Swasthya (Adjective): A Sanskrit term meaning “healthy”.
Some stories begin with a grand plan, meticulously laid out, where every detail falls into place like pieces of a puzzle. Ours, however, started with a leap of faith, a bit of chaos, and a whole lot of learning on the job. It’s been about 2.5 years since Swasthya Ecofarm came into our lives — a period of unexpected twists, steep learning curves, and moments of joy that could only be experienced when building something from scratch.
The journey though truly began long before the land was even ours. Back then, it was just a dream, an idea that started as a tiny seed planted in my mind as I stared out of windows in the UK where I was working as a financial consultant, imagining a different kind of life — a life close to nature, a life that felt more…rooted. Little did I know that seed would eventually sprout into a farm nestled at the foot of a gentle hill in a village where nobody knew us, yet where we would make our mark in ways neither we nor the villagers could have ever predicted.
What has followed in these last two and a half years is a mix of joy, despair, learning, stubbornness, and — let’s be honest — more than a few arguments with the locals. Not to mention a whole lot of talking to myself while standing in the middle of a field wondering what on earth we had gotten ourselves into.
If you’ve ever found yourself in a situation where you’ve bitten off more than you can chew but are too proud to admit it, welcome to my world. In this blog, I’m going to share the ups, downs, and sideways turns of our adventure into natural farming. Some days, it feels like we’re crawling forward, other days we sprint ahead. Progress, as I’ve learned, is rarely linear. And yet, here we are, still at it.
In the posts to follow, you’ll read about how we’ve had to learn on the fly — how nature doesn’t care for our perfect plans, and how villagers don’t care for strangers encroaching on their quiet existence. Our year 1 dragon fruit yield wasn’t great, thanks to a few key challenges (which I’ll tell you about soon), but we’ve kept our heads down, focused on improving, and learned that resilience is sometimes the greatest fruit of all. That, and teamwork. Especially when your team involves someone who shares your passion for building from the ground up — in this case, my dad."
Our first dragon fruit harvest watched over by mum and dad
My parents, especially my father has been a cornerstone throughout this project, even though he prefers to let his actions do the talking. Some people show their love by saying “I love you” every time they hang up the phone; my dad shows it by absorbing all the tension and stress from difficult situations into a heart that quite literally failed 3 years ago. I was in the UK during a lot of this, managing the farm remotely, while he was on the ground, facing head-on the challenges that would have made many people walk away.
The big news? Earlier this year, I packed up my life in the UK and moved back to Bangalore (for various reasons), the same city where my parents live, and being in the same timezone as my dad has changed everything. No more early morning or late-night video calls to brainstorm fencing plans or discuss water pipes; now we can both roll up our sleeves and get to work side by side. Having both of us around has brought our progress into double speed, and I’ll be sharing that journey with you, too.
The final flight - From Home to Family Home
But don’t get me wrong. While things have progressed, it hasn’t been smooth sailing. This land — and the people in and around it — have a way of testing you. We’ve had our fair share of battles with nature, the villagers, and sometimes even with our own stubborn ideas of how things “should” go. Yet, every challenge has been a learning experience that we wouldn’t trade for anything else.
So, what can you expect from this blog? Well, plenty of stories filled with hard work, surprises (some good, some… less good), and a lot of trial and error. You’ll read about the building of Swasthya Ecofarm — both physically and philosophically. From battling village politics to navigating the unpredictable world of natural farming, from ambitious dreams to harsh realities, from triumphs to setbacks — we’ve had it all.
And the best part? We’re still at it.
This is a story of grit and growth — both literal and metaphorical. And if you’re up for some reflective moments, humorous anecdotes, and the occasional cliffhanger, buckle up. Swasthya Ecofarm has a lot to offer, and this is just the beginning. Over the next 12 weeks, you'll be treated to the first year and a bit of this journey. Check back every Friday for a new post.
Until then.