Cherry tomato saplings in the nursery 

Step 3 after planting the nurseries is to plan the farm for final planting. What plant goes where depends on quality of soil, availability of water and (very importantly) amount of sun. I am told that root vegetables do very well is sandy soil, and leafy vegetables and herbs will thrive even in partial sun whereas most other vegetables like tomatoes, eggplant require full sun. 

Since Yogi Farms is an organic farm, they try to reduce the use of active pest control. One effective strategy according to Karan is to plan to grow different plants in adjacent rows rather than have a large patch of the same type of plant or vegetable. Karan explains that this strategy confuses the pests (as I guess different pests like specific plants/ veges). Plus, he also says that if one pest does find his way to his favorite plant, then that means that he stays away from the others surrounding it as they are of a different variety (which implies that the infestation is controlled). At Yogi farm, they typically plant in rows of 7 types consisting of gourds, beans, leafy, fruity, root, cole, and herbs. These rows are successively repeated over the area of the farm.

Saplings are generally ready for planting within 20-25 days of seeding the nursery. Karan and Yogita have developed a method of hardening the saplings before transplanting so that the transplantation is successful and the delicate saplings don't die from the shock of being removed and replanted. One rule is to transplant only in the evening which ensures minimal moisture loss during the first hours of transplant. They also begin to reduce the amount of water given to the sapling from a week before it is to be moved. The amount of water is slowly reduced such that on the day before the transplant the sapling is not watered at all. Karan says that this kicks in the survival spirit in the saplings and they can endure the move better :)

Before transplanting, the soil beds need to be prepared. In general, the beds are raised (here is why). At Yogi Farms, they typically maintain 2-3' wide planting beds that have walking paths on both sides. The farmers ensure the quality of soil by mixing with compost and removing any big stones. Each sapling in planted with at least a foot in between so they have enough room to grow. 

Just before transplanting, the saplings are kept in water that is mixed with Trichoderma, a type of good fungus for sapling roots that keeps away the bad fungus.

To transplant:

1. See Yogita preparing the bed by removing stones and leveling the earth. (Yes, those are giant gourds in the background).

Close up of the giant gourds

2. Mark little pits a foot apart for the saplings to be planted.

3. Select the strongest saplings that have been soaked in water solution with Trichoderma, Stick the saplings in pits and create little mounds of mud around.

4. Water generously and mulch around the sapling to protect moisture and also the Trichoderma fungus.

Most vegetables are ready for harvest within 40-50 days of transplant. We will see how these babies grow and bear bright red tomatoes !!

Read more on Transplanting on Yogi Farm's website, 

http://www.yogifarms.com/2013/01/hardening-saplings-for-transplanting/

Brave little saplings newly transplanted ...

Photo from site before starting construction (the window and old wall has been preserved as part of landscaping)

First post on Nivim in the new year and we are almost at completion... This is the time for numerous lists, for close inspections and several walk throughs, all to determine any mistakes, forgotten details, and bad workmanship...

When I say completion, I mean completion of all building works. The only major work remaining is the kitchen cabinets and the closets which will follow right after we are satisfied with the building works.

This is also a time for us to begin the installation for our furniture, lighting and landscaping. We have already bought most of our furniture and it is a combination of period pieces and very contemporary designer ones. Most interior lighting is purchased from Delhi and already installed. And then there is landscaping... Who would have thought that something so simple would be such a nightmare.... We can always execute ourselves but I was hoping to hire a sub-contractor so I don't have to run around crazy from nursery to nursery sourcing the right plants and mostly because I don't feel that I am right judge for the health of the plants, species and quality of soil, forget about the right way to plant, transplant and care for the plants. Now the tough thing about building in Goa is that first you pay a premium for all your services and material. Most material is brought into the state from elsewhere so there is usually a wait time and several delays. Also, the number of service and material providers is so limited that the good ones have too many projects and they are unable to manage their time effectively. We started our quest for a landscaper and landscaping about 6 months back and by now, we have been stood up by two landscapers after multiple site visits, advance payments, etc. etc. What really gets upsetting is when the service providers don't answer their phones... I mean really dodge your calls after agreements and after advance payments have been paid. I mean how does one deal with that?

