Farm
November 28, 2022 2023-06-21 5:20Farm
“The healing of the land and the purification of the human spirit is the same process” - Fukuoka
SOLITUDE FARM
A CULTURAL REDEMPTION
Solitude Farm was started in 1996 by a group of young Aurovilians. One of them, Krishna McKenzie, inspired by Masanobu Fukuoka developed the farm with the ideas of natural farming and permaculture. Krishna’s dream of meeting his guru came true in 2002 when Fukuoka revisited India after a long time.
Much like the rest of Auroville, the barren land on which the farm flourishes now, needed tending and care. Fukuoka advocated that all the bio-resources around us, such as leaves, weeds, branches, etc., should constantly be returned to the soil to increase soil fertility. With this philosophy as the basis of work, no chemical pesticides or fertilisers were used on the land. The farm slowly evolved into 100% non-tillage and machines and tractors were gradually eliminated. Today the farm is fully sustainable and boasts more than 250 varieties of fruits, vegetables, grains, rice, edible weeds and so much more.
In 2006, we felt the need for financial sustainability… The refusal to compromise on Fukuoka’s vision of natural farming, it became clear that the solution was simply to value the local foods that grow around easily and incorporate them into the food that we eat. Thus began the farm to plate café that today serves delicious local food. By valuing these foods on a daily basis the café has facilitated an on-going exploration of this vast treasure trove of nutrition that has now become the cornerstone of what Solitude Farm stands for – honouring the gifts of Mother Nature.
Solitude Farm was started in 1996 by a group of young Aurovilians. One of them, Krishna McKenzie, inspired by Masanobu Fukuoka developed the farm with the ideas of natural farming and permaculture. Krishna’s dream of meeting his guru came true in 2002 when Fukuoka revisited India after a long time.
Much like the rest of Auroville, the barren land on which the farm flourishes now, needed tending and care. Fukuoka advocated that all the bio-resources around us, such as leaves, weeds, branches, etc., should constantly be returned to the soil to increase soil fertility. With this philosophy as the basis of work, no chemical pesticides or fertilisers were used on the land. The farm slowly evolved into 100% non-tillage and machines and tractors were gradually eliminated. Today the farm is fully sustainable and boasts more than 250 varieties of fruits, vegetables, grains, rice, edible weeds and so much more.
In 2006, we felt the need for financial sustainability… The refusal to compromise on Fukuoka’s vision of natural farming, it became clear that the solution was simply to value the local foods that grow around easily and incorporate them into the food that we eat. Thus began the farm to plate café that today serves delicious local food. By valuing these foods on a daily basis the café has facilitated an on-going exploration of this vast treasure trove of nutrition that has now become the cornerstone of what Solitude Farm stands for – honouring the gifts of Mother Nature.
Our Vision
We are a glocal example of how by honouring local foods we can create a renaissance of well-being on this planet
Our Mission
Focusing on local food and our relationship to food through community, education, celebration – we empower you to rediscover your nutritional, cultural identity.
Our Vision
We are a glocal example of how by honouring local foods we can create a renaissance of well-being on this planet
Our Mission
Focusing on local food and our relationship to food through community, education, celebration – we empower you to rediscover your nutritional, cultural identity.
Masanobu Fukuoka
Masunobu Fukuoka (1913-2008) was a Japanese farmer and philosopher, who pioneered a school of farming referred to as ‘natural farming’ or ‘do-nothing farming.’ Fukuoka’s methodology entailed minimal human interference in the agricultural process, instead creating conditions in which natural processes, left to their own accord, maximise crop outputs. Fukuoka became highly prominent within the global sustainable farming movement, with his texts ‘The One-Straw Revolution’ and ‘The Road Back to Nature’ selling millions of copies in various languages.
We celebrate local food by eating the gifts of Mother Nature. Today the farm boasts a huge diversity of fruits: papaya, banana, sapotas, guavas, breadfruit, mangoes, kumquat, custard apple, lemons, ramphal etc; vegetables such as Giant Assamese lady’s finger, clove beans, sword beans, corn, plantain, radish, brinjal, tapioca, yams, pumpkins etc; edible weeds like balloon vine, climbing pea brinjal, turkey berry, sarsaparilla etc; flowers like butterfly pea, hibiscus, pumpkin, portulaca and grains like fox tail millets, varagu, horse tail millet, finger millet, red rice and so much more. There is abundance in Mother Nature and the non-interventional approach of Natural Farming allows us to receive it with gratitude and humility, weaving the fabric of a rich and diverse cultural nutritional identity.
