Basva's Farm Class 4 Notes EVS Chapter 14

Story of Basva

• Basva lived in Belvanika village in Karnataka with his family. 
• Every July, his father (Appa) plants onion seeds on their farm. 

• Basva's father uses an iron rod called a "khunti" to loosen the soil before planting the seeds. 
• This helps prepare the soil for sowing onion seeds. Before planting any seeds, it's important to prepare the soil. 
• Loosening the soil helps it absorb water and nutrients better. It also improves crop yields by adding nutrients and organic matter to the soil.

Sowing the Seeds

• Once the soil is loosened, the seeds will be planted using bullocks and a tool called Kurige. 
• It's important to sow the seeds evenly and at the right distance from each other. 
• If too many seeds are dropped in one place or if they're not planted evenly, it can result in a poor crop yield.

The Sprouts Appear

• After 15-20 days, the onion plants will begin to grow. 

Weeds in Onion Plant

• However, along with the onion plants, weeds also start growing in the field. 
• It's important to remove these weeds because they can compete with the onion plants for water and nutrients from the soil.

Removal of Weeds

Growing Plants

• As time passes, the onion sprouts will grow and develop into mature plants. 
• It's important to harvest the onions at the right time, otherwise, they may start to decay underground.

The Onion Crop

Onion Crop

• After the onions are taken out of the ground, they need to be prepared for selling in the market. 
• This involves removing the dry leaves and excess soil using tools. 
• Basva's Amma and aunty used a sharp tool called illige for this. Once the onions are ready, they are packed into sacks and sent to the market to be sold.

Illige

Difficult Words and New Concepts 

• Khunti - an iron rod used for digging and loosening soil.
• Kurige - a tool pulled by bullocks for planting seeds.
• Sprouts - young shoots or plants that begin to grow from seeds.
• Absorption - the process of taking in or soaking up water and nutrients.
• Harvested - the process of collecting ripe crops from the field.

New Concepts:

• Soil preparation: Getting the soil ready for planting by loosening it and improving its ability to absorb water and nutrients.
• Seed sowing: Planting seeds at the right depth and distance to ensure proper growth.
• Weed removal: Removing unwanted plants that compete with crops for resources like water and nutrients.
• Harvesting: Collecting mature crops from the field when they are ready for consumption or sale.