The natural tiller and friend to the organic farmers

Preserving eco-system is possible through Organic farming: we protect earthworms in the soil and in return they give us soil fertility. In fact, this amazing small creature helps us to make our own “vermicompsot” Bio-fertilizer.

A long time ago, we could find EarthWorms in any farming soils during the mouldboard ploughing. Today, it is no longer the case. The depletion can find its explanation on chemicals farming as the usage of fertilizers and excessive pesticides have progressively kill them. Added to the actual drought in Tamil Nadu, also exacerbated by inorganic farming the small farmer's friend slowly disappeared.

However, Earthworm are known to have a significant positive impact on crop yield as they act as a natural waste manager of the land, as it can improve the water holding capacity, and the moisture content. Compared to any other species, Earthworms have a specifical metabolism molecule called "drilodefensis" that can decay and breakdown some roots and leaves that other animals cannot digest. For the farmers, it means that 50 to 70% of soil borne diseases present in various vegetables can be avoid just by the silent presence in the soil.

In conventional farming, the harvesting season let place to fire in order to return the soil easily. The practice  is not only bad for the air pollution but also for the land, while collecting dry leaves can provide nutrients to the Earthworms and helping them to naturally recycling the waste. In small Organic Farms, it is possible to produce their proper vermicompost by keeping fresh banana leaves in shedding area, protecting from the light.

The fresh leaves can be covered by semi-decomposed cow dung which will procure direct nutrients for the worms. Next step consists on spreading water in order to keep moisture level and a best environment for worms. The temperature levels should not increase or decreased suddenly as the worm are too sensitive to this change.

You can now introduce the earthworms to their new habitats, and recover them with dry leaves to protect them from dry and predators. After 25 days, the surface can be carefully removed and filtered in order to remove worms and stones. The vermicompost is now ready to act as a bio-input for vegetables and fruits plants.

Water scarcity can be tackled only by Organic Farming

Drought has started spread in Tamil Nadu, and the WaterAid Trust has just dropped a bomb shell regarding global warming in their statement: "Rural Farming communities will struggle to grow food and feed livestock amid soaring temperatures". To combat drought in Tamil Nadu, organic farming could be one of the solutions to reduce water consumption. In the World Water Day, let us go greener and healthier.

Tamil Nadu is facing the worst drought since 140 years, a calamity for the conventional farmers. Monsoon one more time failed to quench the soil and did not re-fill the ground water sources. A strike wasorganized recently in Jantar Mantar (New-Delhi) by 170 farmers to reclaim government assistance taking the skulls of farmers who committed suicide, as a witness of their distress.

If El- Nino phenomena can be blamed for this natural disaster, some external factors made the problem even worst.  With the city rising, real estates have been largely profitable at the expense of forests. Scientists recently found that vegetation could contribute to almost 90% of the moisture in the atmosphere that can provoke precipitation. The same study shows that winds travelling through the forest rather than the open-land produce twice as much rain.

Organic farming is another way to not overload the environment. First of all, agripreneurs checked out the carbon level of the land, higher it is, healthier the soil is. Micro-organism will contribute to the oxygenation of the land, making it more fertile. In the opposite excessive amount of pesticides removes the natural ability of the land to absorb water and to stay oxygenated. When organic farmers follow the natural path of the environment, the land is progressively re-energized.

In organic farming practices every products is re-used in the land as Panchakavya or fish fertilizer. Rain water can also be harvested and stock as it was previously by tanks. Few time before his death, G.Nammalvar decided to restore old tank in a village, in order to harvest water during monsoon time, necessary to face rude summer. However, the improper constructions allied to the lack of tank management have made difficult these oldest practices. The few amount of water coming from the rain is simply lost in an unquenchable thirst for the cultivated lands.

After three years of efforts, and without needed any additional cost, the soil will be able to absorb less water for a better and healthier production. With natural bio-inputs, farmers do not need to get credit from bank, and do not risk their life. The work is harder than traditional farmers and constant efforts are necessary to achieve sustainability, but in the era of drought it is one of the solutions, each one can find to reduce water consumption.

