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| [15:03:09] | <mstenta> | hello |
| [15:03:09] | <farmBOT> | hello |
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| [16:28:21] | <svenn> | can other mapping services than google be used? |
| [16:48:38] | <svenn> | adding fertilizer to a field, is that an activity or is it an input? |
| [16:56:07] | <mstenta> | hi svenn |
| [16:56:24] | <mstenta> | right now Google is the only service included - but it's not too difficult to add more |
| [16:56:30] | <mstenta> | the Openlayers module is very flexible in that regard |
| [16:56:44] | <mstenta> | regarding fertilizer: that would be an input |
| [17:05:39] | <svenn> | Ok, and I have issues understanding planting, seed and crop. If I grow barley of type Brage on a field this year, and I grew barley type Tiril last year on the same field, how should I go about registering this? |
| [17:07:41] | <svenn> | Reason I ask for different mapping service than google is that the accuracy of the map with kml overlay from my GPS is an offset of more than 10m east. |
| [17:08:34] | <mstenta> | in farmOS as "crop" is any variety of a plant - regardless of whether or not you have planted it - think of your crops list as a sort of dictionary of crops you have grown, or will grow perhaps |
| [17:08:50] | <mstenta> | "plantings" are specific instances of a crop - ones that are actually alive and will produce a harvest |
| [17:09:18] | <mstenta> | and "seedings" are a type of log entry that you can record on plantings |
| [17:09:55] | <svenn> | this is what I don't understand. Not native english speaker. |
| [17:10:08] | <mstenta> | so for example, you can have a planting called "2015 spring green cabbage", and a crop called "green cabbage" |
| [17:10:30] | <mstenta> | and alongside the "2015 spring green cabbage" planting, you can record one or more seedings of that crop |
| [17:10:50] | <mstenta> | so for example if you seeded the cabbage on April 15th, 2015 - you would create a log entry for that |
| [17:11:14] | <mstenta> | in most cases, you will only create on seeding record per planting - but you can add more if you need to - it's very flexible in that way |
| [17:11:40] | <mstenta> | for example if you seeded corn in a field, but it didn't germinate well, you could make a second seeding and record both separately with the same planting |
| [17:12:01] | <mstenta> | to take a step back: farmOS basically uses three different type of data... |
| [17:12:04] | <mstenta> | 1) assets |
| [17:12:05] | <mstenta> | 2) logs |
| [17:12:12] | <mstenta> | 3) taxonomies |
| [17:12:36] | <mstenta> | "crops" are a taxonomy - so you can use it to make a database of different crop types |
| [17:12:53] | <mstenta> | "plantings" are an asset - because they are a real thing you own out in the field, or in the greenhouse |
| [17:13:06] | <mstenta> | "seedings" are a type of log that is associated with planting assets |
| [17:13:34] | <mstenta> | "activities", "inputs", "harvests" are other types of logs |
| [17:13:43] | <mstenta> | does that clarify at all? :-) |
| [17:14:02] | <svenn> | so the planting is the act of putting something in the soil? |
| [17:14:28] | <mstenta> | sort of ... the "planting" is used to represent the entire concept of "this season's spring cabbage" |
| [17:14:42] | <mstenta> | but a "seeding" log is actually a record of the act of planting seeds |
| [17:15:14] | <mstenta> | because you might have more than one seeding per planting - which can be a little confusing - but is very useful |
| [17:15:24] | <mstenta> | and you will have more than one planting per crop |
| [17:15:31] | <mstenta> | crop > planting > seeding |
| [17:15:53] | <mstenta> | the reason we have "plantings" is so you can record different kinds of events for it |
| [17:16:03] | <svenn> | crop, is that the whole harvest in the autumn season? |
| [17:16:14] | <svenn> | as example |
| [17:16:24] | <mstenta> | for example, you might also want to record that you weeded your cabbage - that would be an "activity" log attached to the planting |
| [17:16:57] | <mstenta> | "crops" are basically just "planting types" or "planting species/varieties" might be a better name for them |
| [17:17:02] | <svenn> | fertilizing is also an activity, but actually an input. I am confused |
| [17:17:30] | <mstenta> | yes - i agree - the "input vs activity" is confusing - and it's something i am giving thought to changing |
| [17:17:47] | <mstenta> | basically, input is more specific than activity |
| [17:18:01] | <mstenta> | it has more fields on it for recording things that are specific to inputs |
| [17:18:21] | <svenn> | I know you have to be very general to cover a lot of different agriculture work, and that is confusing me as I am not very good in the english dictionary for these kind of words |
| [17:18:27] | <mstenta> | try adding an activity, and then try adding an input - you will see what i mean by different fields |
| [17:19:05] | <mstenta> | svenn: yea, it's true - flexibility is key - but i do want to make sure that it's not too confusing - so it helps to discuss with non-english speakers so that i can improve! :-) |
| [17:19:47] | <mstenta> | does it make more sense if instead of "crops" i call them "varieties" or "species" perhaps? |
| [17:20:42] | <mstenta> | "crops" are meant to be a database of different plants that you grow |
| [17:20:44] | <svenn> | I don't know. |
| [17:20:55] | <mstenta> | and then you create a planting of a crop |
| [17:21:09] | <mstenta> | so step 1 is create a crop called "green cabbage" |
| [17:21:53] | <mstenta> | and step 2 is to create a planting called "spring 2015 green cabbage in lower field" or something like that - plantings are specific things that are currently growing - crops are more of the "idea" of a type of plant |
