Is it just a coincidence!

Just look at the photo… Can you see Lord Vishnu lying down? Is it just a coincidence that the Sun is setting at this feet? I believe not, we are truly blessed to live in this divine setting. This is the view of Devarayanadurga that we get on most days.

What did we plant?

Our farming philosophy is based on a minimal intervention method to create a sustainable dense agro forest. Our hope is that a selection of local hardy variety of fruit trees will lead to minimal use of water and improved soil structure over time. Based on this, here is the sample of the list of sapling varieties that were planted:

Canopy

Tamarind, Ice Apple, Indian Almond, and Jamun

Tree

Avocado, Bael, Sapota / Chikoo, Amla, Wood Apple, Cashew, Drumstick Tree / Moringa, Chironji, Kokum, and Apple

Sub-Tree

Chakota / Grapefruit, Guava, Custard Apple, Banana, Sweet Lime / Mosambi, Star Fruit / Carambola, Papaya, Fig, Water Apple, and Mulberry

Shrub

Pomegranate, Indian Plum, Karonda, Phalsa, Curry Leaf Tree, and Barbados Cherry

Yes, there are a few non-native trees, but they seem to have adapted to the local conditions. For example, did you know that Apple orchards were common in Bangalore? Read here.

Creating a fruit orchard our unique way

Do read our farming philosophy that is based on natural farming. The goal was to plant the saplings before the monsoon arrives. It was a race against time with barely 3 weeks to prepare the land, procure saplings, and plant them. Idea was to plant at least 30 varieties of native, hardy fruit bearing trees. After careful research. we decided on 32 varieties. Next step was to find a nursery that could get us those varieties. After talking to many fellow farmers we zeroed in on the nursery.

Land preparation started in earnest. As per our unique way, we did not want to do extensive ploughing, but basic shrub removal and pit digging had to be done. Unexpectedly, the land identified was very rocky and we could not go as fast as we expected. This slowed us down by 2 weeks. However, it was a blessing in disguise as the pre-monsoon rains stopped for 2 weeks. The initial plan was NOT to put irrigation as it was raining regularly. The stop in showers made it clear that irrigation line was definitely a pre-requisite. It was an experience to learn how to put a drip line, a story by itself, maybe for later.

Finally, with the pits dug and the irrigation drip line in place, it was time to procure the saplings and start planting! The big day arrived and booked a porter and transported the saplings from the nursery to the farm. With all the hard work done, it was relatively easy to plant the saplings.

It’s been a month now and they are growing quite nicely. Touch wood! Rains have restarted, and the babies seem to be enjoying their new home. Now it’s time to look after them and give them a healthy dose of jeevamruth every 15 days!