Farm Visit!

Originally published at healthybuddhamagazine.blogspot.com.

‘Once in a lifetime, you need a doctor, a lawyer, a policeman and a preacher, but every day, three times a day, you need a farmer’. -Brenda Schopp

On a foggy Sunday morning, with much anticipation and fervour, we began our quest to finally meet the craftsmen who cultivate our food. The journey was long but the view was worth it all!

Only about 40 km from Bangalore, we experienced how a magical synergy of the Sun, Soil, Air and a host of farming ‘astras’ produces something which not only feeds our appetite but also nourishes the mind, soul and body.

Amidst a traditional rustic setting with cows mooing, goats bleating, birds chirping and squirrels frolicking, a group of 30 enthusiastic people embarked into the first farm looked after by Mr Govind Raju. A bubbly farmer as vibrant as his farm full of delectable greens like Paalak, Amaranthus in red bloom and scrumptious carrots ready to bite into. Apart from all these greens coming alive and what caught my attention was a beautiful sight where a bunch of little kids leaving the comforts of Air-conditioned play areas and I-Pad screens were excited to play real-life Farmville- getting their hands dirty in soil and sowing the seeds of Paalak while reaping a sense of harmony with nature. It was delightful to see them chasing away hens, feeding the goats, petting newborn calves and becoming one with the environment. The animals too reciprocated their love to the new visitors by happily munching on the feed. 😊

It made me realize how important it is to teach not only the kids but each of us to be in touch with the farmers who feed us and to live in a community where sustainable practices are revered.
In a world frantically running after IT Jobs, we need more people like Govind Raju to make farming great again.

Our next stop was at Mr Srinivas’s majestic Broccoli Farm. Never having seen one, its sight was awe-inspiring. How could such sculpted looking Broccolis come out of the land so effortlessly? Soon all of us found ourselves earning some fresh broccolis for ourselves. 😊
The farmer in-charge, having done BSc. in Agriculture is a well-learned man who had a command over the craft. In fact, one thing common amongst all the farmers we met was a peculiar sparkle in their eyes which shone through and through as they happily shared farming secrets with us. All these farmers hold about 2–4 acres each, live in their humble abodes by the farm land itself. They tend, watch and protect their farms all on their own. Theirs was an occupation- a pursuit which now looks more real than ever.

We were especially elated by the warm welcome at their lands. We were treated with sumptuous fruit salad for breakfast The taste of fresh organic fruits- pineapple, watermelon, bananas, papaya amongst many others literally exploded in our mouths. It was a treat, indeed.

The last (but never the least) stop was at a beautiful Guava farm which was again full of surprises. With all its natural traps and repellents, it is a well laid out plan to nurture the best Guavas for all of us. The keepers were 2 humble brothers who took all of us around the farm explaining how a mocktail of cow urine, cow dung, jaggery and gram flour can be used not only to nourish the soil but also to automatically make it unattractive to the pests. The trick in organic farming is not to kill insects but repel them naturally. The farm is an epitome of using natural hacks to maintain sustainability and keep the ecosystem happy.

Towards the end of the visit, we all gathered together amidst the tall trees and farm animals and had the most delicious buttermilk ever made. It was rich with flavours not usually found in the cities and had a piquant twist to it. You couldn’t stop at one glass. ;) The Kosambri made of dal and coconut served on banana leaves too was quite tasteful. More so, because it was served to us with utmost warmth and welcome.

It was a delightful getaway away from the city’s usual hustle, we all un-winded and learnt to embrace the natural way of growing crops. It was heartening to see so much of hard work and dedication being put into providing us food with the highest order of ‘Prana’ or life energy, and it makes me even more respectful and thankful for what goes on my plate.

Having interacted with the HB Team and customers, I realized it is important to become more engaged in agriculture to appreciate food and farmers. It goes a long way to inculcate healthy habits, understand the interplay of nutrition, food and freshness and ultimately lead to a happier community.

A big shout out to the Healthy Buddha family to make this happen. I impatiently look forward to many more such visits. 😊