Awareness comes from wisdom; Let us celebrate World Consumer Rights Day

India detains the unfortunate record in terms of diabetes patients’ number; however it is not necessarily due to your diets, sedentary lifestyle, or even from a genetic predisposition, but to the chemicals spread in the vegetables, fruits and rice you eat. Already, in India 28 pesticides were banned since 2014 for manufacturing, importing and using. Despite, the risk for our health and environment, some fruits still contains excessive dosage of chemicals.

Since a decade issue has been raised about divers pesticides as the Organophosphate (OP) which is provocating an elevation of glucose, and responsible for different type of diabetes. It took a while before the scientist community found the link between the pesticides and the highest diabetes representation amongst the farmers’ community. Finally, the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee banned the OP in 2015.

Previously, another pesticide has also disappeared from Indian farming lands: the Endosulfan responsible for foetus malformation and divers health problems. Despite of its ban in 2004 in the State of Kerala, the Kerala Pollution Control Board revealed the presence of the chemicals in the ground water. In 2011, the ban was extend throughout the country.

If the risk is not clearly expressed to the customers, farmers also continue to pour pesticides and chemical fertilizers without proper equipment. The grievous like situation appears lately in farmer’s families or through some cancers in the retirement age, without the possibility to link both events.

The one and only way to protect farmers as well as consumers is to come back to the natural way of farming. Bio-inputs or pest control can only keep the soil healthy without damaging the crops. 

Droughts are also increased by chemicals that destroyed micro-organism and increase the Ph level of the soil. As a result, the plant absorbs fewer nutrients from the land, and the outcome does not only contain chemicals residues but are also less nutritive and healthy.

For this World Consumer Rights Day, we would like to recall the strong path that organic farmers start by engaging themselves to a more sustainable farming. Thanks to them, we are happy to delivers healthy organic vegetables and fruits from the farm to the customer's plate.

Reinstate food security on International women's day

             From the organic Indian farms to the street market, thousands of Indian women are working hard to provide to their customers and families the healthiest food possible. However in India, 55% of women are suffering from anemia due to nutritional deficiencies and only 24% in men.

              Anemia is a condition in which the numbers of red blood cells or their oxygen -carrying capacity is insufficient to meet physiological needs, which vary by age, sex, location, smoking and pregnancy status. We can identify three levels of anemia by measuring the level of hemoglobin concentration: Mild from 11.9 g/dl to 10 g/dl is concerning 25% to 44% of the Indian women, moderate between 9.9 g/dl to 7g/dl is concerning  5% to 20% of the Indian women, and severe when the concentration is inferior to 7g/dl concerns 3% or less of the Indian women.

             The Iron - Deficiency Anemia (IDA)  affected particularly women due to the loss of blood during menstruation, and can have dramatic consequences during pregnancy like foetal deaths, a pre-term or underweight baby. Anemia is not easily perceptible in the primary step of the disease as it bring fatigue (lack of energy), headache, and really soon shortness of breath, heart palpitation, numbness, low body temperature and in a really severe case spoon shaped nails.

             Iron can be find in red meat, and mostly in organs like the liver. Yet, most of the Indian diet is vegetarian, however it is richer in the non-haem iron, the body cannot easily absorb this iron.

Here is some food that can increase the level of iron without keeping the surplus:

     Dried fruits

(Dried dates, raisins or apricots are rich in vitamin C and iron that can help to assimilating iron.)

     Daal

(Lentils are rich in amino-acids, proteins and iron but also magnesium and folates. In brief, it the healthiest food for your heart. One single cup can covered 37% of the dail needs of iron.)

   Soybeans

(Rich in minerals, proteins, fibers and unsaturated fat that will protect the arteries. One cup can contain 8.8 mg of iron.)

    Brown Rice

(Brown Rice is rich in antioxidants, fibers and minerals like iron but also selenium known for preventing from cancers, heart diseases and arthritis.)

      

       Potatoes

(Potatoes are both rich in iron and vitamin C that can help in assimilation of iron. It can also reduce the blood pressure and minerals may help to reduce rhumatism and inflammation.)

         Peas

(Peas also contains vitamin C and iron better for the assimilation. It contains other huge amount of minerals, vitamin K and B good for the heart.)

