Organic Farm At Coorg

Winning is believing and when it is about winning a trip it is about believing that you completely deserved that break, this was the first time I earned my trip. Thanks to Indiblogger and India Untraveled for coming up with the Kissanpur contest and picking me winner.

Of the many options I chose Kodagu the land of the brave Kodavas yet again as I never tire of the abundant greenery and scenic drives in the abode of Cauvery.

When Bangloreans are unsure and undecided about where to go we simply head to Coorg.

The destination was Narendra’s Organic Farm at Coorg, Kushalnagar located in a place called Kere Moole close to river Cauvery. It is a vegetarian resort something hard to find in Coorg.

Why Do We Need Organic Farming?

Farming without harming the environment by using naturally composted crop wastes and animal manures, increasing the fertility of the soil by crop rotation without using chemicals as artificial fertilizers and chemical pest control sprays when washed from soil pollutes lakes, rivers and even the very soil as it kills natural soil organisms which are required for soil fertility, these chemicals enter the food grown and in turn enter human/animal bodies causing health problems. The age old traditional method of natural farming by careful choice of crops, growing seasonal crops in accordance with the nature of the soil to retain maximum nutrition in both the crop and the soil along with scientific techniques is the safest time tested method reviving which is the need of the hour.

We reached by evening after a 5 hour drive from Bengaluru, we were welcomed with tea and some hot Heerekai Bajjis. (Heerekai means ridge guard and Bhajji means pakora in kannada and has nothing to do with cricket!!)

The place is surrounded by lush green paddy fields the added advantage here is it has only 5 cottages ensuring unperturbed serenity with only chirping sounds of birds and creaking sounds of trees.

The cottages are cosy and comfortable with urban comforts and an organic touch! Drinking water is served in earthen pots, brass mug and bucket for bathing. It really took me back in time reminding me of my castor oil and soap nut powder bathing days.

The cuisine is completely home made with local flavours from farm grown fresh vegetables and home grown rice to titillate your palate with a dash of herbal chutneys made of Bramhi leaves, fashion fruit juice, hot rice rotis, steamed rice noodles served with coconut milk, toasted and roasted honey coated Banana fries and even bitter guard fries are some of the delicacies I will not forget.

Our host Narendra and Shalini were a very friendly and warm couple who ensured we were comfortable and always ready to accommodate.

This place is just some 6kms from Dubbare but we were in no mood to do the routine trip rituals hence decided to laze around and give the elephants a break.

For fun and adventure there is a place for go-karting and also river rafting nearby but we did not try, a hanging bridge connects an adjacent set of farms to the main road here. Took some pictures and walked along the paddy fields that spread across as far as my eyes could see.

We also visited Abbey falls which is 27kms from here but it was really crowded and over flowing, not the water but the people on the bridge and I could only hope that it did not give way.

As a little measure for the Swatch Bharath Abhiyan I picked up a couple of plastic bottles mindlessly thrown near the beautiful falls and put it in the bin. I do this in my own little way wherever I travel.

I for one try my best to carry and refill water in my own bottles from my home/hotel and avoid buying packaged water as much as possible. If each one of you thought and acted on this, it will be a cleaner greener world out there.

On our second day we just strolled around in the nearby coffee and pepper estates. There are bicycles in the farm if you wish you could cycle up those rugged terrains.

All in all it was truly a peaceful and laid back holiday without any exaggeration or pomp away from the chaos of TV and internet. Carry some books, games and spend some quality time with your family.

On our last day after checking out we visited the much less visited Se Re Mey Monastery which fortunately is away from the glare of buzzing tourists, it is a kilometre away from the Golden Temple or the Namdroling Monastery and is lot more peaceful.

If you visit it between 11 and 12 in the morning you will get to see the Tibetian prayers and can really experience divine vibrations in those hymnal prayers.

I really wish our people did not chat up in our Hindu temples and specific timings are dedicated for mass chanting of mantras, this I recently experienced in a local temple called Tulasi Mutt in Bengaluru where everybody is compulsorily required to chant ‘Sri Ram Jai Ram’ loudly at least 108 times, try this in a big group the results are really amazing, you will experience so much positive energy around you, it is really unbelievable.

We also quickly visited the golden temple but I liked the Seremey monastery better in terms of spirituality!