Existing trees before construction

Same existing trees after construction

Landscaping is so critical for a project like ours that is built around nature. We have 13 existing trees on the site that we have incorporated in our house plan so the site is already quite green but then we have created really deep planters on the peripheries to we can plant fruiting and flowering trees making the site even greener and add a layer of privacy to the property. We have also chosen to plant mostly local indigenous species so once they are mature they require minimal irrigation and maintenance. Indigenous species have adapted to the local climate and therefore are accustomed to the dry and rainy spells in different seasons.

In any case, our quest for a landscaper continues. I am giving myself another week or 10 days then I guess we will have to jump in and figure it out ourself...

Until then let us just celebrate our special 13 trees. The existing full grown trees include:

1 Mango tree

2 Jackfruit trees

2 Tamarind trees

1 Kelful tree

5 Scholar's tree

1 Drumstick tree

1 flowering local tree

Existing trees before construction

Same existing trees after construction

Existing trees before construction

Same existing trees after construction

Existing trees before construction

Same existing trees after construction

With all the stress of completion on-site, we thought that it was a good time for some eye-candy. See below are some inspired photos of classic outdoor spaces.

 Deck at Geejam hotel, Jamaica (Source : www.caribtours.co.uk)

 Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle in Thailand (Source : www.cntraveler.com)

Rooftop of The Ajit Bhawan hotel in Jodphur (Source : indiahotelreviews.blogspot.in)

Amazing moment, not sure where this is though...

Image via Frangipani Decor

Outdoor dining at Villa Ashiyana, Goa

 Somewhere in Brazil..

Deck at Xanta Ashram, Goa 

Not sure where this is...

Inspired pavilion at Alila hotel in Uluwatu, Bali

Verandah at Alila hotel in Manggis, Bali

Nursery for 'Desi Small Chilly' variety at Pinto Bhat

Following our updates on the winter planting season at Yogi Farms, the stage 2 is that of Planting Nurseries. Yogi Farms is experimenting organic farming on a couple of farms this year. The farm that we will be documenting is owned by Christabel Pinto and Jose Pinto and called 'Pinto Bhat' in Santa Cruz near Panjim in Goa.

A planted nursery for cherry tomatoes

In the previous first update in this series, we had written about planning and preparing the farm for a planting cycle. The second stage in the process is to plant nurseries. We spent one morning preparing nurseries for some broccoli, few types of lettuce and rocket. Below are pictures with the steps:

Step 1: 

Allocate an appropriate area for a nursery. Typically nurseries are created in raised beds or in store bought nursery trays. Divide the area into sections of approximately 3' X 3'.

Example of a raised nursery bed with divisions for different varieties

Step 2:

 To prepare the soil, loosen the soil using a trowel,  remove large stones, and mix the soil with compost. (We used approximately half kg for 5 sq.m. area)

Removing large stones after loosening the soil and mixing compost

Step 3: 

Create little seed beds using a stick or your hands. Each bed in about an inch or inch and a half in depth.

Step 4: 

Sprinkle the seeds. (There was little technical guideline to this step but I felt that it was similar to sprinkling salt.) Then lightly cover the seed beds back with mud such that the seeds only have a couple of grains of mud on top. The idea is to protect the seeds but at the same time not bury it too deep that the young sapling has trouble sprouting out.

Seed beds ready for planting

Step 5:

 Sprinkle ash on top of the seed beds to protect it from ants. 

Sprinkling ash on the seed beds to protect against ants

Step 6:

 Sprinkle water generously daily.

Watering the seed beds

Young saplings are typically ready within 21-25 days of being planted in the nursery. At this point they are transplanted to the final field beds. 

At Yogi Farms, Karan and Yogita are very meticulous about noting the type of seed and date of sowing the seeds in the nursery. This allows them to plan ahead for transplanting as well as helps them keep a record of what varieties worked well in the season and what didn't. They use this data to tweak for the next season. They may try getting seeds from other sources, try planting in more or less shade, etc, etc... 

Another tip was that is you see moss growing in the seed beds then that is a sign that the beds are over-watered.

Find Yogi Farms on the web and on Facebook. 

Look out for Stage 3: Transplanting to final beds.

