Ragi Masterclass
Ragi is not merely a millet; it contains within itself a story of resilience, nourishment, and the kind of farming that can carry us into a climate-uncertain future. At the Good Food Movement, we’re setting out to grow ragi (finger millet) on a 2-acre plot in Tiptur, Karnataka, using traditional, organic methods—and we’re inviting you to follow every step with us. The land is divided into four half-acre plots, each a small experiment in what sustainable, mindful cultivation can look like. Over the next few months, we’ll take you through the full journey: sowing cover crops, choosing the right seeds, planting, tending, harvesting, and everything we learn along the way. Think of this live blog as a diary from the fields that you can walk through at any time. Whether you’re a farmer, student, policymaker, or simply someone who cares about good food and a healthier planet, this series is a chance to reconnect with one of India’s oldest, most important grains, right when its wisdom feels most urgent. Alongside this blog, we’re also documenting the entire process in our Masterclass videos and explainers on our website (from ragi vs. rice to how this millet has long thrived in intercropped systems), so you can go deeper whenever you like. Come grow with us.
<span class="time-wrap">June 8, 2025</span>
Mulching
We’re at the 54-day mark since sowing the cover crops, and the crop has grown to a healthy 6 feet. Today also marks the onset of Mrigashira, which signifies a transition from the summer to monsoon (or Mungaru) rains. The time has come to harvest the cover crops and allow them to give back to the soil that nourished them.
But before mulching, we wanted to understand how much biomass we are returning to the soil. A 1 m² PVC frame was made using waste pipe and elbows. This was thrown around the farm in a zigzag (or Z-shaped) manner and the 1 m² area was harvested. Ten such samples were taken and weighed, and then the average weight was taken as the biomass for 1 m² area. This number was then multiplied by 4000 to get the biomass generated for 1 acre. Based on our calculations, we will add about 16 tonnes of biomass back into the soil.
<span class="time-wrap">May 16, 2025</span>
Nodule Formation
It is exactly 31 days since we planted the cover crops. The past 10 days have been a period of intense growth. From barely 2 inches above the ground, the crops have now grown to around 4 feet in height. The rhizobium bacteria that are useful for nitrogen fixation trigger nodule formation in host plants’ roots. Successful nodule formation is seen as a sign of successful nitrogen fixation. And when we pulled out a few legumes to check their roots, we were rewarded with the sight of well-established nodules!
Currently, this nitrogen serves the growing crop. But once we mulch it back, it will also nourish the ragi that we sow. Read more.
<span class="time-wrap">May 5, 2025</span>
Summer Rains
Between April and June every year, Tiptur (where the Good Food Movement is experimenting with ragi cultivation) receives light summer rain. Based on the prevailing nakshatra at the time, the showers are recognised by 5 different names—Revathi, Ashwini, Bharani, Krittika, and Rohini—with each lasting for around 14 days. Currently, it is Bharani that is nourishing the crops. This year, the rains have come consistently every 3 to 5 days—a blessing in times of unpredictable climate.
But even if the rains faltered, it wouldn’t be a reason to turn to irrigation. The crop might suffer a bit for it, but it will still grow. After all, cover crops are grown not to be harvested, but to be mulched back. Just the act of planting them instead of allowing weeds to grow over benefits the soil. It improves soil texture, prevents erosion, and fixes back nitrogen into the soil—all with the help of some light summer showers.
<span class="time-wrap">April 23, 2025</span>
Germination Check
A week after broadcasting the cover crop mix, the first field check showed a healthy 80% germination rate. The legumes, especially horse gram and cowpea, were the quickest to emerge, their sturdy cotyledons pushing through the warming soil. Sunhemp followed closely, creating the early scaffolding for biomass. Foxtail millet appeared in fine, even streaks, signalling good soil–seed contact from the light rotavator pass.
An 80% germination rate is ideal for this stage: dense enough to form a protective canopy, but still airy enough to prevent overcrowding as temperatures rise toward May. Over the next few weeks, this green cover will help shield the soil, conserve moisture, and begin the slow work of improving structure ahead of the ragi season.
<span class="time-wrap">April 15, 2025</span>
Cover Crop Sowing
Cover crops are a class of crops with a short growing phase, which are sown between the harvests of main crops to protect and rebuild the soil. They naturally fix nitrogen, improve moisture retention and keep the soil active and covered through the dryer months, protecting it from the harsh sun. Once they grow, they are mixed back into the soil, adding plenty of natural biomass and organic matter, eliminating the need for chemical fertilisers.
In rain-fed agriculture, like how GFM is growing ragi, this ‘living mulch’ phase is crucial for carrying the field into the monsoon. Today’s work in our field in Tiptur centred on establishing this cover layer. We mixed a diverse seed blend: horse gram (huruli) for nitrogen fixation, cowpea (alasande) for rapid ground cover, sunhemp for biomass and soil aeration, foxtail millet for quick sprouting, and small amounts of cluster beans and greengram to balance the mix. The seeds were hand-broadcast evenly across the field.
Traditionally, farmers always began with hand broadcasting: scattering a mix of seeds across the land before the first monsoon showers. You walk along the rows in the field and swing your hand from right to left, scattering seeds in a gentle motion. Then, retrace your steps backwards to ensure an evenness to the sowing. Sometimes, you may step on a seed, but this actually pushes it into the soil rather than destroying it. Ragi, a hardy monocot that needs oxygen-rich, well-aerated soil, benefits from this minimal disturbance.
Today, we tried to reconnect with this native art of sowing. A light trot with the rotavator followed, incorporating the seeds into the topsoil just enough to ensure contact with the earth, and conserving moisture as the pre-monsoon build-up begins.