Monday, 9 November 2020

Traditional coffee beans roaster | low cost coffee beans roaster | ABCD farming |

In the market there are many coffee beans roasters. Most of them are costly. The price starts from Rs.1,20,000 to Rs.8,00,000. But today I would like to share a video of a traditional drum roaster which can be made by yourself or with the help of nearby welder.

This video which found interesting and would like to share with you all.




You can watch the video here

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J1yupCgHjvc

how to make your own soap at home | Handmade soap | ABCD farming |

Basically soap Isa salt of the fatty acids. Domestically soaps are used in washing clothes, bathing, cleaning etc... Industrially soaps are used as thickeners, lubricants and catalysts etc.. 

At present, let us see how to make your soap at home for bathing.

Ingredients needed to make soap

1 cup of caustic soda
6.5 cup of coconut oil
2.5 cup of water

Caustic soda will be available in chemical industries or you can search in online store like Amazon.

Cococunt oil should be pure. Don't use coconut oil brands available in store. They add minerals to it. So buy from nearby mill.

Water can be used which is available at home. 

Procedure
Firstly, Take a clean empty Plastic bucket. Add 1 cup of caustic soda. To that, add 2.5 cups of water and mix well. 

Mix well upto 20 minutes after adding 6.5 cups of coconut oil. Mix well until the solution becomes fluid(like a pudding). And pour the solution in the moulds. If you don't have moulds you can use paper cups as moulds. You need to apply coconut oil inside the cup, so that the solution don't stick. After pouring the solution, keep them away from children. Let it dry on shade. After 24 hours remove the moulds and keep it shade. Don't use these soaps upto 30 days. Let the caustic soda properties drain.

After 30 days, you can use these soaps for bathing.



Wednesday, 4 November 2020

How to plant fruit trees

Trees play a major role in nature in various ways. Particularly fruit trees serves us nutrient fruits to consume... Here is a short brief description on how to plant fruit trres.

If you have enough water, fruit trees can be planted at any time of the year. If water is limited, it is best to plant when the soil is wet or at the start of the wet season.
Techniques for planting fruit trees:

1. Dig a hole knee deep, or more if possible. Fill the hole with water. Also water the tree when still in its container.

2. Put a pipe (which can be made from bamboo) inside the hole. Place some gravel below the pipe to help with water flow later on.

3. Fill a plastic bag with manure and place it at the bottom of the hole. If available, use a bag made of natural materials which will still hold the manure for a long time in the soil. Cover with soil and make a small mound in the hole for the tree to sit on.



4. Carefully, remove the tree from its container without breaking its roots. If there are many roots, gently loosen the bottom tree roots. Then, place the tree in the hole which has been prepared.

5. Fill the hole with soil. Make a shallow trench around the surface for water collection and to help with water supply. Make sure that the top of the tree roots are covered with at least 2 cm of soil to prevent the roots from drying out.

6. Add lots of mulch around the tree.

7. Water enough.

8. Make tree guards if needed.


Tuesday, 3 November 2020

Seed balls for Afforestation an alternative way of sowing

Seed Balls

A seed ball is a small ball of clay, about 4 cm in diameter, containing plant seeds and dried manure. Seed balls are a good, simple technique to start reforestation in dry areas, steeply sloped areas, or areas with few or no plants or trees. Place the seed balls in any area you want before the wet season starts. The clay will protect the seeds inside from animals until the rains come. When the wet season starts the seeds will begin to grow and the dry manure will provide some nutrients to help them grow. It is best to use seeds of fast growing legumes, like acacia, leuceana and moringa. The trees that grow from the seed balls will improve the soil and provide protection and mulch for new trees planted afterwards. 



Making Seed Balls

Choose clay that sticks together (doesn’t break) when rolled into a snake shape. Add some water to the clay so that it becomes easy to shape into a ball. Mix in a small amount of manure, but make sure that the clay will still stick together. First, make the balls, then add about 5-10 seeds in each ball. The seeds must be inside the ball so that animals won’t be able to eat them once they are in nature. Straight away, dry the balls in the sun for 1-2 hours. Leave until dry, but not cracked. Put them in a dry and shady place to continue drying. The balls must be completely dried because if they are still wet, the seeds will grow. When dry, store the balls in a dry place until you are ready to use them.