We have been at final finishing stage for the last three months and at this point I feel like I can see the finish line, feel it but just can't reach it... so here is me venting...big time....

We have had a major exodus of labor at Diwali... All labor went home for the festival and we are left with 2 labor + 2 painters on our site for the past 3 weeks ++ our electrical sub-contractor has been sick, has had a surgery and has disappeared with zero contact... Add to this inefficiency from the landscaper, a slow plumber and stubborn painters... the result is that we are just weeks away from completing the project before FF&E but just can't seem to wrap it up.

FF&E stands for Furniture, Fixture and Equipment, in our case that includes the kitchen and closet cabinetry, movable furniture and equipment. Only once we complete the messy construction phase can we move to the next. Most light fixtures are already on-site waiting to be fixed and most furniture has already been bought and is waiting in warehouses to be delivered....And that makes the situation even more frustrating... when we have planned ahead and made sure that all pieces from our end are ready, but we just can't move ahead ....

The other frustrating aspect of this situation is my inability to control the situation.. I had no inkling that labor would leave, and now have practically no control in the time it takes to get them back on-site. Lessons learned, more control, more communication.... ?? is that possible ?

Below are pictures of the spaces as they look now. I almost feel like picking up the paint brush and broom and clean the place up myself.

LIVING ROOM INTERIOR @Nov. 2012:

BEDROOM INTERIOR @Nov. 2012:

BATHROOM INTERIOR @Nov. 2012:

MASTER BATHROOM INTERIOR @Nov. 2012:

PS: there is a surprise element above the wash basin counter in master bathroom... which we hope to reveal soon !

Here is another advantage of living in Goa - you have an event like

THINK

 happening in your backyard.

Shoma Chaudhury, the Managing Editor for Tehelka magazine was the moderator for many sessions. I thought she did a brilliant job moderating session after session. On varied topics, never once having to refer to notes, not faltering, asking pointed questions, keeping peace on stage and retaining a sense of humor.

Think has a winning format, it moves from topic to topic every 20-30 mins, bringing leaders, innovators and thinkers in each field to discuss new ideas, problems, opinions and viewpoints. As my friend very well said it (Think) 'moves from rural space to big universe' in the same room in a matter of minutes. A 3-day affair, the content is alluring enough for people to gather at 8:30 AM each morning, and leave

 over-stimulated and asking for more at the end of it.

Here were my big take-aways:

The BIG most pressing issues for us to focus on are:

- rural development

- environment

- promoting innovation

- women and human rights

I love the idea that Think gets top politicians, big industrialists and grassroot activists on the same stage. And that it keeps the Bollywood presence to the bare minimum (thank you). I like that it allows for free registration and attendance. All one requires in interest to attend, commitment to sign up ahead of time, and thankfully no silly 'connections' (which sadly has been the only way to get anywhere in our country for the longest time). I like that the event is super flat, all attendees can sit anywhere, use the same entrance and break out in the same area, no silly VIP and VVIP reserved seats upfront with the free seats all the way in the back...

This year my favorite speakers were Sonal Kapoor, who started the non-profit

Protsahan

to empower underprivileged children through education and Stalin, founder of

Video Volunteers

who is making a journalist out of villagers, dalits, tribals and anyone who need a voice in this diverse country of ours. Both speakers were inspiring, brave, humble and I loved their passion and their means for change. I guess the best part was that it was easy to relate to these two and to see that they have created powerful tools for upliftment, betterment and development from scratch.

I love the participation from grassroot activists. Last year they had Dayamani Barla from Jharkand. This year, it was Ulka Mahajan from Maharashtra, Pradeep Prabhu and Dev Ram Kanhera, farmers from Madhya Pradesh. Read excerpts

here

, 4:50 session.

Link to videos from sessions at ThinkFest 2012,

click here

. Below are my favorites (from the sessions I attended):

Watch for the most entertaining session with Javed Akhtar,

here

.

Watch for insights on land acquisition and rural development issues,

here

.

Watch the inspiring session with Video Volunteers,

here

.

Watch Anna Hazare for great advice,

here

.

Watch for mind-boggling universe stuff,

here

.

Don't watch the video with Shah Rukh Khan,

here

.

