Last week we visited a 20 acre organic fruit farm and learned a great deal about sustainable organic farming methods. The farm creates its own fertilizer, using cow dung that is composted with worms (vermicompost) in large cement planters. Because no pesticides are used, we were able to eat fresh guava right from the tree. We were also later treated to fresh papaya (and Coca-Cola, which is made with a unique recipe here to suit the Indian palette).
On the tour we learned about the neem plant, the leaves of which are used a natural or bio-pesticide in organic farming. Cow urine is sometimes used for this purpose as well. We also heard of the farmer’s difficulty in bringing organic produce to market, as many are not willing to pay a premium for the fruit.
Bio-fertilizer source
Vermicompost bins
Worms in vermicompost
Jill, our professor
Sanjay, our TA
Farm worker with child
Child in field
Plowing the field
Bullock-driven plough
Walking through the farm
Verdent fields
Pomegranate Blossoms
Worker weeding by hand
Along with its factory, Tasty Bite has an approximately 30 acre farm where they grow spinach, tomatoes, eggplant, and onions. This produce is used in the meals they process and sell, and luckily for us it is also picked fresh and used in the meals that are made by the chef in the guesthouse. Sustainability is a major focus for the company and they strive to adopt best practices for agriculture and resource conservation. The bio-filter pictured below will replace the effluent treatment facility, use less chemicals to process effluent and help to conserve water. The irrigation well is another conservation method.
Not pictured are the “green” biogas boiler that uses briquettes made of factory waste; experimental farming area; and inside of factory – photos not permitted. Will try to post pics of the first two next week.
Bio-Filter
The team trekking out into the farm
Maddy & Vikas– TB Farm Manager – by the irrigation water reservoir.
Seedling Nursery
Tomato sprouts in the nursery
Women resting in field
Schoolchildren on farm road
TB Farm Worker's Home
TB Farm Worker’s Home
Farm workers on break
Justin (the warrior) and Vikas
Day 2.5 & 3
We spent yesterday afternoon and this morning visiting farms in the area. Here are a few photos to give you a sense of the Indian farmer’s lifestyle…
Girl at Faucet
Woman Digging in Sand
Indian Schoolboy
Baby on Porch
45 minute subway ride to JFK, 14 hour plane ride to Mumbai, 2 hours of sleep, 3 hour drive to Pune…
Day 1 – We checked into the Ambience hotel and had some time to walk around the neighborhood. The streets are overflowing with mopeds, cars, wagons, fruit carts, bicycles, people, dogs, goats, and garbage. After lunch we taxied to the Tasty Bite Office for a presentation and discussion about the history and operations of the company. Off course the afternoon was capped off with some product sampling (we can’t deny its one of the main reasons we are here!). After the office visit we were joined for dinner by some Tasty Bite employees at a swanky rooftop restaurant overlooking Pune. The cuisine we ate was Indian with some Italian/pizza thrown in for good measure.
Day 2 – Long taxi ride to the Tasty Bite factory and farm. We spent the morning touring the facilities and learning about how the products are made. After the tour we were all assigned to various areas and put to work. I spent an hour washing and sorting tomatoes and cutting green beans. The women I worked with seemed disappointed I didn’t speak Hindi but accepted me nonetheless. Lunch was delicious of course – salad, peas paneer, yogurt, lentils, etc. More to follow now that I have a network connection!