How to prepare your own weedicide at home

Today we will see how to make your own weedicide at home. Weedicide is used to kill the weeds. Weeds are main issue in farming, where the nutritions given to crop are absorbed by the weeds if weeds are present in the fields. Hence now let us see on how prepare weedicide at home.

The required materials to make weedicide at home are

1. 15 days old cow urine
2. Salt
3. Lemon or any citrus fruit
4. Soap
5. Power sprayer for spraying

The cow urine might be from native cow or HF cross cow. But it should be 15 days old. 

* Firstly, cut 15 gram of soap and add it to the cow urine. Dissolve soap in cow urine.

* After adding leave the solution for 24 hours. 

* After 24 hours, mix one handful of salt and 2 lemon juice in the above solution. 

* Mix thoroughly. After mixing all of them, your weedicide is ready to use.

* Pour the solution in the power sprayer and spray to weeds.

After two or three days you will observe that the plants get dried. 


Thursday, 29 October 2020

Broccoli cultivation guide

Broccoli is an important vegetable among the Cole crops. It is a rich source of vitamins and minerals. In fact, it contains more vitamin A than cabbage and cauliflower and the highest amount of proteins among the cole crops. It also contains anti-cancerous compounds and antioxidants. 

Broccoli is of two types: heading type and 
sprouting (green and purple) broccoli. Heading broccoli forms curd like cauliflower; while sprouting broccoli contains a group of green immature buds and thick fleshy flower stalk forming a head. Sprouting broccoli is more popular in India. 



Variety 
Green sprouting broccoli having green, firm and compact crown heads are more in demand in India. The important varieties are: KTS-I, Solan Green, Lucky, Fiesta, Pushpa, Aishwarya, PalamVichitra. 

Soil and Climate 
Broccoli can be grown in a wide variety of soils, but sandy and silt loam soils are most suited. It prefers well-drained upland soil for proper growth. The optimum pH range is 5.8-7.2. 

It is a cool season crop and is sensitive to very low and high temperatures. The optimum temperature range of 10-25 "C is ideal for proper growth of the crop.

Field preparation 
Same as in cauliflower 

Seed rate
400-500g/ha

Sowing Time
In plain- Mid September to early November
In hills- September-October

Nursing Raising
Same as in cauliflower 

Transplanting 
The seedlings are ready for transplanting after 4-6 weeks of sowing. FYM @ 10-15 t/ha should be applied one month before transplanting. Nitrogen 120 kg, 80 kg phosphorus and 60 kg potash should be applied at the time of transplanting. Remaining half of nitrogen should be applied in two split doses at 30 and 45 days after transplanting. Transplanting should be done in the afternoon at a spacing of 45x30cm.

Irrigation 
Light and frequent irrigation should be given at 10-15 days interval depending on 
weather conditions. 

Intercultural Operation 
The crop should be kept weed free. Shallow hoeing should be done at 20-25 days after transplanting to remove weeds and loosen the soil for better aeration.

Plant protection measures
Cutworms: The caterpillars are 3 to 4 cm long, gray or brown to almost black with 
various markings. They hide in daytime and feed at night. They cause damage by biting the foliage and by cutting down the young seedlings just above the ground level. 

Control: 
1. Picking and destruction of the larvae at the early stage of the crop. 
2. Growing of paired rows of mustard after every 25 rows of the crop. 
3. Spraying of the heavily infested crop with Rogoror Endosulfan@ 2 -3 ml/l of
water.

Leaf Webber: The leaves are skeletonised by the larvae, which remain on the under surface of leaves in webs and feed on them. They also attack flower buds and pods. The insect commonly sucks early grown crop.

Control: 
1. Picking and destruction of the larvae at the early stage of the crop. 
2. The crop should be sprayed with 3g solution.

Aphids: They feed on the plants affecting the quality. Mustard can act as a trap crop for aphids. Neemseed kernel extract can be sprayed at 4%.

Mustard saw fly: The larvae of mustard saw fly feed on leaves and it can be controlled by spraying.