Thank you Think for keeping our minds ticking (often in overdrive...). Thank you for choosing Goa to be the venue. Only please don't make the entry process super complicated as you get more popular... Hope you can keep the things that make Think pretty great alive and consistent as you grow. 

Here is a great episode of the UK show “Grand Designs’ tracking the story of building a sustainable home in Cumbria. In this case the home is built underground to keep it insulated and the result is that the house functions all year round without the need for any mechanical heating or cooling. Which is pretty amazing considering the extreme weather in that region.

Even though the house from the video and Nivim are very different, there were still many similarities…We have ourselves tried some new elements, materials and construction techniques in the house. Builders in India are so used to doing construction the same way they did in 1970s that anything new freaks them out. But really we are building in 2010 people, so please, we can do better than a generic concrete structure with piddly-little windows, a sloping RCC roof made to look like a wood and tile roof and luxury being defined as the use of Italian marble….

Not to mention of course the similarities in material delivery issues, fussing over waterproofing and of course construction delays and some more delays.. In the video, at one point they show that after 12 weeks, the house has its first floor concrete done…. Wassatttt…. Let me see now, where were we at week 12…not really out of the ground I think ;)

I love the sun pipes and the wind turbine in the project. I wonder what it would take to get a permit for something like that in Goa ??

As they say ‘building green is the new black’. But that is not the right reason for anyone to go the green way, the right reason is because one must respect nature and the land where one is building. In Goa, we are building green in the hope to preserve the state’s blissful green environs and biodiversity for our future generations to enjoy.

Living room front facade

Here we are close to week 100 of construction and closing in on completion. These are some photos from last week that we thought we will share in the festival spirit to get you excited about the soon-to-be final product.

We had a friend visit the house a few days back and he said that the trees appear as if they have been planted in place after the building is built. Keep in mind, the trees that he was talking about are the 13-14 existing full grown trees that have been carefully integrated in the site planning and building design for the house. Knowing that, his comment was a great validation for our efforts and hopefully the success of achieving our core concepts. 

View of the master bedroom among the trees

View of the sunset from the master bedroom deck

Partial view of the roof among the trees

Continue reading more updates for the project.

View of the pavilion block from the main house with the driveway on the right

After much attention has been paid to the main house, we have decided to do an entire post on just the pavilion block. To refresh your memory, the house is planned in a L-shape configuration, with the main house sited at the back of the site, also the highest point on the site with a separate pavilion block that is located adjacent to the pool and is connected with the main house through a series of courtyards. (See previous post of Site Planning Concept)

View of the pavilion block from the access road. The idea is to have this translucent box be the only elevation seen from the road, that gives the idea of what lies within but maintains the privacy of the main house

The pavilion block is designed to create spaces that have the ability to be even more open than the main house and offer flexible use based on the whims of the owner depending on need, season and/ or time of day. As required, it can function as a separate guest cottage; or an inspiring office; workshop space; a pavilion to the pool, or entertainment space.

Following the theme of grand (and barefoot) luxury in the project, the pavilion block is an expanded version of a typical pool pavilion. It is comprised of a separate bedroom, bathroom and covered sitting area, and is located adjacent to the swimming pool. It is designed to be an airy pool pavilion and at the same time can be the fourth bedroom when needed or used as an independent guest cottage that can maybe be used by friends when the owners of the house are not around and the main house is locked and unavailable for use.

View of the pavilion block from across the pool with the existing trees in the pool deck

The general design of the pavilion follows the design vocabulary of the main house. It is a linear block that appears to float from the pool deck. We have chosen to leave most of the steel structural frame and the underside of the aluminium roofing exposed to give the pavilion a more raw-authentic feel. The doors are a combination of sliding wood and glass panels along with some wood louvers.

View from the pool deck with the louvered pavilion block 

Other things that we love about the pavilion block are the old existing trees that have been retained between the pool and the pavilion. These trees provide relaxing shade, play of light, bring birds and butterflies and provide excellent visual drama from the pavilion block. For the flooring of the pavilion block, we have chosen to do a combination of wood (in bedroom) and grit finished terrazzo (in sit-out and bathroom). This flooring once again provides the textural element to the pavilion that is meant to bring it closer to nature. Lastly, the bathroom in the pavilion is extra special and we are doing something very exciting there… but I think I will not let the secret out just yet and put up a photo when it is completed.

