What “organic” on our list does and does not mean
An honest look at what we can say about how our vegetables are grown, and the questions you should ask any organic shop.
Your first-Sunday farm visit: what to expect
What happens on our monthly visit to a partner farm, what to bring, and how to make it a good day for children.
On the first Sunday of every month we take a group of customers to one of our partner farms. Many people sign up out of curiosity, and some arrive not quite sure what they will be doing. Here is a plain account of the day.
The bus leaves our shop on Mettupalayam Road at 7 am. Most farms are 30 to 60 minutes away, in the foothills towards Karamadai or Thondamuthur. When you arrive, the farmer and our agronomist, Senthil, walk you around the fields and explain what is growing, how the soil is fed and how they deal with pests without chemical sprays. Ask anything. The farmers are usually happy to talk.
Then comes the harvest. Children, and most adults, love this part. Depending on the season you may pull carrots, pick beans, cut greens or collect eggs. What you pick, you take home, up to about 2 kg a family. Lunch is a simple farm meal on banana leaf: rice, sambar, poriyal, kootu and buttermilk, made by the farmer’s family.
The visit costs ₹650 for adults and ₹350 for children over four, including the bus and lunch. Wear old clothes and closed shoes that can get muddy, and bring hats, water and sunscreen. There are toilets at every farm, though they are basic. We are back at the shop by 2 pm. Places are limited to 30, and they usually fill a week ahead.
