Volunteer reflectionㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ

For two weeks in February, life at AuroOrchard has been documented by Taisiia Latypova, a volunteer from Russia. Being a biologist major and a photography enthusiast, Taisiia took a snapshot of the farm’s life and summarized the main techniques used at AuroOrchard. Such work can be helpful for future volunteers and brings a new perspective of the farm for those who have worked or are working here. — AuroOrchard is the oldest farm of Auroville, established back in 1968, and the second-largest farm, currently occupying 25 acres of land. It supplies Auroville with vegetables, fruits and poultry, being a year-long supplier for the Auroville community, participating in the evolution of consciousness. The latter began with the work of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother. Home  »  Blog  »  Volunteer reflection Volunteer reflection Mar 14, 2025 · Abhijeet · Maharashtra, India “Extremely grateful for the opportunity I received for staying here over a month, brainstorming as well as hands-on learning. I am literally living my dream life while I am here. It is more than wonderful to be at the farm, being woken up by the chirping of a variety of birds, and getting to see the beauty of nature and volunteering at the farm in the morning! The best sunset spot on the farm! I saw many insects, spiders, pink lady beetle, paradise flycatcher, rufous treepie, black drongo, koyal bird, and heard many other beards which I have not  spotted yet.  Experience of watching the sunset & sunrise from the rooftop, and especially gazing at the sky almost everyday brought more slowness to living life!! Loved being here & learning with you all. Also, how can I miss mentioning the scrumptious & healthy breakfast at the farm. My special thanks to the akka for the same! I will always fall short of words to describe the experience. Super shoutout to Anshul for his guidance. This time in my life will always be special. Being here has taught me enjoying the little moments in life even more. Interacting with other volunteers & travellers was a cherry on the top. Taking inspiration from a volunteer I too have limited my smartphone use to just 10 minutes a day” Previous ArticleNext Article Featured Articles Monthly Updatesㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ 19 Sep 2025 Abundance Product of the Month 18 Sep 2025 Recipe Alert – Stir Fried Sweet Potato leaves with Tofu 22 Sep 2025 Food and Agriculture in Auroville, India 18 Sep 2025

Unravelling Auroville’s food system

I arrived at AuroOrchard in the summer of 2023, intending to help farms produce more food for Auroville. Mostly I wanted to be closer with people passionate about the same. Home  »  Blog  »  Unravelling Auroville’s food system Unravelling Auroville’s food system Jan 31, 2025 · Nidhin Anand I arrived at AuroOrchard in the summer of 2023, intending to help farms produce more food for Auroville. Mostly I wanted to be closer with people passionate about the same. By this time I had already spent a few years working on 2 other farms and supported farm-group-related coordination work. Over the years of interacting with farmers, distributors, and consumers, I realized that the Auroville system is complex and that there isn’t a community-mandated framework and policy to create a conscious food system. Most farms were on their own to support themselves and lacked vision. Production increments in large established farms were hindered by challenges relating to the organizational model of distribution, human resources, accountability structures, and lack of capital funded through the BCC budget. Despite this, I noticed that Aurovillians deeply appreciate Auroville-grown food and that much work could be done within the current system. While I don’t see Auroville farms producing most of Aurovile’s needs due to ecological constraints and dietary habits, I see that there is scope for setting up farming systems to produce many valuable crops and create a fair economy around them. I soon realized that this would require a concerted effort from farmers, distributors, working groups, and other food actors in Auroville toward a common vision. The ‘coming together’ remains an aspiration and a work in progress. This month, I joined Foodlink, the main distribution center of Auroville, after seeing that current frameworks regarding standards of production, pricing, and production planning needed reforms AuroOrchard has helped me see what ecological and social possibilities lie within a 25-acre farming system within Auroville’s geographical context. It helps me ask and answer important questions such as ‘Can we grow all the food we need in Auroville?” and “What is stopping Auroville farms from producing more? The answers I found were complex and included a large share of human behavioral challenges alongside organizational blockages. However, I now see that the tropics offer enormous ecological dynamism and we have the possibility to cultivate a lot more than today’s capacities. This invitation largely remains unresponded. Next Article Featured Articles Monthly Updatesㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ 19 Sep 2025 Abundance Product of the Month 18 Sep 2025 Recipe Alert!ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ 22 Sep 2025 Food and Agriculture in Auroville, India 18 Sep 2025

Learning Journey at AuroOrchard

Over the past four months, volunteering at AuroOrchard has been an incredible learning experience. As the founder of Sristi Foundation, where we use farming to empower children and youth with intellectual disabilities, acquiring proper farming skills is essential for me. Home  »  Blog  »  Learning Journey at AuroOrchard Learning Journey at AuroOrchard Jan 31, 2025 · Karthikeyan Ganesan Over the past four months, volunteering at AuroOrchard has been an incredible learning experience. As the founder of Sristi Foundation, where we use farming to empower children and youth with intellectual disabilities, acquiring proper farming skills is essential for me. AuroOrchard has provided invaluable lessons that I am implementing in Sristi Village, transforming our farm into a more efficient and productive space. Key learnings include building soil fertility through mulching sun hemp, compost-making with cow dung and dry leaves, effective mulching practices, and numbering beds for better farm management. These practices are making a tangible impact on our work. Last month, we bought 15 youth with intellectual disabilities to Auroorchard for an exposure visit. Elias, a volunteer, guided them through hands-on farming activities, creating a memorable experience for all. I am deeply grateful to Anshul and the AuroOrchard team for this opportunity to learn and grow, as well as for the chance to meet wonderful people from around the world. This journey of learning continues to inspire me. (Karthik is the Founder of Sristi Foundation) Next Article Featured Articles Monthly Updatesㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ 19 Sep 2025 Abundance Product of the Month 18 Sep 2025 Recipe Alert!ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ 22 Sep 2025 Food and Agriculture in Auroville, India 18 Sep 2025