Building an Organic Food Forest with Cauvery Calling

A simple desire to protect our family's health became the beginning of our organic farming journey.

Back in 2020, we struggled to find truly organic mangoes. Although many claimed to sell organic produce, it was difficult to know what was genuine. That inspired us to start growing our own food. What began on a small scale has now grown into an 11-acre diversified farm.

Today, three acres of our land are planted with mango trees. Through Cauvery Calling, we connected with the Isha Nursery team, who tested our soil and guided us in designing the farm. Based on their recommendations, we planted 300 sandalwood trees and 250 red sanders trees within the mango orchard.

Across the remaining eight acres, we grow a wide variety of fruits, including pomegranate, water apple, orange, sweet lime (sathukudi), jackfruit, Manila tamarind (kodukkapuli), and many others. Along the farm boundary, mahogany and teak trees have been planted at regular intervals. Within the sandalwood block, we have also intercropped guava and amla to make the best use of space.

Cauvery Calling Farmer Mobilization team further advised us on tree spacing and crop combinations. For crops like avocado that benefit from shade, we planted rows of mahogany trees to create suitable growing conditions. Even with this layered tree cover, crops like pomegranate have produced healthy yields. This year, many farmers expected severe pest attacks, but our native pomegranate crop remained healthy without the use of pesticides. Even our farm workers often ask why we don't spray chemicals like other farms. For us, preserving the fertility of the soil is more important than maximizing production. Even if yields are lower, we don't want to compromise the health of our land.

Today, our biggest challenge isn't growing organically—it's proving that our produce is truly organic. Many people are skeptical, but those who have experienced our fruits understand the difference.

To maintain that trust, we market everything ourselves. Instead of supplying shops, we take orders through Instagram and sell directly to consumers, ensuring people know exactly where their food comes from.

With the guidance of Cauvery Calling team, we've built a farm that combines timber, fruit trees, and healthy soil—creating a resilient system that benefits both our family and the land.