Damping off: It is a serious disease in the nursery. In severe conditions, the affected 
seedlings droop and fall off due to infection at the collar region. Seed treatment should be done at nusery.

Downy Mildew: This disease appears from nursery to curd formation stage. Fine Hair like downy growth of fungus is observed on the leaves. Corresponding to the downy fungal growth, minute pinhead brown necrotic spots appear on the upper surface of leaves. For controlling the disease, dense sowing of seeds in the nursery should be avoided.

White rust: It is a soil borne disease caused by fungus Sclerotiniascelorotiorum. The fungus attacks the bases of the outer leaves and plants suddenly wilt. For controlling this disease, the soil should be drenched with neem leaves extract with water. Deep ploughings should be done, as the fungus cannot survive below 15cm.

Black rot: First signs of the disease often appear along the margins of leaves as chlorotic regions and the chlorosis progresses in the direction of the mid rib forming a V-shaped area. Symptoms may appear from any side and centre of the leaves. The bacteria are transmitted through seeds.

Black leg: It occurs mostly in moist regions, especially in areas with high rainfall during the growth period. Proper seed treatment should be done.

Harvesting and yield 
The crop is ready for harvesting after 80-90 days of transplanting. Heads having 10- 15 cm stems and green, compact bud clusters are harvested with a sharp knife. On an average, yield varies from 175-240 q/ha depending upon the variety.




Thursday, 22 October 2020

Easy Pest Repellers for your garden

Here I am posting some important for all to keep pests away from your gardens. Make your own and use

1. Neem

Ancient Indians highly revered neem oil as a powerful, all-natural plant for warding off pests. In fact, neem juice is the most powerful natural pesticide on the planet, holding over 50 natural insecticides. This extremely bitter tree leaf can be made in a spray form, or can be bought from a number of reputable companies.
To make your own neem oil spray, simply add 1/2 an ounce of high quality organic neem oil and ½ teaspoon of a mild organic liquid soap (I use Dr. Bronners Peppermint) to two quarts of warm water. Stir slowly. Add to a spray bottle and use immediately.

2. Salt Spray
For treating plants infested with spider mites, mix 2 tablespoons of Himalayan Crystal Salt into one gallon of warm water and spray on infected areas.

3. Mineral oil

Mix 10-30 ml of high-grade oil with one liter of water. Stir and add to spray bottle. This organic pesticide works well for dehydrating insects and their eggs.

4. Citrus Oil and/or Cayenne Pepper Mix

This is another great organic pesticide that works well on ants. Simply, mix 10 drops of citrus essential oil with one teaspoon cayenne pepper and 1 cup of warm water. Shake well and spray in the affected areas.



5. Soap, Orange Citrus Oil & Water

To make this natural pesticide, simply mix 3 tablespoons of liquid Organic Castile soap with 1 ounce of Orange oil to one gallon of water. Shake well. This is an especially effective treatment against slugs and can be sprayed directly on ants and roaches.

6. Eucalyptus oil

A great natural pesticide for flies, bees and wasps. Simply sprinkle a few drops of eucalyptus oil where the insects are found. They will all be gone before you know it.

7. Onion and Garlic Spray

Mince one organic clove of garlic and one medium sized organic onion. Add to a quart of water. Wait one hour and then add one teaspoon of cayenne pepper and one tablespoon of liquid soap to the mix. This organic spray will hold its potency for one week if stored in the refrigerator.

8. Chrysanthemum Flower Tea

These flowers hold a powerful plant chemical component called pyrethrum. This substance invades the nervous system of insects rendering them immobile. You can make your own spray by boiling 100 grams of dried flowers into 1 liter of water. Boil dried flowers in water for twenty minutes. Strain, cool and place in a spray bottle. Can be stored for up to two months. You can also add some organic neem oil to enhance the effectiveness.

9. Tobacco Spray

Just as tobacco is not good for humans, tobacco spray was once a commonly used pesticide for killing pests, caterpillars and aphids. To make, simply take one cup of organic tobacco (preferably a brand that is organic and all-natural) and mix it in one gallon of water. Allow the mixture to set overnight. After 24-hours, the mix should have a light brown color. If it is very dark, add more water. This mix can be used on most plants, with the exception of those in the solanaceous family (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, etc.)

