ramanadhan farm

The farm belonging to Molasur Ramanadhan reddiar is an multi crop farm.

The farm is fully fenced with iron poles made of Angles and wire fence .

The farm is irrigated with 3’ pipeline for the main line, 2*2.5’pvc pipes gate valve controlled submain and 1/2" PVC pipe for laterals with valves for zones.

Each zone serves at least 60 trees with 5 on each side of the submain which in turn runs on both sides of mainline serving two zones. The sub-main is controlled by gate valves. The submain runs for at least 6 tree rows.

1/2" PVC pipe supplies water to each tree, with control valves regulating flows if required. The 1/2" laterals take off from both the sides of the sub-main at each of the six rows, each serving atleast 5 trees.

Drip Irrigation system was thrown out due to insufficient watering, frequent damage to laterals due to rodents and water clogging etc. It is only used occassionaly to water smaller plants, if required.

Mr Ramanadhan has installed the entire irrigation system without subsidy and used JCB to dug out pipeline trenches. The entire planning was done without external consultants. The original irrigation system only had 3" mainline. At a later date, the sub-main and laterals were added.

Choosing crops along with their placement is done to ensure there is continous and regular income from the farm. He planted malai vembu to get yield in 45 years, vengai in 810 years, mahagony in 30~40 years, teak in 15-20 years and so on.

He has planted Jack fruit trees so that he can grow pepper at a later date.

He also carries out intercropping every year with short term crops.

He has bought a tractor only after 5 years of establshing the farm.

I visited Mr Ramanadhan’s farm for first time with omandur subramanian shortly after purchasing land at Thenkodipakkam .

Farm has teak, malai vembu, sandal, red sandal, mahagony, vengai, jack fruit, lemon, mosambi, fig, Coconut , banana, fodder crops etc…

The farm is fully chemical free with country cows.

Originally the farm had one well, and a new one has been dug recently with the dug out soil kept at one corner and later it was used to raise the height of accomodation area.

Need to understand from Ramanadhan sir on angle size, spacing, laying cost, vendor etc for the fence.