Building a Chicken Coop: Want to Join in?
We are planning to build a Chicken Coop at our Farm. The photo above is an inspiration and want to build something along similar lines. We intend to build it with as much local materials available in the village. If you are someone who likes to build things, someone who gets a high by getting busy with DIY (Do-it-Yourself) projects, we’d love to have you join us.
Rajendran, a talented carpenter from our village will be guiding us in building the Chicken coop. So, we are in very capable and safe hands.
We have already bought a pair of Turkey chicks and Guinea Fowls ( which escaped today !!) and intend to have a large bunch of country hens and cocks. While the intention clearly is to raise them as free-range, we want to have a nice night shelter built for them.
We plan to start constructing the Chicken Coop from next week. I suspect that this may take anywhere from two weeks to a month to finish it. If you are interested in joining us during any of the weekends or even longer, give me a shout at Kiruba(at)Kiruba.com. You can stay at our farmhouse and we go dutch with food.
This will be a fun project to work on.
Inviting Volunteers to Vaksana Farms on June 15 & 16
Over the weekend of June 15 & 16, we are inviting people who are passionate about farming to come be part of the farming activities at our village. Vaksana farms is an idyllic 9 acre farm set in a beautiful village called Rettanai, near Tindivanam. You can learn more at http://Kiruba.com/farm
This volunteering opportunity would be ideal for people who are exploring farming as a way of life or for city folks who want to experience rural life.
So, here’s the plan. We leave for the farm from Chennai at 7pm on Friday evening. On Saturday and Sunday, we wake up early and get ourselves busy with lots of activities. We start back to Chennai at 6pm on Sunday evening. (If you think you can come only for one day, that’s also fine.)
Transportation
We all meet up at Koyambedu bus stand at 7pm on Friday night and take a bus to Tindivanam and then to Rettanai. There are plenty of buses available. All buses that go to Villupuram, Trichy or Madurai is good for us. This is a cheaper option and all of us pay our own fares.
Accommodation
Accommodation is taken care of. We have a lovely small house right in the middle of the farm. It has a large hall and a mezzanine dorm. We recently got electricity connect but the power is off half the time.
Food
We typically buy food from a hotel in the nearby town. We go dutch and food is fairly inexpensive. Alternatively, we have a working kitchen and we can attempt to do group cooking. Will be lots of fun.
Activities
OK, here’s what we plan to do over the weekend.
1) Plan and plant a complete living fence. ( a fence made completely from plants)
2) Plant fruit saplings to create a mini food-forest ecosystem.
3) Mulch and manure the fruit tree saplings.
4) Build a balcony railing from Bamboo stems.
5) Prepare Panchakavya (organic manure) for the farm.
If this sounds interesting, do join us to volunteer at the farm. You can reach me at Kiruba@Kiruba.com. Look forward to having a very productive, sweaty, fun-filled weekend !!
Announcing The Bucket-List Bootcamp
Pic: ThinkContra
I’m a big believer in bucket-lists. I remember I made a list on the eve of the year 2000 and when I turn back and look at the list, it has really defined me as a person. It has given me the right clarity and focus in pushing forward.
I have been meaning to do a retreat focused on chalking out things that we truly want to pursue in our lives. Thus was born The Bucket-List Bootcamp. More info at http://Kiruba.com/bucketlist
While its easy for us to write down the list ourselves, its far more difficult to follow up and turn them into reality. Just like how training for a marathon as a group makes it easy, gunning for our goals makes it possible with the right team. The goal of the bootcamp is to invite 15 very motivated individuals with lots of hunger to pursue their passion together and help form a self-supporting group. Each of us will push others to achieve our goals.
The event takes place at my 9 acre farm, a nice, quiet, idyllic place to relax and plan our life. More about the place at http://Kiruba.com/farmstay
The event takes place on September 14 & 15, 2013. We are currently inviting application to select the best 15 people. If you are interested, I encourage to apply at http://Kiruba.com/bucketlist/bootcamp. Click on the ‘Apply’ button. Once selected, each participant makes a door donation of Rs.3000 which will be spent towards workshop materials, resource persons, fresh organic farm fresh meals, accommodation, local travel and excursion to Gingee Fort. There’s option to make the payment in installments if you need flexibility in payment.
Do you know a person who can benefit from this? Please do share the word around. Thank you in advance.
WWOOF !! Vaksana Farms is now part of the International Volunteer Group
Its great news that our Farm has been accepted to be part of the WWOOF network, a global volunteer group specializing in farming. WWOOF is present in 99 countries around the world. What this means is that it opens doors for international travelers visiting India to come stay and volunteer at our farm.
International Volunteers.
This is almost like Couchsurfing with a pure farming focus! Having been part of the Couchsurfing experience, I can vouch that the best part of this is the cultural exchange and the chance to get new ideas.
Volunteers get a chance to work at the farm for 5 to 6 hours a day and in return they get to experience the rural life and live the life of a farmer. They get to be part of the family. Their stay and food are taken care of. People can stay at the farm anywhere from two days to three months.
There are many farms in India that encourage this type of volunteering. If you are interested in knowing more, visit WWOOF India
Volunteering Opportunity at Vaksana Farms
This coming weekend of April 13 & 14, we are inviting people who are passionate about farming to come be part of the farming activities at our village. Vaksana farms is an idyllic 9 acre farm set in a beautiful village called Rettanai, near Tindivanam.
This volunteering opportunity would be ideal for people who are exploring farming as a way of life or for city folks who want to experience rural life.
Recently, I was part of an organic farming workshop where a bunch of people passionate about farming got-together. Working on the farm became such a fun activity because of the bonding and team work. That’s when I decided to open up my farm too for people. Its a great win-win situation.
So, here’s the plan. We leave for the farm from Chennai at 7pm on Friday evening. On Saturday and Sunday, we wake up early and get ourselves busy with lots of activities. We start back to Chennai at 6pm on Sunday evening.
Transportation
Option 1: We all meet up at Koyambedu bus stand at 7pm on Friday night and take a bus to Tindivanam and then to Rettanai. There are plenty of buses available. All buses that go to Villupuram, Trichy or Madurai is good for us. This is a cheaper option and all of us pay our own fares.
Option 2: We car-pool. It’ll be a fun road-trip. We share the fuel cost. Gives us flexibility for us to check out a few farms on the way.
Either of the two options is good.
Accommodation
Accommodation is taken care of. We have a lovely small house right in the middle of the farm. It has a large hall and a mezzanine dorm. There’s no electricity in the farm and this is a blessing in disguise. Its a very unique experience.
Food
We typically buy food from a hotel in the nearby town. We go dutch and food is fairly inexpensive. Alternatively, we have a working kitchen and we can attempt to do group cooking. Will be lots of fun.
Activities
OK, here’s what we plan to do over the weekend.
1) Plan and plant a complete living fence. ( a fence made completely from plants)
2) Take care of the Millet and Paddy nursery.
3) Plant mango and coconut saplings at the fruit orchard.
4) Mulch and manure the fruit tree saplings.
5) Crete a balcony railing from Bamboo stems.
6) Plough and till the land and create 3×10 feet vegetable beds.
If you are game, please call me at 9841597744 or email me at Kiruba @ Kiruba.com. Look forward to having a very productive, sweaty, fun weekend !!
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