Find it the best way to avoid the perils of consuming fertilizer-laced products

The letters carved on a wooden board tell the story.

As one steps inside ‘Subbu’s Edible Garden’, located at Dasaraipalem, located at about 10-km from the city on the Kolkata-Chennai National Highway, one can see a variety of vegetables grown in pits filled with red clay soil, creepers, and many fruit-bearing trees spread on the one-acre farm.

Farm fresh

More than 70 varieties of farm fresh vegetables and fruits are grown in an organic way, devoid of any fertilizer and pesticide.

The farm, owned by V.V Subramaniyam, a manager in ITC-ABD, is a reflection of his passion for organic farming.

He is among many professionals – doctors, chartered accountants and engineers – who have taken a new interest in organic farming. Availability of land at affordable price on the outskirts of the city has made organic farming a viable proposition for them.

With the perils of consuming pesticide-laced vegetable and fruits showing up with a sharp rise in lifestyle disorders, people like Mr. Subramaniyam have started growing vegetables in their own farms.

City-based orthopaedic Busireddy Narendra Reddy, who owns a two acre farm at Nallapadu village, too has taken up organic farming.

Vermicompost

“When I bought the land in the year 2008, I had little idea about organic farming. My interest grew after reading about the serious impact of fertilizer, and I decided to start farming,” said Dr. Reddy.

The beginning was never easy, but I made sure that I stuck to the fundamentals, he said. “Using a mixture of vermicompost, ‘panchagavya’ (made of five cow products), and tobacco dust, I made a pit and filled it with red soil. I installed drip pipelines and erected foggers to spray water from the roof to ensure that the plants do not wilt due to rise in temperature,” said Mr. Subramaniyam.

The farm has a variety of onion, tomato, brinjal, capsicum, and leafy vegetables grown under a shade net. Energy needs are met by tapping solar power through a 2 kW panel.

“A visit to the farm takes all my stress away. Farming helps me understand nature better, and what a better way to end the day with a visit to the farm!” quips Mr. Subramaniyam.