          Spinach

(All varieties of spinach contains iron, but the most effective one is the Pasalai Keerai. Rich in vitamins C and A, it can protect the bones and calm gastric ulcers.)

Be healthy with First Organics

Basic cooking Tips from First Organics

Staying healthy is not all about choosing organic food, it is also about cooking. Here are some tips to prepare a delicious and healthy organic meal with @FirstOrganics!

Indian food is basically healthy with its huge amount of vegetables, whole grains and rice or small pieces of meat. Generally steamed, or cooked in an enclosed environment, the vegetables preserve all their nutrients that your body desperately needs, while boiling would have vanished 60 to 70% of the nutrients in the water. However, some bad habits can destroy the nutritional value of your favorite meals.

First of all, it is the oil quantity. In India, we are generous when it comes to adding oil, which can be different from one region to another. In North, mustard oil is common, while South prefers Sesame oil. However both do not react similarly in higher temperature and cannot be used for frying. Usually, two teaspoons of oil per person and per day are more than enough, but we generally do not count like that.

Stir-frying the meat or vegetables can be good in a wok (Kadai), a bowl-shaped used in Chinese cuisine that allowed the food to be cooked quickly with less oil. Yet, the meat like the vegetables must be cut in small and regular pieces.

There are some steps to make sure that your gravies are at least healthier than you could think at first glance. If you are trying to make Onion Pakoda prefers rice flour for the dough in order to reduce oil absorption. Nevertheless, the most important while frying remains the oil. The Rice Bran Oil is the perfect one for deep frying, but can be superseded by the cheapest Sunflower oil. Although the oil you used will not really matter if you don't keep it clean during all the frying process. Keep a spoon to remove over fried particles on the oil, that can be unhealthy and provoked a bad taste or smell to the food. Finally, drain the food in an absorbing paper to reduce excess fat.

Now, you know how to make healthy fried vegetables or meat, but still one bad habits can damaged your plate’s nutritive values: Salt. Excess sodium on your body can increase the blood pressure; damage your kidneys, provoke stomach ulcers and cognitive decline. Hence, it is preferable to not cross the limit of 1 teaspoon of salt per person and per day to stay healthy.

While some nutrients presents in vegetables like spinach, tomatoes, or carrots are more active in heat, eating raw food, particularly when it is organic fruits, is another way to get all the nutritive values we need.

So stay healthy with our fresh organic store @FirstOrganics!

Organic Farming, a Sustainable Business

Seven years ago, Selvi and her family have been trained into organic practices. Unfortunately, the death of their trainer two years before halted their organic production. Her husband moved to city, the mother met some agripreneurs from SAAL, and move once again into organic farming, multi-cropping and bio pest-control.

While men are leaving rural side of Tamil Nadu looking for a better job, their wives stay to find a way for making their life sustainable. Among 80 % of Indian women living in countryside are working in agriculture field like Selvi, an organic farmer living in the rural part of Pudukottai.

The small farm has a good production of Tomatoes, Chilies, Coriander, Spinach, Radish, Ridge Gourd & Tapioca enough to sustain the entire family. The nearby village was not easily convinced about the cost-efficiency of organic farming, but it was reckoned without the motivation of Selvi to create a model-farm with a constant economy circulation allowed by multi-cropping. Like a viable circle following the nature cycle of tomatoes, chilies, then spinach yield near to the water canal, etc. all one at a time.

Few years ago, Selvi and her family were forced to sale their vegetables in Ponnapamari, a selling place for half of the market price. Since she entered on First Organics network through SAAL, she does not need to travel anywhere as the company comes and collects goods for the full market price. The most sustainable business for Selvi, who does not want to switch to conventional farming anymore.

Problems in consuming processed food

           Be healthy, eat organic. Fine, but for most of the consumers the problem remains on the price. Why eating organic food should be expensive if farmers do not use any chemicals or pesticides? The price of organic food is generally fixed according to the production. If a conventional yield can produce the exact amount of products it should do, this is not how organic production works.  Submitted to the pest damages and birds, the production may be less that what was expected, and the price needs to balance the production loss.

            However, some food habits may keep the cost affordable as eating seasonal, local and fresh food. Unprocessed products or "whole food" are coming directly from the farm to your plate, without transformation or add of preservatives and salts. Keeping the purity of the fruits and vegetables can keep their vitamins alive with the full antioxidants properties. In result it increase the energy and ease the digestion.

