Get Down and Dirty At These Farm Stays Across India

I. The Green Path’s Sukrishi Farm

Where: Nelamangala, Bangalore

Sukrishi’s land, once barren, has been transformed into a sustainable farm. This farm is spread across 40 acres, and crops are grown organically using water collected through rainwater harvesting. All the produce grown on the farm is sent to their organic cafe in Bangalore. For those staying there, you can get down to planting and sowing the crop depending on what time of the year you go.

II. Destiny: The Farm Resort

Where: Ooty, Tamil Nadu

This self-sufficient farm employing state of the art, eco-friendly cultivation methods is tucked away in the Nilgiris. The farm grows herbs, fruits and vegetables and also has a stable for horses and a complete dairy farm. You can choose to stay in any of their 5 types of rooms, most complete with wooden flooring and fireplaces to cuddle up at. All the farming activities are complementary to your stay at the resort. You can go horse riding, milk cows, and learn how to grow parley and broccoli. If you go during season time, you can sow the seeds yourself and get involved with the planting.

For more details and room reservations, go to their website.

III. Farm of Happiness

Where:

If you’re looking for a quaint little homestay on a farm, The Farm of Happiness is just that. Your stay starts with a fresh morning walk through the farm, understanding all the different trees and plants growing in the area. Once you’ve eaten a wholesome meal you can grab any tool of your choice and plunge into any farm activity that has your name on it. There are enough people to demonstrate and show you how it’s done - this is the time to learn something you’ve never learnt before! You can prepare a piece of land for cultivation, weeding, sowing, ploughing, harvesting and even wash the cattle. Feel free to ask all your questions - and the team will give you all the information you need to start your own terrace or kitchen garden. For those who want a bit more, you can trek, watch birds, fish and stargaze at night. The food is simple, Maharashtran fare with most ingredients got from the farm itself.

To book a room, visit their website.

IV. Hamsah Organic Farm

Where: Hosur

This 5 Acre farm is run by John Fenessy, and is the perfect weekend getaway if you want to get your hand dirty. You can learn how to use a tiller, as well as grow vegetables, learn how to make chicken manure into comport and use cow urine as fertilizer. Season time is from June to December, and this is when most of the farming activity takes place. For more information on life on the farm, read John’s blog here.

V. Rare Earth Farm

Where: Bangalore

This is a multi-cropping farm - they try to grow all that they can eat, as well as fodder for the cows. They make their own cheese - and the type depends on what their mood is on that day. They mostly make mozzarella, but also make ricotta, cheddar and a few other hard kinds of cheese. A unique feature of this farm is that they grow their own cocoa and make their own chocolate. The process of cheese and chocolate making is explained to everyone. Visitors are more than welcome to pull Mozzarella, but chocolate making is a long process. You will probably encounter it at some stage or the other during your visit.

VI. Dana Pani

Dana Pani is an Organic Farmstay nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, with a view over the Kosi valley and Corbett Tiger Reserve that joins the Almora Forest Division. It is ideally located between the Tiger Reserve and the hill station of Ranikhet. They grow organic food and vegetables that are mainly used by the villagers for daily consumption. Commercially, carnations are grown and these are a beautiful sight! There’s also a huge chance of interacting with wildlife such as langur, deer, wild boar, porcupine, leopard and tiger. The food is traditional Kumaoni fare, and visitors are encouraged to help graze the goats and milk the cows.

VII. Acres Wild

Where: Conoor

Acres Wild is a 22-acre organic cheesemaking farm stay run by a family just 20km away from Ooty in Tamil Nadu. There are three cottages to choose from, and each has 5 rooms. The farm runs on maize, oats, wheat and Gobar gas plant in an attempt to be self-sufficient. All the herbs that go into the cheese are grown in an organic manner. Now, coming to the best part - the cheese. They make Soft Cheese, Gouda, Colby, Monterey Jack, Havarti, Cheddar, Gruyere, Parmesan, Feta, Haloumi, Mozarella. Note that you need to stay for at least 2 days to complete a cheese-making course.

Price: INR 3,500 Per Night