*Call for Volunteers – AuroOrchard*

AuroOrchard, Auroville’s oldest farm, spread across 25 acres, has been a cornerstone of Auroville’s food system for over five decades.

This is an invitation to be part of a hands-on learning space whether you’re new to farming, experienced, or interested in research and collaboration.

*Areas you can engage in:*

• *Polyorchards*— pruning, mulching, planting, harvesting fruits, and understanding how diverse trees and plants grow together

• *Year-round vegetable gardening* -seasonal cultivation, soil preparation, composting, and learning how to grow your own food

• *Seed saving & nursery* — seed collection, drying, storage, and raising saplings adapted to local conditions

• *Food processing (Abundance)* — making juices, coolers, dehydrated and fermented products from farm produce

• *Free-range poultry* — basic care, feeding, and understanding natural systems of raising chickens

• *Education & research* — ongoing learning, experimentation, data collection.

*Time slots*: 7–9 AM, 9:00–9:30 AM (breakfast at farm), 9:30–12 PM, 2–5 PM *join any slot that works for you*

*Reflections from past volunteers*:
https://auroorchard.auroville.org/reflections-from-volunteers/

*Volunteer Registeration Form* Link in bio
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc6ByfQeX2COAeLLl_6fnmSBAkHbibuGzkfLdrOA4dQYLt5HQ/viewform

Seeds, stories, and the spaces in between.

Facilitated by Deepthi Indukuri, this workshop unfolded as a living inquiry into the nature of seeds. What do seeds mean to us, when is a seed alive, and when is it not? We explored how seeds may appear still yet hold immense potential, and how life continues even in what we may perceive as “inactive.”

We reflected on
• Dormancy, vitality, and time
• Why not all seeds germinate and how nature designs abundance
• The importance of seed saving for biodiversity and resilience
• The narrowing of varieties through industrial agriculture
• Seeds as relationships carrying culture, memory, reciprocity, and connection

A beautiful thread that unfolded was Seed, the word in different languages from vittanam / vittanalu (Telugu), Vidhai(Tamil) and vithu (Malayalam) to beej (Hindi), samen (German), seme (Italian) and the connection to vita (life) revealing how deeply seeds are tied to vitality across cultures.

We also explored indigenous, native, hybrid, and grafted plants, the evolving story of seeds with place (like the “orchard cucumber”), their resilience in changing conditions and the care involved in saving and regenerating seeds across seasons.

We walked together to the nursery with Usha from Auro Orchard, witnessing seeds at different stages, including cacao just sprouting.

Join us for an immersive session exploring how engaging with fungi can support both personal wellbeing and ecological harmony.

🗓 Date: Sunday, 12 April 2026
⏰ Time: 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
📍 AuroOrchard

*Facilitators:*
*Jashid Hameed* – Co-founder, Nuvedo- India’s leading functional mushroom brand; mushroom cultivator, educator & permaculturist with over a decade of experience working with fungi across research, cultivation, and community learning spaces.

*Ishan* – Mycophile and researcher exploring natural mushroom cultivation, mycelium-based systems, and integrating fungi into self-sustaining farm ecosystems.

This session is open to anyone curious about healing, ecology, farming, and the unseen networks that sustain life.

🔗 Registration (Mandatory) Link in Bio:
https://forms.gle/XtysP8Eef3hQk2n37

Contact: Charan +91 8431764831

Seeds the carriers of life, more often than not also come with stories. Who grew them, what type are they, what are the origins, how did they travel to where they thrive, indigenious or geniuses with memories…

This Friday, join us at AuroOrchard with *Deepthi Indukuri* in a *Sharing circle of Seed Stories*.

*Deepthi* is a multidisciplinary researcher. One of her current explorations looks at human–more-than-human relationships and the nature of embodiment — the stories we share with our planet.

She has been part of the Auroville community for over five years and is currently based at Aurobrindavan.

*Registration Link (Mandatory)* Link in Bio
https://forms.gle/XtysP8Eef3hQk2n37

*Friday(3rd April) | 3pm-4.30pm*
*Location*- https://maps.app.goo.gl/AKoo6riUbTSGP9HQ7

Contact- Charan +91 8431764831

Cacao Sprouting.

** From Farm to Market - Reimagining Our Food Systems**

This Friday, we hosted an engaging *Farm to Market* workshop at AuroOrchard in collaboration with Farmversities Alliance.

What began as a simple session evolved into a deep exploration with a diverse group of curious minds many just starting their journey. Together, we unpacked some fundamental questions:

* What does *farming* really mean today?
* What is a *market* beyond buying and selling?
* Why is our current market system failing farmers and consumers alike?

We also reflected on how global events like the ongoing Iran–US tensions—impact even our local food systems, and why building **resilient, local economies** is no longer optional.

💡 The group explored three emerging ideas:

1. Setting up a local farmers’ market
2. Building farm-based eco-tourism ecosystems
3. Strengthening market linkages for produce from Himachal and tribal regions

Each idea was unpacked through discussions on opportunities, risks, and real-world challenges.

Over two hours, the session sparked not just learning but possibilities, collaborations, and a shared intent to act.

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**🌾 What’s next?**
This is just the beginning.

We’re opening up a series of deeper, action-oriented sessions on:

* Farm economies
* Setting up local markets
* Agroecological innovations

If you’ve ever felt the need to reconnect food, farmers, and community lookout for our future sessions.

We have an abundance of Eggs!

AuroOrchard’s poultry is certified by the Certified Humane Program and we follow their widely-recognised animal welfare standards of a free-range, pasture-based approach integrated with the orchard.

Our poultry is an integral part of the farm ecology, contributing to nutrient cycling, composting, and soil health. By consuming these eggs, you are supporting our ongoing research on ethical poultry, soil regeneration and an integral farming practice.

To order free-range eggs from us, please write to us on auroorchard@auroville.org.in or drop us a message on WhatsApp (9882685365)

Building Thriving Livelihoods in Farming

The challenges in farming are also its greatest opportunities. The shift lies in exploring new perspectives and skills. This session invites you to rethink food and farming systems, and to imagine meaningful, engaging ways of building livelihoods from the land.

*Manas Arvind* is an entrepreneur, innovator, educator, and design thinker working at the intersection of food systems, agroecology, and grassroots entrepreneurship. His work is rooted in practice, with a strong focus on creating viable, land-based livelihoods.
He is the founder of the Gurgaon Organic Farmers Market, a local food initiative that has been running successfully for over a decade, and Grainny’s, an organic food brand focused on everyday nourishment. Through the Farmversities Alliance, he continues to support learning ecosystems around farming and rural enterprise.

*Registration Link (In bio)*
https://forms.gle/XtysP8Eef3hQk2n37

*Limited spots*

*Friday(27th March) | 3pm-5pm*
*Location*- https://maps.app.goo.gl/AKoo6riUbTSGP9HQ7

Contact- Charan +91 8431764831

We planted new cacao in the orchard, using beans sourced from another farm in Auroville.
Also we got to taste fresh cacao fruit f - soft, smooth, almost buttery, with a gentle hint of cacao within it. So different from what we usually know as chocolate.
The seeds inside are what we call cacao beans - once they’re fermented, dried, roasted, and ground, they become cacao in the forms we’re familiar with.

Join us for an introduction to Market Gardening(Online, Link in bio)-small-scale diverse cropping designed for consistent harvests & local distribution at human scale. We’ll explore key design principles & share practical examples.
This is also a space for growers and people starting to grow their food to connect & share their success, struggles & experiences.

Please register here: https://forms.gle/ra5AauLRnxESrkew9

For any questions, please reach out to auroorchard@auroville.org.in