AN INTRODUCTION TO VEDIC FARMING METHODS

AN INTRODUCTION TO VEDIC FARMING METHODS

India had ancient wisdom of farming since beginning of human civilization. It came from enlightened Rishis who lived in forests and understood all the rhythms of nature. One of these great rishis was Parashara but there were many others who taught the art and science of cultivation as per Vedic science. In modern times Mohan Deshpande has propagated this method which is called ‘zero budget farming’ as the raw materials to produce amazing crops, amazing soil fertility and no trouble from pests is close to zero. One comes to understand why the cow was ‘sacred’ in Vedic civilization as through the profound alchemy in her physiology, the cow gives us dung and urine which are amazing medicines and amazing food and medicine for all crops. So the cow was the centre of the Vedic village and is the centre of Rishi Krishi. Outside of India and even in modern India this profound connection with the cow is sadly being lost but we are working hard to raise awareness so all may see how life can be conducted with nature and without having to harm or destroy any life so all may have ample food. Even in the most deserted of soils one can revive with these methods below.

For cow it is recommended to use traditional cow of India not the hybrids that are becoming popular in India and also found mostly outside of India.

ANGARA PREPARATION

Angara is an earthworm seeding preparation. To make it’s selection easy one uses soil from beneath a Banyan tree which has ample fruits and very fertile root systems including the roots that drop which have fertility promoting substances (for man and soil). If Banyan trees are not available or the soil beneath your Banyans is too dry to allow earthworms then looks for other earthworm rich soil to prepare the angara from. You can also start an earthworm cultivation program if the above is not available or possible.

15kg soil from the base of a banyan tree (per acre of farmland)

If you are in an area where the soil is hard packed under the Banyan trees then use soil from places where earthworms are present during the rainy season. The soil does not have to have live earthworms per say.

COATING OF SEEDS BEFORE PLANTING

Coat all seeds with honey and ghee mixture 1:1 before sowing

The coating of seeds with honey and ghee is given by the Rishis. This provides a powerful boost to the potencies of the seeds and helps them germinate and gives a crop that is strong and resistant to disease for it’s entire life.

BULB PREPARATION

Coat all bulbs with wet cow dung before sowing

AMRITPANI

This is a special herbal nectar water that is fed to the soil to improve it’s nutrition and bring more vitality (prana) to the soil. 

Use 200 litres of AMRITPANI per acre of farm land
250g pure cows ghee from indigenous cows
500g of organic raw unheated honey
10kg of fresh cow dung from indigenous cows
200 litres of water

Procedure:

Mix the ghee and the dung first well
Blend the honey into this mixture
Add the 200l water stirring all the time

How to use:

• Plant sugarcane, turmeric, ginger after dipping into the amritpani
• For all seedlings dip the roots into amritpani before planting
• When watering crops mix amritpani in stirring all the time
• When planting fruit trees, wet around the area with amritpani

Notes:

If the soil is very salty and of poor quality use Amritpani more frequently with extra doses.

SEED DRESSING PASTE

Mix ANGARA with AMRITPANI making it into a thick paste.

When planting any hard seeds such s rice, wheat, corn, okra etc., mix the paste with the seeds in a sifting pan and keep on rotating the pan till the seeds are well coated with the paste. Dry the seeds in the shade and use as needed.

For soft seeds such as mung etc. sprinkle the paste lightly on the seeds and use immediately.

COW URINE AND NEEM

Keep bottles of cow urine (from indigenous cows) in sunlight and mix with neem extract (see below) for spraying crop as a preventative measure for insects. Mix 150ml of the COW URINE NEEM EXTRACT solution in 15l of water. 60l of this solution is enough for 1 acre.

NEEM EXTRACT

Soak 14-20kg of small bunches of neem branches in 150-200l of water. Keep in the shade for 4 days. You can also dilute this with water after filtration if required.

If neem leaves are not available take 4-5kg of neem oil cake and soak, filter and dilute as above.

Cow urine and neem spray is an effective anti-pest measure.

BUTTERMILK

For nightshades and cowpea you can spray the leaf with sour buttermilk with neem extract.

MULCHING

Mulch can be made from help plants that are sowed a few months before the main crop. Also sugar cane bagasse can be used as a much. Mulching is very important.

PEST CONTROL

Cow urine from indigenous cow breeds is an excellent pest control method. Spray it weekly once as a preventative measure. If you store it in glass bottles for some time the potency will improve. You can keep the bottles in sunlight.

To make a spray solution dilute 20% cow urine and 80% water and spray weekly even if the plants are healthy as a preventative measure.

Neem extract mixed with cow urine is even more effective for pest control.

To prepare the neem extract proceed as follows:

• Soak 20kg of neem branch bunches in 200l of water
• Allow this to stand in shade for 4 days
• Filter and dilute with water 1:1 (it can also be used neat)

Note: If neem leaves are not available you can use 4-5kg of neem oil cake.

You can alternate with the cow urine and neem extract preparations for pest control and for treating all sorts of plant diseases.

Buttermilk can be used with neem extract and cow urine for leaf curl disease.

Embelia Rives decoction:

• Boil 250g of embelia rives berries with 2l of water till it has reduced to 20%
• Dilute 1:10 with water to prepare a herbal spray

Use this for all fruit crops it helps produce healthy produce.

Orris root decoction:

• Boil 250g of Verkhand(vasambhu in tamil) pieces with 2l of water till reduced 20%
• Dilute in 200l of water and feed it to the soil through irrigation water

This can be used to keep snakes and scopions out of the farm and also to prevent white grubs from sugar cane crops.

Smoke Treatment:

To manage white fly you can burn organic matter near the crop so the winds will blow it over the farm.

Units of measure: 

1 acre = 4 046.85642 m2 vis 63m x 63m

Crops	Dressing Methods
Wheat, jawar, rice and cotton	Mix a small amount of muck of the muck with the seeds and gently shake in a flat pan such that the seeds get a thin coat of the muck. Dry these in shade and use as per the convenience at proper planting time.
Lentils like tuvar, moong, chawli, masur, matki, gram, soybean, ground-nut etc.	Seeds are lightly sprinkled with the Angara Amrutpani muck and immediately sown.
Turmeric, sugarcane, ginger and potato	Dip the seed in Amrutpani before planting. Sprinkle the angara on the soil.
Chilli, onion, cabbage, cauliflower, tobacco	These seeds must not be directly dressed with the Angara - Amrutpani mixture. The angara is spread on the seed beds before seeding and the Amrutpani is mixed with the water used for wetting the beds or into the irrigation water for the bed. However, while transplanting dip root portion of the seedlings into Amrutpani.