Ding machine for salGrowing Biodynamic Sugar Cane in India

[attachment=18174]
Growing Sugar Cane at Iskcon Farm

Jai Chaitanya Dasa has been developing some interesting ideas for growing sugar cane at Iskcon Farm, near Bangalore, Karnataka Southern India.
Firstly, he was unhappy with it being a monoculture, so he has devised ways of growing sugar cane in amongst rice paddy and vegetable crops. This also provides an extra income for the farmers with no extra work.
He saw that the main need of sugar cane was sunlight, not so much water, and so he next developed a way to open up the canes to allow more light in, plus increase production for a smaller plant out. He plants single ratoons out, and when the shoot is 2 ft high, he cuts it back to 3”, around the 2nd month. The sugar cane then coppices and grows 5 shoots, from the one plant and he is able to get the same yield as before with one cane per plant at 2x2 spacing per acre.


Soil Preparation:
Foundation dosage of 25-30 tonnes of Biodynamic Compost per acre
Form ridges and furrows ready for planting 2 feet by 2 feet
Prepare ratoons by pruning on an ascending day at end of ascending period
(see Biodynamic Calendar), ready to plant early descending period
Prepare stirred horn manure ( BD500) and CPP broadcast over area to be planted and also dip ratoons in prior to planting in descending period.
In India they grow one crop per year – Planting seasons Jan- Feb and Aug – Sept.
Following planting, throw in Crotalaria (Sunhamp) or legume seeds in the green manure area and strips between ratoons at the rate of 20-30 kg per acre.

1st month:
Water in Amrith Pani (See recipe) at the rate of 1 litre per ratoon in root zone.
CPP and vermiwash spray to whole area.
6 weeks: 501 (Horn Silica spray) to whole crop.

2nd month:
1st weeding. Add 2 tonnes compost per acre – sprinkle around.
CPP and vermiwash spray to whole area.

3rd month:
Cut Crotillaria half of height and mulch around canes.
Add Trichogramma Chelagiathes for stem borer control
CPP and vermiwash spray to whole area



Processing Sugar on Farm:
They can process one tonne of sugar daily from10 tonnes of sugar cane crushed.
At Iskcon Farm, a very simple method of juicing the cane, and boiling up the juice turns the juice into jaggery. Jaggery is made from the whole sugar juice, nothing is removed and all the nutrients that would normally be extracted into molasses are retained, making it a very healthful product.

• The juice runs from the crusher into 3in large 8ft wok like iron pans,

• The juice runs from one to the next, with a fire underneath. 1 ½ litres Okra (Ladys Finger) juice is added to first pan, to pull major residue out. And to every 7 ½ kg sugar juice, 100g lime is added, which also helps clarify syrup. The top of the syrup is cleared off as it cooks. 100 gms lime is for one pan which will contain juice crushed from 700 kilo of cane.

• Cook till 80’C, to the soft ball stage. 100ml caster oil is added before scooping. The hot syrup is then scooped into large wooden trays –see photographs. There it is pushed and pulled with paddles until it cools and becomes a soft powder. A bit like making fudge.


Addition in Vermi composting
Usually vermi compost is prepared in cement tanks under an industrial shed. This is costly hence, they are preparing the vermi compost directly in the field, under shade with facility to provide the moisture, like micro sprinklers. The vermicompost heap is made of 8 feet long ,3 feet wide, and 3 feet high. The heap is made in layers of dry matter (including dry twigs) , green matter and cow dung slurry from bio gas tanks. After the heap cools, which takes about 20 days, the heap is charged again as it has lost height. Then wait for another 15 days and release the worms (only first time). The heap is fully converted into worm casting within two months time. Before the heap is fully converted into casting, another similar heap is made parallel to the first one about 8 feet away. The heaps are kept moist by the micro sprinklers used for irrigating the existing horticultural crops.


Application of Biodynamic Preparations:
• Cow Horn manure (Prep 500) Four times per annum Twice in spring and autumn.
• Horn Clay 25g per acre used with 500.
• Cow Horn Silica (501) used morning following 500, 4 times per year at Moon opposition Saturn.
• CPP monthly to whole area
• 508 – used against Blaster in rice
• Casuarina and Castor Seed tea used as required as a fungicide in rice.
• Rock dust or granite dust used at the rate of 3 tonnes per acre – spread by hand at beginning of planting.