Five months ago, I dedicated myself to a period of deep self-experimentation focused on health. Having spent years consuming raw, plant-based foods, I already understood the immense power of food. Yet, the true revelation, refined after a year spent back in the accelerated pace and sterility of city life following my earlier farm volunteering experiences, was the profound importance of a daily, tangible reconnection with nature, the sun, and, crucially, the soil. That time away crystallized what was missing: the rich, microbial life of a natural farm/forest.
Five months ago, I dedicated myself to a period of deep self-experimentation focused on health. Having spent years consuming raw, plant-based foods, I already understood the immense power of food. Yet, the true revelation, refined after a year spent back in the accelerated pace and sterility of city life following my earlier farm volunteering experiences, was the profound importance of a daily, tangible reconnection with nature, the sun, and, crucially, the soil. That time away crystallized what was missing: the rich, microbial life of a natural farm/forest.
I wasn’t just looking for just physical work; my purpose was to reconnect with the land to enhance my personal growth. Having volunteered at farms with rigid schedules before, this time I sought something different: a place that would honor my slow pace and allow me to explore without a structured plan, enabling me to truly understand where I could contribute.
That search led me, quite naturally, to AuroOrchard, the source of my weekly basket.
When I shared my interests: working with the soil, embracing food, and developing recipes to preserve nutritional integrity. Anshul’s response was one of profound trust: “Just come to the farm and explore for a week. Engage in whatever you feel like.” That openness made me feel I had truly found my place.
I began simply by observing the farm’s daily rhythm: the conversations, the mulching, the sowing, the weeding, and the processing. I was just watching, slowing down, capturing little observations, feeling that magnetic pull to return every morning.
This daily, effortless call back to the earth aligns beautifully with the science of the Gut-Immune-Brain Axis. The sense of peace and belonging is not abstract; it’s rooted in measurable biological mechanisms.
Working near and engaging with the soil exposes us to environmental microorganisms, notably the “feel-good” bacteria Mycobacterium vaccae. This exposure through inhalation of bioaerosols released during farming can stimulate serotonin production in the brain, inducing states of greater happiness and relaxation, and providing a powerful buffer against stress and anxiety. It is, in essence, the body’s co-evolved response to the presence of these “Old Friends” from the natural world, which our immune systems rely on for proper calibration and resilience.
I’ve spent my initial days just watching… observing the harvesting, mulching, and sowing. (Visit my Instagram profile @dhanyawadearth and check the ‘November Notes’ highlight to see all my observations so far)
After a week of gentle observation, my role became concrete. I walked in one morning to find Anshul and Ruben discussing the launch of a new seasonal salad box.
“Ruben ask her, she only eats salad” Anshul joked,
Soon, I was tasked with walking the farm with Ruben, harvesting every edible green we could use for a sample salad. As we harvested together, Ruben mentioned, “Astha, thank you. I’ve been so occupied in kitchen experiments that I haven’t visited the farm, the soil in so long. It feels so good to be back.”
That spontaneous moment was a powerful demonstration of Earthing or Grounding. The human body is electrically conductive, and direct physical contact with the Earth’s surface, like placing bare hands on the soil, allows it to absorb a continuous supply of free electrons. These electrons function as systemic antioxidants, neutralizing the unstable molecules that drive inflammation. The sense of relief and calm Ruben and I both felt was not just emotional; it was a physical electrical reset, reducing our inflammatory load and enhancing our overall well-being. This biophysical connection is a vital, yet often overlooked, part of preventative health.
The subsequent creation of the Farm Seasonal Salad box, which is now happily finding its way into weekly baskets, was guided by principles that bridge soil health and human physiology:
The successful launch of the Farm Seasonal Salad box is a true testament to the team’s dedicated work and our collective commitment to nutritional integrity. Since the launch, Janani, Raghu, and Ruben have been actively involved in every meticulous step of production: harvesting, cleaning, sorting, drying, chopping, grating, mixing, and packaging.
I am particularly proud of how this initiative operates in a closed-loop system, allowing us to receive immediate feedback from customers and act upon it, be it perfecting a dressing or actively seeking sustainable alternatives to plastic packaging, such as our experiments with banana leaves.
My time here – from figuring out kitchen revamps to harvesting the produce, experimenting with papaya kanji (a fermented drink), and seeking sustainable packaging, and working alongside a supportive team, is an act of creation driven by absolute trust.
There are no strings attached to my presence, yet the absolute trust and openness of the people, combined with the inherent biological calling of the land, compels me to contribute and come here every day. This trust and freedom have unlocked a creativity that is dedicated to maximizing every gift the farm produces, constantly exploring new ways to honor the extraordinary abundance the land offers us. My hope is that everyone who opens a salad box feels truly nourished by this profound connection we have forged.
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AuroOrchard is certified organic by the Tamil Nadu Organic Certification (ORG/SC/1906/001683) Department accredited by APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Exports Development Authority), New Delhi, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.
For 2026, we seek to upgrade our systems and raise funds to support our young team.
