DQ Farm (est. 1991)

The Greater Galanga or lengkuas is a ginger originally from Malaysia and Indonesia.  It is used in Thai, Malay, Nyonya and Indonesian cuisine.

 

It is active against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.

 

 

In our farm, we have found it to be effective against mycoplasma sp.  infection in the chickens. In combination with garlic and at the appropriate dosage it is effective against chronic infections.

 

 

 

We now use lengkuas as a weekly preventive for the chickens

 

 

 

 

At our farm, we grow the lengkuas wild in our Food Forest.  It requires no maintenance and provides free medicine for our animals and even our workers.

 

Here’s more information about lengkuas:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_galangal

http://www.galanga.org/

You can learn a saying or two about lengkuas here:

http://www.bahasa-malaysia-simple-fun.com/galangal.html

Jimmy Loke, a gentleman farmer came visiting and expressed the hope that I can share more knowledge with him and his brother.  Well, the first thing is, count the earthworms in your farm, Jimmy.

Early in the morning, when the earthworms come out to feed, count them.

 

Mark out a foot square. 

 

 

Dig out the foot cube of soil.  Do it fast as earthworms are  sensitive to vibrations and many will make off.

 

 

 

Count 'em.

 

 

 

In DQ Farm, we have up to 60 earthworms per cubic foot of soil.  On a good day, it can reach 100.  In some Western countries they are happy with 10 - 15. 

And here in Malaysia, with such good soil, we are dumping synthetic fertilisers and stuff to kill them off. 

So Jimmy, count your earthworms, and if they are lacking, build them up to at least 40 before we talk about organic farming.

 

Nutriheal, an organic shop in Kota Kemuning organised for some of their customers to come to the farm for a visit yesterday, April 5th.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were a little upset to see so many children, as DQ Farm is a working farm and we do not run a seperate "demo" farm.  What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get.  In our farm, you are going to have weaver ants (Oecophylla smaragdina) ,  bees, killer wasps, 7 inches centipedes and cobras to name a few of the worries we have with kids around. 

Weaver ants build huge nests the size of footballs in our durian trees.  We do not get rid of them as they protect our fruits from insect and animal damage.  But on occasion, a huge nest will just drop down for no reason whatsoever, and if it were to land on a kid...! 

 On top of that, we are continously running our retort to make biochar and I shudder to think what will happen if a kid were to place his palm on the 400 degree celcius surface of the retort.

We hope future visitors follow our instructions strictly and not bring kids.  It is just too dangerous!