# AuroOrchard


## Posts

- [Hunger: A forgotten language](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/hunger-a-forgotten-language/): Before speaking about food, nutrition, or health, there is a quieter and more fundamental question that often goes unasked: What is hunger? Home  »  Blog  »  Hunger: A forgotten language Hunger: A forgotten language February 2026 · Charan GP Before speaking about food, nutrition, or health, there is a quieter and more fundamental question that often goes unasked: What is hunger? Where do you feel it in your body? Is it in your stomach, your throat, your mouth, a readiness to receive food? Or is what we call hunger shaped by other rhythms: the time of day, emotion, or habit?
- [The World of Bananasㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/the-world-of-bananas/): We recently hosted a beautiful knowledge sharing session on bananas with Vinod Sahadevan Nair, whose ㅤ ㅤ Home  »  Blog  »  The World of Bananas The World of Bananas Febuary 2026 · Charan GP We recently hosted a beautiful knowledge-sharing session on bananas with Vinod Sahadevan Nair, whose deep passion and lifelong work with banana diversity inspired everyone present. He shared his journey, cultural associations of bananas across regions, and practical insights into cultivation, propagation, and managing diverse varieties in a sustainable way. The session explored the many dimensions of bananas, from their nutritional value and health relevance to the
- [Monthly Updatesㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/monthly-updates/): We had the first audit and inspection of our poultry from Certified Humane International. The inspector appreciated the work being done with the poultry on the farm and gave some really helpful comments and suggestions. We are completing the paperwork of the certification and will soon be one of the very few farms in India certified by this international standard. At the same time, we are replacing a flock and will be getting another flock of one-day old chicks in the coming weeks. Home  »  Blog  »  Monthly Updates Monthly Updates Febuary 2026​ · AuroOrchard Poultry We had the first
- [Vermicompost at AuroOrchardㅤㅤㅤㅤ](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/vermicompost-at-auroorchard/): In December 2025, we decided to revive the vermicompost experiments at the farm. The earlier experiments done with different varieties of worms are documented Vermicompost, made using earthworms, has several advantages over other forms, including a better compost structure, better soil biology, and faster composting. Vermicomposting is primarily done in India with red wriggler worms (Eisenia Fetida). These worms are readily available outside, but since the garden team at Matrimandir has been preparing vermicompost, we reached out to them and received worms from their compost. Home  »  Blog  »  Vermicompost at AuroOrchard Vermicompost at AuroOrchard Febuary 2026 · Chintan Jadwani
- [Frequently Asked Questions about Eggs](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/frequently-asked-questions-about-eggs-from-auroorchard/): Previously, I wrote about the dilemmas of working with animals in agriculture, emphasising that the question is not so much whether to work with animals, but how to do so responsibly. Our poultry raises many of these questions, and none of them have simple or fixed answers. We are discovering what is possible today, while also reflecting on what the ideal might be for animals in agriculture in Auroville. Home  »  Blog  »  Frequently Asked Questions about Eggs from AuroOrchard Frequently Asked Questions about Eggs from AuroOrchard February 2026 · Anshul Aggarwal​ Previously, I wrote about the dilemmas of working
- [Conscious Technology Lab Update](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/conscious-technology-lab-update/): We have installed a float sensor with a controller for sump automation. With this setup, when the sump becomes empty, the three-phase motor starts automatically, and once the sump is full, the controller stops the motor automatically. The required cabling has been installed using a trench with proper casing, Pump Automation has helped save labour time. Home  »  Blog  »  Conscious Technology Lab Update Conscious Technology Lab Update January 2026 · Azhaganandan We have installed a float sensor with a controller for sump automation. With this setup, when the sump becomes empty, the three-phase motor starts automatically, and once the
- [Eating for Nourishment or Habit: A personal ...](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/eating-for-nourishment-or-habit-a-personal-journey-into-the-relationship-with-food/): My name is Charan. For the past several years, I have been exploring my relationship with my body and mind. I’ve done this by observing how my body responds to different foods, routines, and environments, and by learning from people around the world who are asking similar questions. Over time, this exploration has helped me understand my body more clearly and simply. At its core, it has been driven by a quiet longing to feel free and at ease in this body, something I had not fully experienced before. As this inquiry deepened, more fundamental questions began to surface. What
