I have always been a lover of farming but I have never been able to practice it apart fromy the normal family farm.


So I was posted to serve in jigawa state, after which I was posted to a school in a village as my ppa. I witnessed reall farming not what I call ceremonial farming we practice in my village. So of them farm trice in a year. In my mind i passionately wanted to farm, but I was not able due to several factors ranging from language barrier, unfamiliar environment, discouragement by fellow corps member, finance etc.

After I made friends among the locals, I started following them to their farms to assist them since I wasn't courageous enough to go for a farm of my own.. They were surprise seeing a Corper do such. That little gesture reserved a special place for me in their heart.

Fast forward after nysc

The experience I had in the north increased my passion for farming. So I wanted to farm something no matter how small.

I decided to go with maize. I asked my mum to help me with a farm land. I was offered two plots of land opposite our house. I paid some people to help me clear the land, plus the person that will trim the palm trees.

There is this stereotype about farming been 'suffer man stuff' I can't remember seeing any body farm anything commercial in my village. So I was scared of what people will say seeing me farming. What if I fail? A lot of things came across my mind. But I was able to overcome all of them and went ahead with my farm project.

Over their in jigawa, they were not fully into maize farming. So I don't really know much about planting maize in large quantity. I was just a novice. I started making my research.

A lot of people talked about hybrid maize. I didn't know were to buy one I decided to go with the ones sold at our village market.

To cut the long story short. I was able to plant the maize . I planted at 2 maize per hole at 30cm across column and 80cm across row. I did manual planting so some might be shorter while others longer

It wasn't easy,

I have been conscious of my expenses so did a lot thing my self so won't end up at a loss since its my first time.

My maize at 3weeks

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Well done, maize is a pleasure to grow, beautiful to look at, fast to finish and tasty/lucrative at the end.

I think I will adopt your spacing and plant fodder grass inbetween for my animals.

FreshMekanik:
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This picture was taken after weeding at 3weeks. After which I applied NPK fertilizer. I was to apply the npk at 2 weeks, but I was not able to travel until the 3rd week.

I will be uploading the picture of the current state at 4 weeks 4 days later today.

money spent so far

#3000 for clearing of the farm

#2000 for Trimming of palm trees

I burnt the burnt the bush and packed the firewood myself.

#500 for maize (bought from our local market, I didn't know where to buy hybrid maize seed in imo state )

#2000 for the boys that assisted me in planting

#3000 for 5 custard bucket of NPK fertilizer

#1000 for DD force pesticide. ( i noticed caterpillar was eating up the maize so I bought DD force and spread on them.) I mixed at 2 capful per 10 litres of water.

Total = #11,500

This is the current state of the maize.
4 weeks 4 days. this picture was taken yesterday.

Well done Man, you're doing a great job.

adebobconed:
Well done Man, you're doing a great job.

Thanks man

5 weeks 3 days

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Praying God for a good harvest