Continue reading  more updates for the project.

Strawberry in Karan Manral's palm. Part of Yogi Farm's Top 50 produce from last year

There is little that tastes better than fresh seasonal organic produce.. After moving to Goa, I was excited about having access to fresh local produce but it was fairly clear that this produce was far from being organic. While shopping at local markets, I was also determined to grow vegetables in my own garden. All I wanted was some eggplant, some okra, herbs, lemons and bright red tomatoes... But maybe because our east-facing garden gets little sun, or the sub-soil is rocky, or maybe I just didn't talk to the plants enough.. all my attempts have been so far unsuccessful. To remedy this, I have attended gardening workshops, bought seeds from several sources and taken tips from a neighbor who has converted his garden into a mini-farm…but nothing has worked...

I had almost given up when on a recent visit to California, driving through the countryside with endless farms producing lovely sweet organic produce gave me an extra push to pursue this passion. I realized that if I can't grow in Goa then it is definitely not going to happen anywhere else.. So I reached out to the local experts, Karan Manral and Yogita Mehra, who together have been experimenting with organic farming in Goa for the last 3 years. Last year, the couple started Yogi Farms at a 800 sq.m.plot where they experimented with growing various types of vegetables organically. The plan for me is to visit their farm this season at key stages so I can pick up a little on farming techniques, ask questions, stay inspired and absorb all the positive energy from organic farming on their farm !

Succulent tomatoes, part of Yogi Farm's Top 50 produce from last year

My first visit was in early October, when they were getting ready for the season's planting. This year, Yogi Farm is working on a large farm in Taleigao near Panjim in Goa. One half of it is like an open field where they had grown vegetables last year (we will call it 'vegetable farm A'), whereas the second part of the farm is actually a coconut farm where they are now experimenting with various plantation crops depending on the amount of sun received on various patches (we will call it 'plantation farm B').

Beds being prepared for this season's planting among the coconut plantation

When they started last year, the plantation farm B was in a sorry state. For years, the soil had not been ploughed or used for any vegetation. What was worse was that mixed organic waste had been dumped on the soil following some bad advice. Yogi farmers chose to work the soil using a technique called 'Green manuring'. This process involved growing a couple of cycles of a combination of legumes and non-legume crops. They started with strewing seeds before the monsoon and then after allowing them to grow they ploughed the plants and seeds back into the earth. After a few cycles of this exercise, they have managed to improve the soil quality considerably and have also succeeded in bringing back the earthworms (farmer's little friends that help aerate the soil) !! More on Green Manuring on Yogi Farms website.

Turmeric plants

Galangal ! ready for harvest

Among other experiments, they will be doing a lot of cross-planting where different types of plants are grown  in close proximity to compliment each other. They are also experimenting with high-density farming, which is a way to plant a few samplings of fruit trees in close proximity. These trees are then regularly pruned to keep them shorter in height but still productive. They explained to me that this works well in urban areas where space is limited and also solves the practical problem of harvesting produce from very large and spread out trees. They explained to me that they don't really actively do any pest-control other than employing natural means. For example, I was told that planting marigolds keep a certain type of pest away (can't remember the name but will return to that in a later post).. More on pest control the organic way, read here.

What I loved were their efforts to make the farm self-sufficient. They have planted the boundary with bamboo so they can meet their bamboo needs (to build framework for creepers and fragile plants). They are even planning to get their own cows and chicken to get fresh dump that new plants thrive on.

I loved how effortlessly they plan planting cycles. They grew some plants before the monsoon to harvest seeds for the coming season. I watched with a huge smile, as Yogita and Karan walked around the farm early in morning mapping how much sun is received at various parts so they can decide what to plant where. Reminded me of architects conducting first site visits :) They have also planted some shade loving palms at the farm's boundary with roots that can be eaten such as Colocassia and Elephant's foot.

Below are some more photos from Yogi Farm's 'Top 50' produce from last year. This year promises to be even more exciting and I can't wait to be an observer absorbing as much as I can...

Find Yogi Farms on the web and on Facebook.

Photos courtesy Yogi Farms.