ROTATE YOUR CROPS FOR BETTER PRODUCTIVITY

The world is experiencing massive population growth which has led to struggle for resources as everyone eyes a piece of land to call his/her own.

This has led to massive land subdivision that has rendered productivity of land to diminish with time.

Viability of land has become an issue as the human race finds a place to shelter as well as farm for food to sustain their livelihood in this world.

In a previous post, I mentioned on why it is important to use farmyard manure on your farm so as to supply essential nutrients to support healthy crop growth.

A massively subdivided region in Kisii, Kenya

Today, I am emphasizing on the need to rotate the crops on your farm so as to give it time to recover the nutrients used by the previous crop.

Each crop requires specific nutrients from the soil and if crops are not rotated, that particular nutrient will be exhausted leaving you with a poor yield year in year out.

Even if the crops you rotate are not what you normally use as your stable food, you can sell it and purchase the food you prefer.

Growing one crop like a marathon on our farm will leave you with very little every other season.

So go ye and rotate crops on your farm.

DELIVER YOUR PRODUCE SAFELY TO THE MARKET

Small scale farmers need to take note when it comes to transportation of their produce to the market.

That’s why today I would like to caution you as a farmer to plan in advance on how your produce will get to the market to avoid total loss.

Passers by look at an overturned lorry carrying water melon

There may be accidents but try as much as possible to avoid it as this can drift you back to several steps.

If you are using a vehicle, ensure the driver is a qualified.

The route to use should be safe lest all you produce enjoyed by idlers on the road.

Have a safe delivery of your produce to the market

START HONEY PRODUCTION

Honey is one product from bees that is recommended by doctors as natural medicine to healing some diseases.

Despite its sweetness, it has no harm to the health of humans and to crown it all it’s the only food that never spoils.

Most people view bees as hazardous but you can turn those bees hanging on a tree to be beneficial.

Make several beehives or purchase some and install them just below the tree and soon enough the bees will discover a conducive environment to migrate to.

A transparent beehive used by a farmer to produce honey

Make sure the place for rearing bees is safe with regard to predators and disturbance that can agitate the bees and make them dangerous.

During harvesting, make sure you are in safe gear, that is, veil, gloves and a smoker to render the bees harmless.

Another thing you should not forget is to plant seasonal flowers to give the bees ample time in collecting nectar for honey preparation and then get ready to reap big.

Try it out.

TEA NURSERY

I have taken quite a while since my last post but this is due to an internet breakdown at the office but I am glad that it has been restored and we can share more on farming.

Today I would like to farmers who are venturing into tea farming and to be more specific, those preparing a tea nursery.

A tea nursery well protected

There are various sizes of tea nurseries but I would like to narrow down to a manageable size of 14feet (length) by six feet (width).

Your nursery should be sited near a water source, proper security, labor as well as a pest and disease free area.

You also require fitos, nails and dry grass to prepare a shade as well as vegetatively propagated (VP) plants and fertilizer (DAP, NPK )

A demonstration of various stages in a tea nursery

One unit can carry up to 1200VP plants which should be constantly watered and ensure you do thorough disease and pest control.

Your seedlings should be ready for transplanting after six months

STOREY KALE GROWING

I greet you all hoping you are doing well with your farming activities. Today I will like to tackle an area that is currently picking up among town residents.

Given the escalating prices of basic goods and vegetables, we find ourselves forgoing other lucrative expenses so as to put food on the table.

A storey of kales on a sack of soil

The little space you have can be turned into a storey farm simply by stacking soil in a sack and growing some vegetables like kales on it.

All you need is fertile soil probably from your rural home and you are good to start off growing your own greens without having to till land.

The seedlings are planted from sides round the sack and watered from time to time which is an easy task.

Next time you go the rural home, remember to carry a sack of soil alongside that sack of charcoal.