the phone. Doraiswamy didn't take money for the seeds, even though we compelled him. To my surprise both seeds were different...One given by Doraiswamy was slightly blackish in color and it was 4 months duration, and they started cultivating this between June and July after there is good rain. Unlike in the olden days, where they start the rice with first rain, they wait for rain to establish then sow the seeds. With good rain, soil will be more fertile and also for 2 months, it will receive good water and will grow without any problem.

The other seed was of 6 months duration, and still it is started in June after getting good rain.

Some photos...

Doraiswamy and his wife with me

Met two persons..Rangan and Konan...they were saying people lost interest in agriculture after government started supplying rice through ration shops. Also to our surprise they could identify the seeds which is 6 months and which is 4 months

Some interesting mango varieties found through Facebook group - Nadan Mavukal

I have many mango varieties in the farm, but most of them does not yield regularly. I have Baganapilly, Salem (Locally called Kilimookk),Gudadath, Jeeri, Sindooram,Neelam,Chandrakkaran,Kolumbu etc...Lots of mango varieties yield on alternate years and also since trees are pruned from the beginning and I haven't pruned them after and they yield much less. But I could see that one variety called Kolumbu yield every year and there are no worms in this variety after ripening. While varietis like Baganapilly and Salem is infected with worms. Since I don't use any pesticide or any chemicals, yield and income from mangoes is much less.

This year started research on local varieties which yield good, Kolombu was the role model. This mango is very tasty and has good demand in organic shops. I came across a facebook group called 'Nadan Mavukal' (നാടൻ മാവുകൾ ) and could see there are many local varieties being discussed here, talked to S.T.Ravi administrator of this group and could get some interesting local varieties. 

Here are some local varieties which yield every year, tasty, no worm infestations and polyembryonic (saplings grown from seeds shows similar properties of parent tree)

1. Kolombu (കൊളമ്പ്)

A variety from Sreelanka, lots of people from Kerala used to work in Sreelanka in olden days and they call the place as 'Kolombu' . Also internet searches reveal that this mango exists as 'Vella Kolomban' in Sreelanka, there is another variety 'Karutha Kolomban' and this is also supposed to be very tasty and is found in Gulf super markets. This is seen mostly in Trichur and Ernakulam districts in Kerala and is spreading fast to other areas.

This is extremely tasty variety and no insects attack even when it is ripe on trees and bears fruit in every year. Seed is polyembrionic.

        Nadan-mavukal-kolombu

2. Kuttiattor (കുറ്റ്യാട്ടോർ)

This variety is famous in Kannur and there is a place called 'Kuttiattor' where this is found in plenty, it is  also called as 'Nambiar Mango'. This has received GI (Geographical Indication) tag. This is also a very tasty variety ,less insect attack and seed is poly embrionic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHQoyWId4RI

3. Chelan (ചേലൻ)

This variety is famous in Calicut area and is a tasty variety

https://www.facebook.com/groups/326549171395987/permalink/777807759603457/

4. Thrissurkkaran (തൃശ്ശൂർക്കാരൻ)

This is a variety found in Trichur and is named by the Facebook group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/326549171395987/posts/802513390466227

5. Kunjus (കുഞ്ഞൂസ്)

https://www.facebook.com/naadanmaavukal123/posts/pfbid02vLDaAjAg8HkEFdpDjywTYEdpBf8BjgBJh8p7UQW4wyBDxGbRP2f6LnAyXhKGJo3Gl

6. Kannan (കണ്ണൻ)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/326549171395987/posts/536620903722145

7. Chenkulayan Madhuram (ചെങ്കുലയൻ മധുരം)

  https://www.facebook.com/groups/326549171395987/posts/553783828672519

8. Neela Moovandan (Kurukkan Mavu)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/326549171395987/posts/724743374909896/

9. Komavu (Vattamavu)

10. Avokkaran (അവോക്കാരൻ )

https://www.facebook.com/groups/326549171395987/posts/744538699597030/

11. Alikutty (ആലിക്കുട്ടി )

https://www.facebook.com/groups/326549171395987/posts/748800579170842/

12. Cheriya Kilichundan (ചെറിയ കിളിച്ചുണ്ടൻ )

https://www.facebook.com/groups/326549171395987/posts/752803872103846/

13. Tholikaippan(തൊലികയ്പ്പൻ )

https://www.facebook.com/groups/326549171395987/posts/897450284305870/

14. Aarya (ആര്യ)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/326549171395987/posts/779515742765992/

15. Chuvanna Moovandan (ചുവന്ന മൂവാണ്ടൻ )

16. Sarkkar (സർക്കാർ മാമ്പഴം)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/326549171395987/posts/753240028726897

17. Rasakadali (രസകദളി)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/326549171395987/posts/966842904033274

18. Karimbu (കരിമ്പ് )

https://www.facebook.com/groups/326549171395987/posts/770948613622705/

19. Meesakkaran (മീശക്കാരൻ)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/326549171395987/posts/806739086710324/

20. Giant Kolumbu (ജയിന്റ് കൊളമ്പ്)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/326549171395987/posts/977158299668401

21. Mihir

22. Karumban

Saving Ginger/Taro for next season

Ginger is harvested in February and next crop will be put in June/July after rain starts. Till this time seed has to be saved, last time kept harvested ginger in rubber basket with soil, but all were spoiled by the time it had to be planted.

This time, wanted to keep in a pit made in the soil, and covered with soil and also in between it can be kept moist by watering slightly.

Turmeric harvesting and planting

Harvested turmeric which was planted in the last rainy season. In some areas where there was good gap between plants ,weeded and piled soil around the base of plants, those areas yield was good. At the time of harvesting, put some seeds back at those places since that reduces work drastically. This is Fukuoka San's idea of root vegetable cultivation. Also mulched these area's well.