Summary of activities at Bilaspur farm and map of the farm

VARIOUS ACTIVITIES/SECTIONS AT THE MODEL ORGANIC FARM OF THE FARMERS FIRST FOUNDATION AT VILLAGE PATHEDI, DISTT GURGAON, HARYANA, INDIA

Farmers First Foundation views the farm as a living whole in which each farm activity affects the other. In our approach dairy animals, composting and a nursery to cultivate plant material are the three essential pillars of any farm.

ADMINISTRATIVE SECTION
It is situated in the South-West corner of the farm and comprises two rooms, a library, a kitchen and two bathrooms/toilets. It is used for informal meetings, keeping a record of various Sections, making arrangement for various training courses and other administrative purposes.

DAIRY SECTION
There are two cattle yards to accommodate ten animals each. To serve both cattle yards, we have designed a feed platform, chaff-grinding machine and hay store with a mixing pit. We have constructed a 35 ft by 35 ft milking parlour to milk the cattle. Adjoining this is the feed store and a milk room equipped with a small laboratory. There is a calf shed to accommodate fifteen calves at any time and a separate shed for sick or pregnant cattle. There is also provision of collection of urine and slurry.

We work in a natural cycle, the animal being a basic part of the cycle. If we consider milk as a byproduct of this cycle, then we have the right to take extra milk only after setting aside about two liters for the calf. This can be achieved by better rearing, better spacing, management, proper feed for calf and mother, and proper collection of urine and dung which are the other main products in this natural cycle. Cow dung and urine are used for making high quality compost and ultimately enhancing the productivity of growing plants as fodder and for human use.

Currently we have 6 animals while 5 more are on the way.

FODDER SECTION
This section provides training in plantation of various types of fodder at different times of the year with different agro practices and proper harvesting and utilization of fodder. This includes:
1. Silage Making Pit
2. Hay Making Yard
3. Feed Making Facility
4. How to Feed the Animal

The training for the above activity and knowhow about the equipment and infrastructure is provided at the farm.

COMPOST SECTION
A mixture for fertilizing or renovating soil in which plants are grown, especially a fertilizing mixture composed of leaf, mold, manure, lime etc thoroughly mixed and decomposed is called compost. Animal dung and urine work as a catalyst to help in decomposing. Nature is endowed with micro and macro organisms that degrade the cellulose and lignin in biomass, fix nitrogen and accelerate the decaying and mineralisation of organic matter and make nutrients available to plants, apart from improving and maintaining the desired physico-chemical and biological properties of soil. Once we understand the phenomenon of compost, our whole being is filled with a sense of awe at nature’s cycle of creation and destruction. We realize the importance of the vital force that sustains life, including agriculture.

By demonstrating a number of composing methods, Farmers First Foundation makes farmers aware of the centrality of composting and trains them in preparing, using, storing and sale of compost. Our main focus is on:

1. Compost making by various methods chiefly what we call the Indore and Bangalore methods.
2. Green manure.
3. Aerobic composting.
4. Anaerobic composting.
5. Vermiculture.
6. Biofertilizer.
7. Effective micro-organism technology.
8. Fermented organic matter (Bokashi).

For larger farms we can also demonstrate the use of a two-stage (aerobic and anaerobic) digester called Nisarguna developed by BARC to produce Nitrogen-rich slurry and gas for lighting or driving a generator. At Bilaspur we have two compost pits, one vermicompost pit, a biodegrader for leaves and cow urine and two slurry pits.

NURSERY SECTION
For propagation of plants, we have a facility to provide disease-free seeds and seedlings. We impart training in growing seedlings in various ways. In this section, we have a green house, a 30 ft by 30 ft poly house, a poly tunnel and soon, we are going to have a ‘people’s tissue culture lab’.

CEREALS, VEGETABLEs AND FRUITS
We have planted potatoes (0.75 acre), cucumber and gourd (0.25 acres), lady fingers, tomatoes, chilies and garlic (0.25 acres), sixteen herbs (0.25 acres), cauliflower, onion and leek (0.25 acres), strawberry (0.5 acres) and mango, guava, neem, beri and kinnow trees. Wheat, Oats, Maize and Sorghum have been planted in 0.25 acres each while one acre is devoted to Egyptian grass or barseem.

BIO CONTROL SECTION
An ecological approach seeks to enhance the activity of natural enemies of crop pests including other insects and animals such as hedgehogs and birds, as well as fungal, bacterial and viral pathogens. Under this section we have:

1. Cultural Methods
2. Mechanical Methods
3. Bio-pesticide
4. Microbial insecticide
5. Non-pesticidal Management Option

WATER MANAGEMENT SECTION
The aim of this section is to generate awareness among the farmers about water management and water conservation. This includes:

1. Assessing quality of irrigation water and suggesting remedies
2. Appropriate method of Irrigation.
3. Land Shaping for proper irrigation
4. Most importantly, correct time and method of irrigation for specific crops

BEE KEEPING (API-CULTURE) SECTION
We have a beautiful honeybee yard equipped with honey room, demonstration hive, pollen collection facility, artificial insemination facility, royal jelly and wax collection arrangement etc. Using our ten bee boxes we impart training in management of bee colony, life cycle of the bees, working of bees in stationery as well as migratory bee keeping, swarm management and proper extraction of honey in this Section.

MUSHROOM SECTION
In this section we have compost making area and crop room for imparting training in growing edible as well as medicinal mushrooms. We distribute to the farmer compost and spawn of various types and teach appropriate agro practices to produce mushrooms.

HERBAL AND ESSENTIAL OIL SECTION
Here we demonstrate identification of various herbs, planting material for commercial production, and marketing of the produce. Knowhow for plantation of herbs as main crops, cover crops and alternate crops with all agro practices is imparted.

The combination of various plants planted as cover crops in different sections can be used for producing essential oil to enhance income of the farmer/entrepreneur. Equipment and techniques developed by IHBT Palampur have revolutionized small scale oil extraction. We deliver know how of agro practices, planting material and demonstrate extraction of oil at the model farm.

At Bilaspur we have already planted Tagetes Minuta and Matricaria along the water courses. Tulsi is being cultivated. Stevia and Safed Muesli are planned. We also plan to plant 2000 rose plants.

POULTRY SECTION
Birds have a good conversion ratio for converting food into eggs and meat. Poultry can satisfy a basic requirement for human food and is a good activity for the landless as well as small landholding agripreneurs. At FFF farms bird excreta (droppings) is used in the mushroom section for making compost. Birds also help control termite.

We have two breeding sheds, one for organic hens and the second for guinea fowls. We distribute small chicks to the farmers. After 40 days, the male chicks are used as meat and the female chicks starts laying eggs. It is a good source of income to the poor farmer and excellent food source for the consumer. In this farm we have three different sheds attached with open yard to give the birds a natural environment. We have a small hatchery unit which can produce 100 chicks every week. Presently there are 250 birds.

All the above activities are carried out in collaboration with premier institutes such as the Indian Council for Agriculture Research or ICAR’s National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal, Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, the Indian Council for Scientific Research or ICSR’s Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology(IHBT) at Palampur, the National Centre for Mushrooms at Solan and the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) at Mumbai.

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