10. Chile pepper / Diatomaceous Earth

Grind two handfuls of dry chiles into a fine powder and mix with 1 cup of Diatomaceous earth. Add to 2 liters of water and let set overnight. Shake well before applying.

If you have some easy recipes for making your own organic pesticides, we would love to hear them.

Tuesday, 20 October 2020

Mint cultivation for constant income

how to generate electricity for your small off grid home

How to dig Borewell using small equipments available nearby

Water

Wednesday, 5 August 2020

Sorry for inconvenience

Edited: Thanks for your patience... We are back..!

Sorry for inconvenience. Will not be available online upto Oct 3rd 2020.

In the meantime you can view our previous posts.


 





Thursday, 30 July 2020

ABCD farming Farm update June 2020 and July 2020

Sorry guys, I would able to post the last Month farm update i.e June 2020. 

Please refer the YouTube video. For farm update June 2020.





In June 2020, we harvested we harvested cow pea four times. In each harvest it yielded approximately 10 to 12 kgs of cow pea pods. The cow pea seeds were planted in four rows. The length of each row is 70 to 65 feet approximately. We have harvested the okra often, which was sown in between cow pea plants

A part of cow pea harvest are used for consumption. Few of them are dried to save seeds for adding to sambars in future, few of them are shared to nearby neighbours. 

Turkey berry, Brinjal, curry leaves plants, bottle gourd, okra, pigeon pea, Tomato seedlings (sankarametta variety), Jasmine, Hibiscus, Gauva plants are all grown well.

The moringa stem cuttings are yet to sprout. The cucumber giant native variety, flowers bloomed and having small fruits. But they are getting spoiled due to the stagnant of water. Ridge gourd didn't grown well. I saved the seeds of ridge gourd from hybrid variety. Maybe that would be the reason regarding. 

The chilly saplings which were transplanted near the cow pea plants have thrived well. Until now I didn't observed any diseases in these chilly plants.

The perrineal chilly is growing slowly, waiting patiently. I would not able to understand them.

When I observed pests in cow pea plants, I sprayed only fermented buttermilk solution mixed with water in the ratio 1:10 . After speaking, I observed little reduction in pests but not completely. Didn't applied any other manures. 

You can view the video here



Farm update July 2020

In July 2020, I have cut down the cow pea plants and okra plants as the harvesting has completed. After cutting down the cow pea plants, I observed the chilly transplants which are planted near the cow pea have really thrived well under them. 

The Bottle gourd plant which was planted at the last row has been spoiled. Don't know the reason. The chilly transplants are doing good.

Turkey berry (sundakkai) plant, pigeon pea, Tomato seedlings (sankametta variety), Jasmine, Hibiscus, Gauva are all growing well. 

The cucumber giant native variety grown well but the fruit buds are falling down. I enquired with few people, they suggested to sow in summer season. In the moringa stem cuttings, still I didn't observed leaves... Yet to wait...!

In another plot, this time sown okra seeds (hybrid seeds). I Didn't have more native okra seeds for sowing. Okra grown upto one feet tall.

Sown few native varieties Beans Black seed, srilankan beans, snake gourd, Sittu parangikkai (பரங்கிக்காய்), cucumber Dharwad green variety, etc... Beans Black seed sprouts destroyed due to some leaf miners. Three sprouts survived. Only one sittu parangikai பரங்கிக்காய் out of five seeds has survived. 

Tomato sankarametta variety seed which I sown, started to flower. I flower is different from other varities. The flower is large and oval spherical in shape.

You can see the flowering of tomato sankarametta variety in the video.





In perrineal Brinjal plants, I saw few pests. One of the pest which is in brown colour is making heavy damage to the stem of brinjal plants. These pests sit on the node of flowering bud of brinjal plant and they just eat them. I sprayed buttermilk solution mixed with water. The pests have reduced but not completely. The green and black color worms have considerably reduced. But these brown bugs are not reduced completely. You can see this brown bug in the video..you can give suggestions regarding..!




Finally, the video of ABCD farming farm update JULY 2020 will be updated soon. You can subscribe our YouTube channel for updates. #abcdfarming #farmupdate