- [Experiments with Faulkner’s Method ...](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/experiments-with-faulkners-method-of-shallow-ploughing/): AuroOrchard soil is red sandy loam with very low baseline organic carbon (~0.2%). Whatever organic matter we add decomposes rapidly under heat, termites, and rain. Unless we keep feeding the soil, the carbon disappears. This challenge is not only ecological but also practical. Raised beds, which we also practice, protect soils well — but they demand immense labour to establish and maintain. With today’s scarcity of farm workers, scaling raised beds across large areas is difficult. Home  »  Blog  » Experiments with Faulkner’s Method of Shallow Ploughing Experiments with Faulkner’s Method of Shallow Ploughing January 2026 · Anshul Aggarwal​ AuroOrchard
- [Gratitude for all the love through the AVI USA Fundraising Campaign, December 2025](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/gratitude-for-all-the-love-through-the-avi-usa-fundraising-campaign-december-2025/): In November last year, we put out a call for fundraising towards infrastructure development and repair, investment in food preservation, and creating accommodation for long term volunteers. We were heartened to receive 4230 USD in donations and 2500 from AVI USA to match the funds, totalling to 6730 USD. More than the money, we really appreciated the messages of encouragement and support pouring in from across the world. Home  »  Blog  » Gratitude for all the love through the AVI USA Fundraising Campaign, December 2025 Gratitude for all the love through the AVI USA Fundraising Campaign, December 2025 January 2026
- [Year-end updatesㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/year-end-updates/): This year has been a year of transformation for the poultry. We completed the full transition from white to brown birds and strengthened our free-range systems, experimenting with new grazing rotations, fodder crops, and improved water and feeding systems. Despite periods of illness and market dips, bird health improved steadily, and we joined the Cage-Free & Free-Range Poultry Producers Association. As we advance on our application for the Humane Farm Animal Care certification, we remain even more committed to building ethical poultry as a core part of the farm. Home  »  Blog  »  Year-end updates Year-end updates December 2025​ ·
- [Ayurvedic Recommendations](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/ayurvedic-recommendations-for-winter/): The dishes that can be consumed during this season are meat soup topped with ghee, meat of healthy animals, beverages prepared with molasses and rice flour, pastries prepared using wheat, rice flour, black gram, sugarcane juice and milk products which are delicious and nourishing, fresh rice, gingelly oil and bone marrow Home  »  Blog  »  Ayurvedic Recommendations for Winter Ayurvedic Recommendations for Winter December 2025 · Dr. Be We are now at the peak of Visarga Kala, when the moon has more influence in the Northern Hemisphere and provides calming, soothing energy. The cold outside urges us to turn inwards,
- [Our Brewery for Plant Health](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/our-brewery-for-plant-health/): There is a common myth that imbalances in insect populations will disappear if agricultural systems are brought “back into balance.” This assumption rests on the idea that agriculture itself is a balanced ecosystem, which is fundamentally incorrect. Agricultural systems—even in their most natural forms—are human-designed systems, shaped by human needs, diets, and production goals. Home  »  Blog  »  Our Brewery for Plant Health Our Brewery for Plant Health December 2025 · Anshul Aggarwal There is a common myth that imbalances in insect populations will disappear if agricultural systems are brought “back into balance.” This assumption rests on the idea that
- [The Lost Generation of Farmers](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/the-lost-generation-of-farmers/): In Tamil Nadu, farm workers (cultivators and labourers) have dropped from ~62% of the total workforce in the state in 1981 to ~41% in 2001, and in a more recent study from 40% in 2012 to 22% in 2022 Home  »  Blog  »  The Lost Generation of Farmers The Lost Generation of Farmers December 2025 · Anshul Aggarwal “However they roam, the world must follow still the plougher’s team; Though toilsome, culture of the ground as noblest toil esteem.” — Thirukural | v. 1031 In Tamil Nadu, farm workers (cultivators and labourers) have dropped from ~62% of the total workforce
- [The Dilemma of Animals in Agriculture](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/the-dilemma-of-animals-in-agriculture/): We would not need to go hunting for our connection to our food and the web of life that produces it. We would no longer need any reminding that we eat by the grace of nature, not industry, and that what we’re eating is never anything more or less than the body of Home  »  Blog  »  The Dilemma of Animals in Agriculture The Dilemma of Animals in Agriculture December 2025 · Anshul Aggarwal “We would not need to go hunting for our connection to our food and the web of life that produces it. We would no longer need
