My passion in understanding native Indian cows such as the famed but increasingly rare breed of Kasargod cows led me to Perla, a village in the interiors of Kasargod district, where I had the good privilege of meeting Mr. Nekkaarakaleya Subrahmanyaprasad. Mr. Prasad has been working for the preservation and upliftment of the Kasargod breed for a long time in association with the Gau Bank of Hosanagara Ramachandrapura mutt. The mutt…
How to build a Cow Shed with Natural Materials
How to build a Cow Shed with Natural Materials Building a small structure is not a difficult task if you are from rural area or if you have some trees, mud and some natural materials around. It is ideal that cows don’t sleep on cement flooring. Chances are very high they will develop issues with their legs. Most of the cows nowadays sleep on rubber mats. Identify the soil and…
World’s Biggest and Heaviest Tuber Vegetable: Food Security for the underprivileged
It’s a myth that organic farming yields less. To some extent it is correct, at least in Kerala. Kerala is blessed with bountiful rains, so normal vegetables like tomatoes, beans, chillies, onion etc barely survive, leave aside fruiting. However one thing that grows and yields well are tubers. Greater yams (Dioscorea alata) being one among them.In the past few decade’s various people have successfully harvested massive roots of yam, greater…
Why are Nursery Grown Plants and Trees Unhealthy?
Have you ever wondered why plants planted and nurtured on their own are healthy and yield well without pest attack and other problems? First let’s understand why nature-grown trees are healthier and yield well and live much longer. Nature-grown trees will have abundant green foliage and fruits. This can be witnessed in forests as well as naturally grown plants from seeds coupled with a few other factors. Healthy Plants will…
How does Vetiver Grass Root (Ramacham) Plant Amend Soil
Vetiver should be among one of the essential plants grown in your surrounding area and also in your farms. There are a few varieties of vetiver available throughout India. The south Indian varieties are generally considered superior because it has more aromatic oil in its roots. Farmers or consumers only need its roots for consumption and other utilities. It grows upto 3 to 4 feet tall and can be cut…
Traditional Processing Methods and Nutritional Benefits of Bamboo Shoot
Traditional Techniques for Processing Bamboo Shoots Bamboo shoots are poisonous! Yes you heard it right. It contains cyanogenic glycosides called taxiphyllin; a type of hydrogen cyanide. It is also the same compound found in tapioca (cassava) leaves and its roots. It is fatal and can kill humans and animals. Having said so there are many varieties which have negligible levels of cyanide because of domestication and alteration in the genes…