| [17:22:04] | <svenn> | ok, so far I thought crop was related to grain-like plants like barley, oats, wheat etc. |
| [17:22:18] | <mstenta> | oh - no... it just means "type of planting" |
| [17:22:32] | <mstenta> | so that should probably be changed - i see why it's confusing |
| [17:22:44] | <svenn> | right. Got to get the definitions right. |
| [17:22:53] | <mstenta> | yes :-) wording is important |
| [17:23:08] | <mstenta> | how about "plant species" |
| [17:23:26] | <mstenta> | or "plant variety" |
| [17:23:38] | <mstenta> | (because species have multiple varieties) |
| [17:23:41] | <svenn> | I know. I told my relatives I grow corn in Norway. They thought I grew cornflakes and I meant barley |
| [17:23:56] | <mstenta> | haha |
| [17:24:05] | <mstenta> | i wish i could grow cornflakes |
| [17:24:15] | <mstenta> | :-) |
| [17:25:23] | <svenn> | Why would the planting be called 2015 green cabbage in lower field when I put a date in the date field and the name of the area in the area field? Redundant info |
| [17:26:35] | <mstenta> | well, you can name your plantings whatever you want |
| [17:26:48] | <mstenta> | you're right - it is redundant info - so you don't have to have such a long name |
| [17:27:04] | <mstenta> | whatever is easiest so that you can tell them apart when you are looking at them in lists later on |
| [17:27:19] | <mstenta> | because you might have 10 different cabbage plantings |
| [17:28:12] | <mstenta> | you could just say "2015 green cabbage 1", "2015 green cabbage 2", etc |
| [17:28:33] | <mstenta> | the 2015 is optional too, of course - i just like to use that method myself |
| [17:28:55] | <svenn> | I am experimenting with various titles on my plantings, now that I have got a bit better understanding of the concepts of planting, seed and crop |
| [17:29:43] | <mstenta> | good! i'm curious what you decide upon |
| [17:29:57] | <mstenta> | i am thinking about adding a section to farmos.org that has suggestions for certain ways of naming things |
| [17:30:08] | <svenn> | I have to put in some data from this year and from last year and maybe even older if I can find my logs. |
| [17:30:24] | <mstenta> | that's the fun part :-) |
| [17:30:40] | <mstenta> | it's nice to see it fill up with old data - and then it's all at your fingertips |
| [17:31:39] | <mstenta> | i created a feature request to rename "Crop" to "Plant Variety" - https://www.drupal.org/node/2586841 |
| [17:31:44] | <svenn> | I think the real fun will be to see how yield of a field changes when adding CaO |
| [17:32:10] | <mstenta> | yes! keeping records of different inputs and observing the results is always exciting! |
| [17:32:53] | <svenn> | And we need to have journals of fertilizing and pesticides we use |
| [17:33:18] | <mstenta> | ah yes |
| [17:33:28] | <mstenta> | so i would recommend "input" logs for all of those |
| [17:33:33] | <svenn> | we also need to have an evaluation of alternative ways to remove weeds |
| [17:33:46] | <svenn> | before we use the chemicals |
| [17:33:54] | <svenn> | new rule from this year |
| [17:34:02] | <mstenta> | ok interesting - does that apply to all farms? |
| [17:34:12] | <mstenta> | i am not familiar with laws in Norway |
| [17:34:29] | <svenn> | We even have to track such things as sun condition, wind and temperature |
| [17:34:43] | <mstenta> | in US, if you are an "organic" farm you need to show that you have tried to buy all organic seeds, for example |
| [17:34:50] | <svenn> | and also if useful bees are flying |
| [17:35:09] | <mstenta> | oh! i am going to build a bee management module next spring i think |
| [17:35:18] | <mstenta> | because i am going to set up some beehives myself |
| [17:35:48] | <mstenta> | regarding sun condition, wind, temperature, etc - i am also working on some interesting things in the farm_sensor module |
| [17:35:55] | <svenn> | well, I am not into bees, but when using chemicals, I have to show that I have considered saving them from my chemicals |
| [17:36:05] | <mstenta> | it will eventually be able to record data from sensors, and display it in graphs in farmOS |
| [17:36:28] | <mstenta> | oh ok that makes sense |
| [17:36:57] | <svenn> | I have had a simple usb weather station up for 5 years now. I can't use the data for anything useful. |
| [17:37:00] | <svenn> | yet |
| [17:37:04] | <mstenta> | with farmOS you can take a picture of the bees and attach it to an "observation" log - and link that log to plantings so you can show that there are bees active |
| [17:37:37] | <svenn> | Have you heard about Cybertracker? |
| [17:37:42] | <mstenta> | no |
| [17:38:15] | <svenn> | It is a very flexible ranger observation system. Almost open source cybertracker.org |
| [17:38:43] | <svenn> | build your own observation app for android with gps input and icons to push for people who cannot read and write |
| [17:39:07] | <mstenta> | nice! |
| [17:39:28] | <svenn> | I used it two years ago to track observations of three kinds of weeds from my combine to make a map of areas I should use Roundup on |
| [17:39:42] | <mstenta> | interesting |
| [17:39:49] | <svenn> | You can't see any weeds after the harvest |
| [17:40:08] | <svenn> | but they will be there next year |
| [17:40:25] | <mstenta> | i must go... time for dinner |
| [17:40:30] | <mstenta> | it was nice talking with you svenn! |
| [17:40:42] | <svenn> | Time for bed here. Nice to talk to you |
| [17:40:47] | <mstenta> | good luck with farmOS! and i'll be in this chat if you have other questions |
| [17:40:47] | <svenn> | and thanks for the help |
| [17:40:55] | <mstenta> | you're welcome |
| [17:40:57] | <mstenta> | goodnight! |
| [17:41:03] | <svenn> | see you |