About Krishna
Krishna Mckenzie, born in the UK, first visited India at the age of 16 on a school trip with the J. Krishnamurti school UK, where he studied. Returning to England he experienced a surprising culture shock and 2 years later he returned to India, to Auroville, where he felt a strong inner call. Krishna’s journey into farming was inspired by working in the School’s vegetable garden. This led him to realise that deeper questions in life could only be addressed by living close to nature
Krishna featured on TedX
After arriving in Auroville in 1993 and pioneering a 50 acre reforestation project, Krishna started Solitude Farm, Auroville in 1996, making it a centre for natural farming and permaculture with it’s incredibly diverse and productive food forest.
Through Fukuoka’s teachings Krishna has understood that life emerges from the soil. Millions of microorganisms, moulds, bacteria, insects, earthworms, mycelium, the life in the soil is the fertility of the soil. The essential technique of Natural farming is to return all organic matter back to the soil – branches, leaves, sticks, weeds, grass etc..thus facilitating Mother Nature’s potential.
After arriving in Auroville in 1993 and pioneering a 50 acre reforestation project, Krishna started Solitude Farm, Auroville in 1996, making it a centre for natural farming and permaculture with it’s incredibly diverse and productive food forest.
Through Fukuoka’s teachings Krishna has understood that life emerges from the soil. Millions of microorganisms, moulds, bacteria, insects, earthworms, mycelium, the life in the soil is the fertility of the soil. The essential technique of Natural farming is to return all organic matter back to the soil – branches, leaves, sticks, weeds, grass etc..thus facilitating Mother Nature’s potential. Eating local food, sharing its values in community with music and celebration is Krishna’s core philosophy. The true essence of this philosophy is now being carried out through workshops and events that empower people to rediscover the simplicity of this quintessential relationship with mother nature – knowing where your food comes from and reclaiming your nutritional cultural identity.
Krishna Mckenzie is also an actor and musician. His band Emergence has performed in Glastonbury Festival, UK, Kennedy Centre Washington DC and numerous festivals, concerts and TV shows in India.
At Solitude, music and art are seen as an adhesive that binds society. Celebration is the golden key of permaculture.The farm also hosts “Lively up Your Earth”, an Eco-Music festival as well as concerts and a Saturday lunch Jam session.
Play Emergence on Spotify:
Krishna Mckenzie is also an actor and musician. His band Emergence has performed in Glastonbury Festival, UK, Kennedy Centre Washington DC and numerous festivals, concerts and TV shows in India.
At Solitude, music and art are seen as an adhesive that binds society. Celebration is the golden key of permaculture.The farm also hosts “Lively up Your Earth”, an Eco-Music festival as well as concerts and a Saturday lunch Jam session.
Play Emergence on Spotify:
News featuring Solitude Farm
Saturday Free Farm Tour
The free farm tour is a big attraction at Solitude Farm, an hour long interaction with Krishna himself, explaining the work done at Solitude farm and sharing a road back to Nature. The tour is followed by lunch at the farm cafe. If you are coming for the free farm tour, book your lunch in advance and get a free cooler!
Saturday Free Farm Tour!
Be a part of weekly farm tour to learn where your food come from.
Farm tour only on Saturdays at 11.30. Strictly closed on Sunday. For group and private bookings, there is a separate charge. For private tours, please email: solitudepermaculture@gmail.com
Saturday Free Farm Tour!
Be a part of weekly farm tour to learn where your food come from.
Farm tour only on Saturdays at 11.30. Strictly closed on Sunday. For group and private bookings, there is a separate charge.
For private tours, please email: solitudepermaculture@gmail.com
How to Support Us?
The vast industrialisation of agriculture is rapidly destroying our world. Local food is a simple solution that undermines this loss of well-being.
Solitude Farm represents a road back to Nature and we need your help to sustain our efforts and the projects we are running. If you would like to support mother nature and local food at Solitude Farm, please click below.