- [Abundance Product of the Month](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/abundance-product-of-the-month/): Have you tried our authentic sun-cured lemons preserved with Himalayan salt yet? They are bursting with flavours of lemons and are free from preservatives. Add them to your salads or curries to add a tangy depth. Home  »  Blog  »  Abundance Product of the Month Abundance Product of the Month December 2025 · AuroOrchard Salted & Sun-cured Lemon Have you tried our authentic sun-cured lemons preserved with Himalayan salt yet? They are bursting with flavours of lemons and are free from preservatives. Add them to your salads or curries to add a tangy depth. Order Here October 2025 Turmeric Flakes
- [Glimpses of a solar futureㅤㅤㅤㅤ](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/glimpses-of-a-solar-future/): In the Sāṃkhya school of Indian philosophy, the unfolding of matter from spirit gives rise to the senses and to the five elemental manifestations of the material world. From space, emerges air, the principle of movement, and fire, the principle of transformation. Then comes water, carrying flow, continuity, and the subtle pulsations of energy through matter. From the settling of this movement is born earth, the solid ground where life takes form and rests in its full potential. Home  »  Blog  »  Glimpses of a solar future Glimpses of a solar future December 2025 · Fabius It all started with
- [Flow of fire and water on the farmㅤㅤ](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/flow-of-fire-and-water-on-the-farm/): In the Sāṃkhya school of Indian philosophy, the unfolding of matter from spirit gives rise to the senses and to the five elemental manifestations of the material world. From space, emerges air, the principle of movement, and fire, the principle of transformation. Then comes water, carrying flow, continuity, and the subtle pulsations of energy through matter. From the settling of this movement is born earth, the solid ground where life takes form and rests in its full potential. Home  »  Blog  »  Flow of fire and water on the farm Flow of fire and water on the farm December 2025
- [Hands-On Approachㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/hands-on-approach/): But you can truly learn when your feet and hands are on the field. The greatest knowledge is that which is applied to daily life. Home  »  Blog  »  Hands-On Approach Hands-On Approach 25 November 2025 · Fabio Karlino “Nowadays everyone could become (intellectually) a farmer.We have books, schools, courses, youtube videos …”But you can truly learn when your feet and hands are on the field.The greatest knowledge is that which is applied to daily life. And this happens in AuroOrchard.Ideas are welcome, brainstorming is magnificent, vision is encouraged.But let’s start from the ground, let’s start talking with naturebecause farming
- [Recipe Alert!ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/farm-seasonal-salad/): It’s been one week since I arrived at the farm.I’ve just been watching. Slowing down. Learning the rhythm of the farm.Mornings begin with greeting everyone. Today when I walked in, I saw Anshul and Reuben sitting together  (a rare sight,  because both of them are constantly moving around the farm). When I reached them, I realised they were discussing: which greens to include in the salad box that’s Home  »  Blog  »  Recipe Alert! Farm Seasonal Salad November 2025 · Astha Khandelwal Base Shredded raw papaya Ceylon spinach Greens (all tender) A handful spinach A handful arugula A handful tender
- [The Flying Houseㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/the-flying-house/): Here we are sharing a ’story within the story’, of the house of two Aurovilians that was discovered to be ‘on the wrong side’ of the new boundary, and was saved and air-lifted thanks to the efforts of a whole community that came together in solidarity. Watch the adventure of Auro Orchard’s Flying House’ in its epic journey of … 35 metres, back onto the soil of Auroville! Home  »  Blog  »  The Flying House The Flying House November 2025 · Jasmin Maheshwari https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hqe1SwP3qJA Auro Orchard has survived the loss of more than a third of its land and vital
- [Discovering the Golden Eggfruit...](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/discovering-the-golden-eggfruit-a-sweet-journey-at-auroorchard/): Over the last few weeks at Auro Orchard, I’ve been spending most of my days around the fruit trees, observing, tasting, and doing small bits of research on the fruits growing here. Since I mostly eat fruits throughout the day, this kind of work feels very natural to me it’s both nourishment and exploration at the same time. During these walks, I came across our eggfruit trees, and noticing the bright yellow fruits hanging from the branches felt almost like spotting little suns tucked among the leaves. Harvesting them was a fun experience on its own, and a couple of
- [The Unstructured Calling: Finding My Rhythmㅤㅤ](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/the-unstructured-calling-finding-my-rhythm-and-resilience-in-auroorchards-soil/): 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. Home  »  Blog  »  The Unstructured Calling: Finding My Rhythm and Resilience in
