🌱 What's growing at Swasthya?
Welcome to our little experiment in abundance. We are still very young and are learning the ropes of natural farming by experimenting. A lot.
At Swasthya Ecofarm, we’re trying something a bit audacious—we began practicing Natural Farming from day one, before our soil even knew it was expected to be fertile. Think of it like asking someone to run a marathon before they’ve had breakfast. But we believe in nature’s ability to surprise us, and we’re here for the long game.
So far, we’ve been planting, observing, laughing at our own mistakes, and slowly learning what this land loves—and what it politely refuses.
We're inspired by Permaculture design principles and building what we like to call a man-made forest that doesn’t know it’s man-made. Our vision is that, a few years down the line, once this forest ecosystem is thriving, we’ll be able to grow almost anything the tropics allow—so long as it doesn’t require wintering.
🍇 What’s Actually Working
Our main commercial crop for now is the mighty Dragon Fruit—a plant that’s as dramatic in looks as it is easygoing in temperament. It's hardy, high-yielding, and clearly enjoys being here.
🥬 What We’re Still Flirting With
We're also testing the waters (and the soil) with a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and greens. Some are thriving, others are... negotiating terms. Here's the cast of characters currently auditioning for a permanent role at Swasthya:
- Groundnut
- Ragi
- Brinjal
- Radish
- Beans
- Cluster Bean (Jawali Kayi)
- Chilli
- Tomato
- Curry Leaf
- Lablab Bean / Chapparada Avare Kayi
- Green Pigeon Peas / Togari Kayi
- Hyacinth Bean / Avare Kayi
- Okra
- Coconut
- Areca
- Neem
- Mango
- Jackfruit
- Lemon
- Guava
- Sapodilla / Chikoo / Sapota
- Soursop / Lakshmana Phala
- Papaya
- Watermelon
- Indian Gooseberry / Amla / Bettada Nalli Kayi
- Telli Kayi
- Avocado
- Drumsticks
- Black Plum / Jamun / Nerale Hannu
- Tamarind
- Coriander Fenugreek / Methi
- Flamingo Feather / Anney Soppu
- Red Amaranth / Harive Soppu
Some of these crops sprout up like they own the place. Others… take their time. And we’re okay with that. After all, farming the natural way is less about controlling the outcome and more about learning to dance with the land.
Come back often—we’ll keep updating you on what’s growing, what’s thriving, and what we’ve eaten too quickly to document!