People are traveling again after months of lockdown. But now, instead of package tours and crowded destination travel, they are opting for more relaxing vacations in rustic surroundings. Discover the luxury of working from a farm
The lockdown did what years of social conditioning couldn’t: make the outdoors great again.
People are now looking for places to communicate with nature while being remotely connected to their offices in WiFi-enabled ‘anti-resorts’ in villages.
Be it this new normal form of domestic travel – work to farm, revenge tourism or day-tripping, it is clear that the joys of a simpler life have become apparent to an increasing number of people.
Behind this revived interest in agri-tourism are the new age farmers and nature lovers who are keen to create eco-friendly green spaces within easy reach of the city.
Farm-based restaurants have also sprung up during the lockdown to curate ‘locavore’ menus (with locally grown food).
Kiruba Shankar, a Chennai-based digital professional and public speaker, says, “The number of people interested in farm holidays during the lockdown has certainly increased as they live in a naturally socially distancing environment away from crowds. want.” Vaksana Farm in Rettanai village of Tindivanam.
Farm stay is meant to be immersed in the rhythm of rural life. “The beauty of living on a working farm is that you can get your hands dirty, and participate in daily tasks. I always encourage guests to make the most of the farm, and give it some timeshare.” where you just come and go,” says Kiruba, whose 13-acre organic farm grows fruit trees and millet and also houses a shelter for cattle and abandoned pets.
Waksana can accommodate 15 to 20 people in its current premises, and a ‘big little house’ called Pico has recently opened for bookings. A Miyawaki forest of fruit trees is one of the attractions here.
Shammi Jacob and Charlotte Want Kloster seen at their farm in Thalambur. | photo Credit: special arrangement
family as customers
Work from home has become a common practice, and more rural resorts are creating experiential vacations with families in mind.
Business innovation consultant Shammi Jacob and anthropologist Charlotte Vant Kloster, who moved to a ‘lifestyle farm’ with their kids in Thalambur (20 km from Chennai) after relocating from Amsterdam in 2013, saw a significant change in their visitor demographic this year. have seen. .
“Before the lockdown, we used to have many IT professionals as volunteers; For him, farming was both an opportunity to relieve his stress and to live out his dream of working in the fields. Now, we see more families, especially those with young children, going out for picnics on our premises. For many residents of gated communities, getting their morning milk straight from our farm is an adventure in itself,” says Shammi.
The sustainability of the farm is underscored by the use of solar power and a catchment system to nourish the water table and build biodiversity.
To give townspeople a start in agriculture, Shammi has begun leasing a piece of land (4,800 sq ft) within a three-acre farm that can be used as trial plots. “We provide seeds and relevant guidance on growing crops; It helps people to find out everything about farming before taking to full-time farming,” he says.
“When families use these mini farm patches, there is a real transfer of knowledge between generations, as it is usually the parents or grandparents who teach the kids how to plant,” says Charlotte.
Making agriculture attractive to the younger generation is one of the prime goals of Kadambavanam Farm at Cheyur, 102 km from Chennai. Moderated by photographer Amar Ramesh with activities curated by SPI Edge’s Ratheesh Krishnan and SS Sriram, the farm is open to visitors by invitation only through its Instagram page.
“Kadambavanam is unlike a typical village escape site. There is no staff to wait for you, no in-house restaurant or swimming pool. We want to inspire youth in their twenties to understand what farming is all about, and then we group them together to learn leadership skills in agriculture. People who come here have to be prepared to work hard,” says Amar.
latest mousse
Among the many attractions of working farms are their livestock, especially their young. Caring for animals is one way for children growing up in urban areas to discover the intricacies of the natural food chain.
For bovine companionship, head to Karma Dairy Farm at Chikkamaranahalli in Nelamangala town, near Bengaluru, which raises its 150 indigenous cows according to Israeli techniques. Vishwanath Murthy, managing partner of the farm, says, “The cows are milked by automatic pumps early in the morning. “The farm sells regular milk and its by-products like curd and ghee. We also use milk to prepare traditional sweets which are sold through our India Sweet House outlets. “
Originally from a family of agriculturists in Vijipura, Murthy was involved in medical transcription and other BPO ventures before starting Karma Dairy Farm in Madikeri in 2013. The 39-year-old entrepreneur co-founded India Sweet House with Shweta Rajasekhar.
In addition to outreach initiatives such as dairy training programs and calf adoption, Karma Dairy Farms also offers overnight stays in luxury cabins made from converted shipping containers.
Murthy says, “Guests can see how the cows are milked, and the dessert making process from farm to fork in less than 12 hours, so they can understand how to eat fresh and tasty food on a commercial scale. can be prepared.”
Farming, cycling and sightseeing is part of the package at Nannilam Farm House, a 10-acre property at Achukattu in Tamil Nadu’s Vellore district. Started in 2015 by former tour guide Sudhakar Selvin, the resort has reserved five of its 10 acres for organic farming (coconut, mango, millet and fodder crops).
With bamboo wooden cottages and tents offered as accommodation, guests can enjoy their stay at Nannilam, while occasionally encountering ‘uninvited guests’ from the nearby forest.
Maintaining the agro-tourist facility has been a fruitful experience, says Selwyn. “We are trying to revive the interest in traditional cooking. While exchanging ideas with my guests, I am also learning from them about eco-friendly agro-tourism.
Nannilam Farm House in Vellore district uses compressed bamboo and cloth umbrellas in its rooms. | photo Credit: special arrangement
home away from home
To make the stay truly memorable, many farms opt for buildings that are architecturally distinctive as they are long-lasting.
Karthik Padmanabhan and his wife Shayla founded Yash Farms in Narayanghatta, six kilometers from Electronic City Phase II in Bengaluru, four years ago for personal reasons. “We wanted to improve our quality of life, which is measured by how much food we take in, the kind of environment we live in, the water we drink, and more importantly, the awareness that we are a larger ecology. Tantra,” says Padmanabhan, who works in the IT industry in Bengaluru.
Their one-acre property, which accepts guests on weekends and is used as a venue for photo-shoots on weekdays, is an example of sustainable living – the main house is built from mud and stones, and In construction only 10% of the whole is cement.
“We haven’t used modern construction materials, and we haven’t moved things around too much to avoid creating pollution while building the property,” says Padmanabhan. “The idea is to help people who come here to experience concepts such as rainwater harvesting, water conservation, agriculture, or using solar energy, so that when they return home, they too can practice sustainable living. “
As Amar points out, shifting the fauna of an urban hotel to a rural landscape in the name of tourism is really not the way forward. “The pandemic has exposed us to the damage that has been done to our cities,” he says, “if we have learned our lesson, we must now take good care of our rural areas and plan to turn the vegetation into luxury real estate. should be protected instead.
Karthik Padmanabhan and his wife Shaila welcome guests over the weekend at their Yash Farms on the outskirts of Bengaluru. | photo Credit: special arrangement
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