- [Help us raise funds for 2026!ㅤㅤㅤㅤ](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/help-us-raise-funds-for-2026/): Until last year, we managed to support our team mainly from the farm income. For the coming year, we are seeking some funds to be able to support the newcomers who have just joined the farm, a communication team that helps us share our work with the community and basic support like food and transport for our volunteers. Our goal is to become financially sufficient in the next year to be able to support all our team expenses from the farm itself. Home  »  Blog  »  Help us raise funds for 2026! Help us raise funds for 2026! November 2025
- [Report on fund utilisation from AVI USA Matching Campaign 2024](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/report-on-fund-utilisation-from-avi-usa-matching-campaign-2024/): Our Turmeric roots have been sun-dried and turned into flakes that can be easily infused in some hot honey & lemon tea for the changing weather with a pinch of black pepper. Home  »  Blog  »  Report on fund utilisation from AVI USA Matching Campaign 2024 Report on fund utilisation from AVI USA Matching Campaign 2024 November 2025 · Anshul Aggarwal During 2024 and 2025, AuroOrchard was fortunate to have been supported with donations raised through AVI USA, AVI Germany, AVI France, AVI Spain and the Abundance Project Coordination Group which coordinates with Stichting de Zaaier in the Netherlands. This
- [Lessons from Auroville Farm Assessment 2023](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/lessons-from-auroville-farm-assessment-2023/): Across the red soils of Tamil Nadu’s southeast coast, Auroville’s farms continue to hold space for one of the most enduring experiments in community-scale organic farming and agroecology. Home  »  Blog  »  Lessons from Auroville Farm Assessment 2023 Lessons from Auroville Farm Assessment 2023 October 2025 · Anshul Aggarwal​ Across the red soils of Tamil Nadu’s southeast coast, Auroville’s farms continue to hold space for one of the most enduring experiments in community-scale organic farming and agroecology. With the rising ecological, social, and economic pressures on agriculture, it is important to review Auroville farming and put it in perspective with
- [Recipe Alert!ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/recipe-alert-stir-fried-sweet-potato-leaves-with-tofu/): Stir Fried Sweet Potato leaves with Tofu One of my all time favourite meals that is extremely easy and quick to make is plain rice with some stir fried greens with an Asian style seasoning. Home  »  Blog  »  Recipe Alert! Stir Fried Sweet Potato leaves with Tofu September 2025 · Anuja Khokhani One of my all time favourite meals that is extremely easy and quick to make is plain rice with some stir fried greens with an Asian style seasoning. My universe of greens that one can consume expanded quite a bit when I moved to Auroville, but more
- [Food and Agriculture in Auroville, India](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/food-and-agriculture-in-auroville-india/): We are being called to view agriculture not as a ‘business’ or a transaction with nature, but a participatory ‘joyous sacrifice of interchange’, a way of mutual action and growth. Home  »  Blog  »  Food and Agriculture in Auroville, India Food and Agriculture in Auroville, India September 2025 · Anshul Aggarwal​ As consciousness advances, Sri Aurobindo (1939) envisioned that the desire for food would, “progress from the type of a mutually devouring hunger to the type of a mutual giving, of an increasingly joyous sacrifice of interchange…Thus the law of Hunger must give place progressively to the law of Love,
- [Lime Gojjuㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/recipe-alert-lime-gojju/): Did you ever wonder about the origins of that idiom? It’s a little unthinkable that any self-respecting Indian would say something like “namma uurugai-la chenthutom!” or “hum aachaar me hain” and still be thought of as sane, Home  »  Blog  »  Recipe Alert! Lime Gojju September 2025 · Deepa Reddy Did you ever wonder about the origins of that idiom? It’s a little unthinkable that any self-respecting Indian would say something like “namma uurugai-la chenthutom!” or “hum aachaar me hain” and still be thought of as sane, right? An old Bon Appetit magazine article cites the venerable OED tracing origins
- [Photo Storyㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/photo-story/): A collection of pictures of small and big fauna of the farm.ㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤㅤㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤㅤㅤ  Home  »  Blog  »  Photo Story Photo Story August 2025 July 2025 · Karthick Mariappan Flora & Fauna of the farm https://auroorchard.auroville.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/PXL_20220707_044605599.TS_.mp4 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
- [Recipe Alert!ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/recipe-alert/): We get asked this question quite a lot! As Permaculture becomes more and more popular and perhaps projected as a wonderful solution for diversity and abundance, it is a general perception that “being a Permaculture farm” is the next big innovation in farming.  Home  »  Blog  » Is AuroOrchard a Permaculture farm? Odia Poi Ghanta (Vegan) August 2025 · Deepa Reddy This is one of those classic mustard paste dishes so beloved in the Anga-Vanga-Kalinga region that is modern-day Bihar, Bengal, Odisha; its constitution changes across borders and becomes a virtual vocabulary of love in its various regional inflections.  I’ve