             Processed food contains generally huge amount of sodium for conservation process and hydrogenated oils, while "Whole food" with preserved nutrients are keeping diseases away, and keep you healthy. Eating fresh fruits, or just lightly cooked vegetables maintain all health benefits, and large amount of fibers it can contain, stimulating weight loss.

Finally it is the full sustainable way to consume as organic farmers directly benefited from their production, and consumers eat what their bodies really need.

We care farms, farmers and families! Stay healthy with First Organics!

4 Benefits of eating seasonal vegetables

While implementing organic practices in the field, local plants appeared as the most sustainable choice we could make in all our farms. Native crops consume less water, and can even survived for a week without a single drop. The resistance of the plant is increased by the seasonal cultivation.

By mixed cropping, our organic farmers use less land for a better production. Rice in combination with seasonal vegetables can keep the soil healthy, without exhausting the minerals it contains.

Here are 4 other benefits of consuming seasonal vegetables.

1) Less expense

For the consumers, seasonal vegetables may have lot of benefits but the first one is the price. Following the season can help to reduce the shopping bill, as the production is on peak.

2) The taste

Nature follows a proper cycle and provide the minerals and micro-elements we need accordingly. In summer, fruits and vegetables are sweet, and can hydrate our bodies. It does not only has a better taste, but it is better for your health too.

3) Eco-friendly

Fresh vegetables harvested in natural time are not only seasonal, they are also local. It means that we reduce the carbon foot print made by the travel from the farm to your supermarket until your home sweet home. Finally, shopping local and seasonal will avoid pesticides and GMO on your plate.

4) Sustainability

Affordable seasonal vegetables are preferred by small farmers for their production/cost relations. Adding the seasonal produce to your plate can support small farms and village community.

We care farms, farmers and families. 

We craft organic vegetables from, farm to plate only for you……

How to make farming profitable for farming communities? As we previously told SAAL successfully converted and trained farmers to organic practices with the help of agripreneurs. The question that remained was to sell this organic production to the local people, how to remove the idea from their mind that organic vegetable is anything more than an expensive vegetable.

                                  (SAAL participated on the SorOptimist Orgnaic Expo-2015)

In 2015, the chance was given by SorOptimist International - Madurai, an association of women formed in 2009 from the worldwide NGO helping underprivileged women and girls across the world. Hearing about the work made by SAAL with farmers, the organization invited them for a 3-Days exhibition about organic products available locally. An occasion for people to know about eco-friendly companies.

                                              (SAAL demonstrate to consumer in the Expo)

With 50 million people suffering from diabetes, according to the WHO estimation, healthy food is not a light topic in India. Students from colleges, but also doctors and diabetic patients showed more interest into organic fruits and vegetables during the visit. The message started to expand while the numbers of food adulteration in India is the greatest fear of food conscious consumers.

If the first visitors kept their enthusiasm for a while, tasting organic was enough to adopt our products. The full concept of SAAL, the permanent and sustainable solutions it offered to farmers until it reaches consumer's plate, this idea seeded to First Organics. We are proud to bring you the best all the benefits of pure organically grown fruits and vegetables, with fair share to farmers. But the better way to convince you is to, taste our product with us! 

By Audrey Durgairajan 

First Organics 

Educating and transforming farmers- Milestone achievement

In First Organics, we strongly believe that organic agriculture is a foolproof process. But, we also know that farmers on the field cannot spend a minimum of three month training in our office at Madurai. This is how 70 young men and women mostly from underprivileged farming communities joined the team to spread their organic advices in remote villages. Principal link between SAAL and farmers, Agripreneurs have to document every steps of the organic transformation.

                                  (Easy to test soil health by carbon kit for #organicfarming)

After many years of intensive chemical usage, the land is not directly ready to grow any plant. Most of the lands remain dry even after removing all chemicals, and need to be replenished. In order to know, how much sick the soil is, Agripreneurs must start to control the carbon level of the land.

