Parcel 1, October 2013

Parcel 1, our model farm.
Our vision for Parcel 1 is getting clearer by the months. Our rubber trees are measuring up to 420 mm in diameter. Very close to our targeted measurement. Of course not all trees grow at the same rate. There are some that are still very skinny and some are planted on a latter date. Overall the rubber trees are doing great.

One of the bigger tree, 420 mm.

Our vision for Parcel 1 is an integrated farm, having rubber trees as the main crop. Then we shall have supplementary crop of fruit trees. These are further supplemented with livestock, chicken and bees (much later).

Here we had planted more than 30 avocado trees, 80 soursop trees and more than 70 agarwood till date. On a smaller scale, we have some papaya, about 10 durian trees, 2 jackfruit, 4 mango and a breadfruit. We still have some bananas which we are phasing out and some pineapples. My plan for the papaya did not worked out as the time difference between planting was not right. Also at a long period, we didn't have any helpers at site. Anyway, as a fall back, we can always feed it to our chickens.

Chicken we have about 70 around, big & small.
Apiculture had not been started yet. It shall most probably be the last phase of development. I guess we can put in easily a couple of tens of beehives. There are so many plants here, rubber, palm oil, fruits, wild plants, unlimited resources of nectar.

Agarwood, planted on the inter rows.

Agarwood, planted on the inter rows.

Blame it on our government, even the chicken are racist. The blacks & the whites do not stay together.

Mango flowers.

Rooster.

Mango, already fruiting. Trying to identify what variety this is. Maybe can use this as a mother tree.

Our isolation new coop.

Newly planted soursop.

Another bigger tree.

Some of the trees during March.

Our hut with agarwood by the side.

Our avocado tree.

Our 1st avocado tree in between the rubber trees.

Another 75 Agarwood for planting in Parcel 1. Hopefully our retirement shall be well taken care of with the resins produced.

Summarise
Main crop : Rubber trees
supplemented by fruit trees, Avocado, Soursop & Jackfruit
Livestock : Free Range Village Chicken & Bees (yet to be started)
Retirement Fund : Agarwood / Gaharu

Results Of My Side Veneer Graft.

Continued from Jackfruit Side Veneer Graft.

Came back, did my inspection on the Jackfruit graft. Took me about 2 days to finish off the inspection. Am grateful that my improvement works. It was drought all the time since I was away. It only rained the night when I reached. Lots of seedlings die off. Check with my helper, says he did water every alternate day. Most of the poly bags look super dry. Maybe due to the afternoon heat.

Improvement of tying the plastic bags. Only 2 were blown off.
Improvement of lowering the wrapping pressure. Very much lesser rots even on those that did not 'take'
Improvement of keeping under shade. Higher successful 'take'.
Improvement of using new growth scion. Higher successful 'take'.

I notice that with a high humidity the stem has lots of the white node, which I think could be node of roots? These are more prominent on the older large rootstock.

Those that 'took' 120 plants.

 Those that failed, 230 plants.

120 / (120 + 230) = 34% . Yes so thankful that t I reached my target. The next session should be more challenging. As there are 230 plants that had been grafted twice. Shall have to inspect and grade them for the next grafting session. Hope to complete these before my next leave, 18th October. Those that does not qualify, I shall let them recuperate / heal until they regrow. I still have maybe a hundred ungrafted / fresh rootstock. Again most are getting large. Don't think I shall be able to finish these this month.

Germinated around a hundred more seeds, lazy man's style. Clear off the old raised bed which is under a 70% shade netting. Dug a couple of trenches. Put in seeds. Watered.

 Covered with the soil that was dug up. Watered again. Shall wait for these to germinate, then transfer into poly bags when I have the time.