- [Is AuroOrchard a Permaculture farm?](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/is-auroorchard-a-permaculture-farm/): We get asked this question quite a lot! As Permaculture becomes more and more popular and perhaps projected as a wonderful solution for diversity and abundance, it is a general perception that “being a Permaculture farm” is the next big innovation in farming.  Home  »  Blog  »  Is AuroOrchard a Permaculture farm? Is AuroOrchard a Permaculture farm? August 2025 · Anshul Aggarwal​ We get asked this question quite a lot! As Permaculture becomes more and more popular and perhaps projected as a wonderful solution for diversity and abundance, it is a general perception that “being a Permaculture farm” is the
- [Our experiments with food processing](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/our-experiments-with-food-processing/): At AuroOrchard, the rhythm of the seasons is not just something we observe—it’s something we taste, preserve, and share. And nature loves being abundantly oversharing. As the farm chef and someone deeply involved in food processing, I have the privilege of working at the convergence of fresh harvest and long-term preservation. My role is about transforming nature’s abundance into flavors that last, while compromising as little as possible on sustainability and nutrition. With mango season in full bloom, every morning I’m met with crates and crates of ripe produce. But as anyone who’s worked with fresh food knows, nature doesn’t
- [Updates from the Nurseryㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/monthly-updates-copy/): We have been starting a lot of fruit trees from seeds gathered during this season. We are also actively propagating more biomass plants for the farm as well as for other gardeners. Home  »  Blog  »  Updates from the Nursery Updates from the Nursery July 2025​ We have been starting a lot of fruit trees from seeds gathered during this season. We are also actively propagating more biomass plants for the farm as well as for other gardeners. You can see a list of available saplings here: Saplings order June 2025 Our nursery continues to grow. We have distributed hundreds of
- [Experiments with Syntropic Agriculture](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/experiments-with-syntropic-agriculture/): In the last few years, we have observed that the consumption of Auroville vegetables is going down within Auroville. The five most consumed vegetables in Auroville- Potato, Tomato, Onion, Cauliflower and Carrot don’t grow here locally. The demand for locally grown vegetables is low in our international city and even then, we are competing with produce available in Pondicherry and around at very low prices. Considering all this, we have consciously decided to grow more fruits as there is a lot that we can grow and that is still is being bought from outside- Papaya, Banana, Pineapple, Chikoo, Guava, Citrus,
- [Mambazha Morkootan or Pulissery](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/mambazha-morkootan-or-pulissery/): Choose good quality mangoes-they should be ripe, flavorful, and sweet. This dish relies heavily on the mango taste, so the better the mango, the better the pulisseri. Home  »  Blog  »  Mambazha Morkootan or Pulissery Mambazha Morkootan or Pulissery July 2025 · Deepa Reddy Ingredients 2 large and very ripe mangoes ½ coconut grated 1 cup of thick yogurt ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder Salt, to taste A little jaggery to balance the sourness of the mango, if necessary To roast 1 teaspoon raw rice ½ teaspoon fenugreek or methi seeds 1 red chilli (or 1 whole green chilli-add that to
- [Ayurveda Tips for rainy summer](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/ayurveda-tips-for-rainy-summer/): Late summer, with its amount of rains, brings lots of humidity and dampness in the air that affect the body and its Dosha in many different ways: Pitta ferments and shows signs of Home  »  Blog  »  Ayurveda Tips for rainy summer Ayurveda Tips for rainy summer July 2025 · Dr. Be Late summer, with its amount of rains, brings lots of humidity and dampness in the air that affect the body and its Dosha in many different ways: Pitta ferments and shows signs of acidity, bloating, inflammation or strong body odour, lots of stagnation and retention felt in the
- [COMPOST TEA: A Natural Probiotic for Soil and Plants](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/compost-tea-a-natural-probiotic-for-soil-and-plants/): As Dr. Elaine Ingham said, “there is no soil on this planet lacking nutrients to grow plants”, in other words there is intrinsically food (organic matter) in the soil, that we actually just enrich with mulch and compost in farming, according to the needs of our crops. However, sometimes there is not enough microbes to eat that food and release nutrients for the plants. Excess of food can turn into excessive oxidation and there is no conversion back to nutrients. Then compost becomes interesting because it contains a diverse amount of beneficial microbial population which contributes to the decomposition of
