Pongal, Sustainable Organic Natural Agriculture
During the auspicious Pongal (Tamil Harvest Festival) I want to present this article for farmers. As an environmental scientist and information technologist I could share my useful knowledge and experience for the benefit of the natural farming community. Farmers practicing natural methods have questions about plant diseases, weeds and pests (how to control them in a natural way). Natural methods are there for sure to control diseases, weed and pests: Neem, Cow manure, butter milk, garlic, turmeric, chilies, physical fly catchers, diatomaceous earth, row covers, crop rotation and integrated pest control can be used. You can google about each topic (along with natural pest control) and read more, understand and practice. One thing to note is our agricultural forefathers have been using these methods successfully. I have heard that the amount of yield was so high that they had to use elephants for removing husk from rice instead of bulls. They had mastered the natural farming te...