Grow your own Vegetable garden

The prices of vegetables have seen a sudden hike in recent times. The farmer who cultivates gets peanuts and the traders and retailers cash upon the lazy attitude . It is upto us Goans to be dictated terms and to continue to be stripped off our hard earned money . When agricultural land is laying barren we feel no pain to sell it off for a bag of coins. Our ancestors have taken pains to cultivate and keep agriculture alive . Contrary to the belief that Mining and Tourism as an industry builds our economy as opposed to agriculture, agriculture not only provides job opportunities  to both skilled and un-skilled but also opens avenues for export. Worldwide availability of cultivable agricultural land has been shrinking. which throws open options to cater to the need.


Market rates on 20st sept 2011
Item                                                      Rate per Kg 
Carrots, capsicum and beans                    Rs 40
Green peas                                                  Rs 60 
Bread fruit                                                  Rs 60
Cauliflower                                                 Rs 40
Cabbage                                                      Rs 16
Bitter gourd                                                Rs 30


All the above come with a free dose of chemical fertilisers and pesticides liberally used to cater to our growing demand. With Govt. coming forward  with schemes to help farmers willing to take up agriculture and horticulture ,locally grown vegetables can very well meet our demands.
  

Article by Miguel Braganza

You will find more  Details in the article that was published in heraldo dated 31 st july 2011

Setting up of the composting unit

Today we setup our composting unit to recycle our kitchen waste.

We took a basin and filled it with water 2 inches deep, then placed an inverted old vessel on which one of the pots was placed. The second and the third pot was then placed to complete the three level composting unit.

Benefits of Chilli

Chillies are excellent source of Vitamin, A, B, C and E with minerals like molybdenum, manganese, folate, potassium, thiamin, and copper. Chilli contains seven times more vitamin C than orange.

Ever since its introduction to India in 1498, chillies have been included in Ayurvedic medicines and used as tonic to ward off many diseases. Chillies are good for slimming down as it burns the calorie easily. Chillies stimulate the appetite, help to clear the lungs, and stimulate digestive system.

* Capsaicin : Chillies have vitamin C and Vitamin A containing beta-carotenoids which are powerful antioxidant. These antioxidants destroy free radical bodies. Usually, these radical bodies may travel in the body and cause huge amounts of damage to cells. These radical bodies could damage nerve and blood vessel in diabetes.

The antioxidants present in the chilli wipe out the radical bodies that could build up cholesterol causing major heart diseases such as atherosclerosis.

Chillies have antioxidants that can destroy cholesterol which could cause major disease like atherosclerosis and other heart diseases. Other disease like cataract and arthritis like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. It also dilates airway of lungs which reduces asthma and wheezing.

* Detoxicants : Chillies acts as detoxifiers as they removes waste products from our body and increases supply nutrients to the tissues. It also acts as gastrointestinal detoxicants helping in digestion of food.

* Pain killer : Chillies stimulates the release of endorphins that are natural pain killers. It relieves pain caused due to shingles (Herpes Zoster), bursitis, diabetic neuropathy and muscle spasm in shoulders, and extremities. It also helps in relieving arthritic pains in the extremities.

* Antibiotic : Chillies brings fresh blood to the site of the infection. The fresh blood fights infection. The white blood cells and leukocytes present in the fresh blood fights viruses.

* Brain : Capsaicin stimulates brain to excrete endorphin and gives a sense of pleasure when ingested. This is the reason people get addicted to chilli.

* Cancer : It has been noted that vitamin C, beta-carotene and folic acid found in chilli reduces the risk of colon cancer. Chillies such as red pepper have cartonoid lycopene, which prevents cancer disease.

* Heart Attack : Chillies have vitamin B6 and folic acid. The vitamin B reduces high homocysteine level. High homocysteine levels have been shown to cause damage to blood vessels and are associated with a greatly increased risk of heart attack and stroke. It also converts homocysteine into other molecules which is beneficial to lower cholesterol level.

* Lung disease : Chillies gives relief from nasal congestion by increasing the metabolism. It also dilates airway of lungs which reduces asthma and wheezing. It relieves chronic congestion in people who are heavy drinkers.

Cigarette smoke contains benzopyrene which destroys the vitamin A in the body. The vitamin A present in chilli reduces inflammation of lungs and emphysema caused due to cigarette smoking.

Benefits of Organic Farming

Organic farming was practiced in India since thousands of years. The great Indian civilization thrived on organic farming and was one of the most prosperous countries in the world, till the British ruled it. In traditional India, the entire agriculture was practiced using organic techniques, where the fertilizers, pesticides, etc., were obtained from plant and animal products. The cow, not only provided milk, but also provided bullocks for farming and dung which was used as fertilizers.  Goats, hens provided milk and eggs and also dung.

Extensive dependence on chemical farming has shown its darker side. The land is losing its fertility and is demanding larger quantities of fertilizers to be used. Pests are becoming immune requiring the farmers to use stronger and costlier pesticides. It has also haas adverse effect on farmers when handling the chemicals. Due to increased cost of farming, farmers are falling into the trap of money lenders, who are exploiting them no end, and forcing many to commit suicide.

Both consumer and farmers are now gradually shifting back to organic farming in India. It is believed by many that organic farming is healthier. Though the health benefits of organic food are yet to be proved, consumers are willing to pay higher premium for the same. Many farmers in India are shifting to organic farming due to the domestic and international demand for organic food. Further stringent standards for non-organic food in European and US markets have led to rejection of many Indian food consignments in the past. Organic farming, therefore, provides a better alternative to chemical farming.

With a resident shift from city to surburban life there has been much more readiness from people to experiment backyard farming. This not only gives healthy food in addition to exercise but also with use of compact composting pots the kitchen waste is put to good use . 

Raddish and Spinach

Photo of raddish and spinach

Why we need organic farming?

Organic farming is the form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost andbiological pest control to maintain soil productivity and control pests on a farm. Organic farming excludes or strictly limits the use of manufactured fertilizers, pesticides (which include herbicides, insecticides and fungicides), plant growth regulators such as hormones, livestock antibiotics, food additives, and genetically modified organisms.


Organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils,ecosystems and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. Organic agriculture combines tradition, innovation and science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved..


In Goa it has been a normal practice to have small backyard vegetable garden growing vegetables like, CLUSTER BEANS,LADY FINGERS,GERKINS,ONIONS,PUMPKINS,LEAFY VEGETABLES both green and red.. Every household had some domestic animals like pigs,cows,hens,goats whose dropings or dung was used as manure. This was mixed with ash from burnt leaves or ash collected over a period of time from the kitchen. This provided a good comfortable setup of not having to purchase chemical fertiliser from market.


With more chemical fertilisers being used in crop plantation it has been noted that there has been a sharp increase in a number of diseases and lives the land drained off its natural nutrients.

Kitchen garden

This is a creeper of goan pumpkin locally called as  "GHORAVUILO DUDHI". Once the seed germinates the stem is supported by adding soil to strenghten it. Later cowdung can be added as manure. Pig dung is also an excellent option of manure