Amazing Ashok!

Long back when I received a call from this gman stating he wanted to talk to me on organic farming, I was stunned..He said he got my number from his brother who was my school mate..firstly I never thought any of my school mate wud take me seriously and pass my contact..so to receive a call in this context was a stunner!
Then when I asked him his reason, he said ‘ u know I was born brought up in Neyveli- very close to nature..’ hey I see some similarity and my antenna went up..This fella apparently had a thriving business, some slip and slowly he loses interest in business..so is just about carrying it on to satisfy his bare needs and is devoting more time in agriculture..that too natural farming! Following palekar’s school..hmm, sounds really interesting..another youngster, back to land, bla bla..
So wanted to meet him..
That happened during my visit last week to Coimbatore.. CBE brings lots of memories for me including my college days when we used to visit for TIES (inter engg sports) or some culturals..then when I was working in palghat we used to travel once a month atleast to have ‘good plate meals’.. the greenery and nice hospitable people with their respect toasted tamizh was always very novel to me..
again to CBE after long and i get to see hosts of nice courteous typical people..
It was really so nice to hear and see what Ashok is doing..He has just leased out a land and has turned that whole property in to a great piece..
What was a dying and non-performing coconut grove at Seerapalyam has been turned by his natural zero budget ways..he had so many insightful statements to make..(damn my memory)
This 10 acres of coconut farm got its Naatu maadu (indeginous cow) first..then he started cutting trenches between the trees (9” away from the trees)..then filled the trenches with the falling coconut branches, used shells and any green manure..then on the bunds of the trenches and inbetween tress he planted dicots (like toor, till, horse gram,etc) which fixes Nitrogen in the soil and enriches the soil. He could immediately see that the leaves of the coconut turned greener in 6 months! There were Glyricedia too- serving as fodder & green manure.
Termites were welcome here in this farm. He said termites don’t eat green living trees..when they go up such trees they only seek out dead parts and prey on them, so again helping. The biggest advantage of termites is they dig deep in to the soil thus aerating upto 6 metres or more underground.
There was abundant inter cropping that he has planned..in few cents it is plantains, then its onion, groundnut, chilly, cowpea, radish etc.. The general rule being big tree, medium, plant, shrub and a creeper! A nice 5 layer that helps the land, coexists and is fruitful too!
There is so much of humus he has managed in the last year..again a stat that he mouthed : 1 kg of humus retains 6 litres of water..so imagine the water retention and how much gap one can give between watering cycle.
Castor was planted too and that was bcos it wud attract all pests that wud have otherwise attacked the intercrop!
There were some Moringa (drumstick) too.. that helps improve pollination I was told..It attracts lotsa bees, pests and that is welcome in natural farming..
He said the number of birds and butterflies have visibly increased in the last few months..hmm, nature returning to its old best..
He is also plan(t)ing various greens, brinjal, tomato, radish etc as intercrop in other parts..fantastic experiment..I see dividends coming..
Very insightful..very satisfying..am impressed and glad..
I asked him what if the friend (owner)from whom he has leased this land wants to sell this land..he coolly said its already in the process..the prospective buyer has not executed it fully and so he continues..what if that buyer doesn’t practice agriculture or doesn’t allow you to continue..he says ascetically that its ok..’then I will move on and look at other options..but it will be natural farming for sure..’
He also has developed a good network of organic/natural farmers and along with a few friends organizes farmers’ events and training programs.
Good luck buddy..wish you get returns in all forms soon..
very few fotos here..poor me..had only my mobile and so poor quality as well as quantity:-(