A low carbon level indicates that no living organism or humus is in your soil. In Tamil Nadu, most of the land needs water; hence it is increase by perishing of the soil. Worms are, then, not playing their ploughing roles anymore. In order to create humus, farmers scatter cow dung and biodegradable waste.

After harvesting, the plant is normally removed and turned in order to ventilate the land. Thus new plantation should be in other part of the land. Agripreneurs used to control if the soil is rich enough, and if local seeds are planted. For example: native vegetables consume less water for the lands, while non-native plants consume more water. Native or local vegetables are more adaptable and profitable.

By

Audrey Durgairajan

First Organic Pvt Ltd

How traditional bio input reduces farming overheads?

Bio-inputs used in all organic vegetables at Firstorganics

In agriculture like in any other business a smart investment is better than a huge one. Hence, for Mr Veluchammy, a farmer from Karadikal, organic farming was certainly the smartest investment he made in his farm as its yield doubled: "To get this result I just used 1 dose of organic growth promoter, while I used 2 doses with chemical inputs. It's a double profit for me because I invested really few and get higher yield profit."

To double its profit, Mr Veluchammy does not need anything else that what he already had in his farm. Before that chemical method overran the Indian agriculture lands, farmers were traditionally making "Panchakavyam", a natural growth promoter and repellent. This method require only 20 days.

To cover 1 acre, a farmer just needs: 3 Kg of coconut dunk, some jaggery or sugar waste mixed with 500 ml of water, 200 ml of ghee. These 3 ingredients must be mixed by hand to be perfectly blended, each morning and evening during 4 days.

In the 5 th day, few elements must be added: 500 ml of curd, 200 ml of raw milk (should not be heat in order to keep all bacteria alive), 1 kg of coconut water, 1 kg of decomposed fruits (like papaya or banana), 1 liter of degraded juice, and 2 liters of cow urine. Added with 25 liters of water, it needs to be mixed to remove any lumps, and perfectly closed. If the air did not spoil the mixture, farmers will get the natural promoter after 15 days of fermentation.

Finally, the bio input can be spray to the land without any risk of damaging the soil or the yield.

By Audrey Durgairajan

#Firstorganics

When organic farming inspired science

Organic farming may sometimes be seen as an exact science for SAAL's agripreneurs. Depending on many factors like the soil and seeds quality, pest control, water management, our food system will be insure. The complementarity of both disciplines was clear enough to experiment a new kind of model farm linked to the rural science department of the Arul Andar College campus located at Karumathur in Madurai. For a year, the model farm became a research station for farmers, professors, and students curious to implement new skills on their field.

                                             (Border cropping in #organic farming)

Under the guidance of SAAL,the students started to monitor each step of cultivation. “We collected soil samples from the field for soil testing, these samples are sent to lab to ascertain nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels —as well as the pH level of the soil and possibly the organic-matter levels, by this test we can ascertain the condition of the soil health.”explains Mr John, the model farm in charge. Due to uncounted years of conventional farming, the soil may not be fertile enough. Hence, usage of natural mulching, compost, bio-inputs and crop rotation are necessary to replenish the land.

                                                (Solar light trap in #organic farming)

However, nature needs time to cure from chemicals, between 90 to 120 days are necessary to be restored with traditional methods as Panchakavya, a bio-inputs made from  fish amino acid and egg amino acids “The model farm does not practice mono cropping, instead we follow mixed farming & rotational to retain the soil health. We used border crops to control the pests, and we also make indigenous bio-pesticides, which exclusively made from some specific plants; other than this we use solar light traps to capture the harmful insects in the field. We use yellow card trap, as these methods do not disturb the biodiversity in the field.” pursued Mr Johns.

                                                          (Bio-inputs in #organic farming)

From the model farm and the good maintenance from the college's students, farmers were able to witness how organic farming can help them: “The college campus has lot of trees, we used to dump these shred leaves in a pitch and create compost or for mulching purposes; by these ways we cut the farming overheads. Other than this we make bio-inputs ourselves from the animal waste available from the campus poultry. This will replenish and enhance the soil and plant growth, with retaining optimum nutritive values.” said Mr Palanichamy, agripreneur. After one year of practice, the project had left an indelible mark of new hope to the farmers and students who implemented organic farming.  


By Audrey Durgiarajan