scaling up vegetables

in the move towards fukuoka, we had mentioned that we had broadcast one field with green manure seeds.

more than 1.5 months later, here is how the field looked.



we have agreed to permanently split this field into a vegetable part and a grain part.
this post is about the preparation of the former using the trench and mound method.
the challenge was how to clear the field.
the green manure and the weeds (growing through the mulch) had to be cleared.
the poser was "to uproot or not to uproot?"
just going with the simple understanding that uprooting is another form of ploughing, we sickled the field via the carpet-roll technique.



the the trench digging and mounding the dirt.



adding some compost and levelling the bed.



and it grows


and then the sickled carpet is rolled back as mulch.




a total of 5 beds. each around 50 feet long and 3 feet wide.
it took us over 7 hours for 4 people to get it done.

the bed makers and trench diggers. (that is sid in the red tee who spent 5 wonderful work-filled days at pR)


candidates for these beds - okra, radish, carrot, tomato, brinjal, cluster beans, lettuce, cabbage...should keep us busy and healthy :-)
will keep updating this one.