- [What Did AuroOrchard Produce & Where It Went](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/what-did-auroorchard-produce-where-it-went-2/): This is an overview of the distribution of food from AuroOrchard during April 2024 to March 2025 and its comparison to the previous years. Despite multiple challenges, the farm continues to grow and progress on its vision to provide food for the community. Home  »  Blog  »  What Did Auroorchard Produce & Where It Went What Did Auroorchard Produce & Where It Went An analysis from April 2024 to March 2025 · AuroOrchard This is an overview of the distribution of food from AuroOrchard during April 2024 to March 2025 and its comparison to the previous years. Despite multiple challenges,
- [Recipe Alert!ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/recipe-alert-golden-milk-turmeric-milk/): Golden milk is a good start in the morning. It’s good for gut bacteria and has a lot of benefits. Home  »  Blog  »  Recipe Alert Golden milk (turmeric milk) June 01, 2025 · Natalia Why Golden milk? Golden milk is a good start in the morning. It’s good for gut bacteria and has a lot of benefits. Golden milk is a traditional Indian drink that people make with turmeric, which gives it a yellow or gold hue. Golden milk may have several health benefit Boosting the immune system Preventing cell damage Improving mood supporting brain function and improving memo
- [FARMACYㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/farmacy-time-to-summernate/): According to Ayurveda, the qualities of summer are hot, sharp, and penetrating. That’s why our  Home  »  Blog  »  Farmacy FARMACY June 01, 2025 · Dr. Be TIME TO SUMMERNATE Ayurveda healthy tips According to Ayurveda, the qualities of summer are hot, sharp, and penetrating. That’s why our pitta dosha – the subtle fire that controls metabolism and transformation – can cause us to overheat. The sun saps the energy from the body, from the plants and the earth, increasing heat and dryness. Pitta needs to be looked after to maintain a good energy, mental clarity, joyfulness, good digestion and blood circulation,
- [Exploring a natural way of farming](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/exploring-a-natural-way-of-farming/): 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
- [Volunteer reflectionㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/volunteer-reflection/): 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
- [DIY Self-Care Workshop at AuroOrchard](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/diy-self-care-workshop-at-auroorchard-learning-to-care-for-ourselves-and-the-planet/): This month at AuroOrchard, we hosted a hands-on DIY self-care workshop exploring ways to create natural, eco-friendly products that benefit both our bodies and the environment. Participants learned how to make everyday essentials like creams, deodorants, bug repellents, soaps, and chapsticks using simple, natural ingredients. Home  »  Blog  »  DIY Self-Care Workshop at AuroOrchard: Learning to Care for Ourselves and the Planet DIY Self-Care Workshop at AuroOrchard: Learning to Care for Ourselves and the Planet Mar 14, 2025 · Amber Hill & Natalie Rodriguez This month at AuroOrchard, we hosted a hands-on DIY self-care workshop, exploring ways to create natural, eco-friendly products that
- [FARMACY: Ayurveda and the use of TURMERIC](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/farmacy-ayurveda-and-the-use-of-turmeric/): Late summer, with its amount of rains, brings lots of humidity and dampness in the air that affect the body and its Dosha in many different ways: Pitta ferments and shows signs of Home  »  Blog  »  Farmacy: Ayurveda and the use of TURMERIC FARMACY: Ayurveda and the use of TURMERIC Anti-inflammatory and anti-oxydant Mar 13, 2025 · Be@Sante Clinic The harvest season of Turmeric is slowly coming to an end. The fresh plant comes at the right time to support our health during Spring when Kapha toxins (cold, heavy, sticky, slimy, viscous, stagnant) need to be expelled from the
- [The hydrological cost of growing our food](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/the-hydrological-cost-of-growing-our-food/): In my last note, I shared about the economic paradigm that is taking us towards a ‘world without agriculture.’ I would like to explore this economic paradigm a little more by isolating the costs of the food that we grow. Let’s take water as the first one. As per several studies, agriculture accounts for about 70% of all freshwater use globally. This number is more than 80% in a country like India where over 50% of the population is still engaged in agriculture. Within Auroville, farms (perhaps along with Matrimandir) are the biggest users of freshwater. The challenges of groundwater
- [Recipe Alert!ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/recipe-alert-rocket-agathi-omelette/): An ordinary omelette with some not-so-ordinary additions, both telling the story of a farm and how it functions except you’d have to take several bites and think on all the different taste-textures that meet your tongue Home  »  Blog  »  Recipe Alert! Rocket & Agathi Omelette Feb 14, 2025 · Deepa Reddy An ordinary omelette with some not-so-ordinary additions, both telling the story of a farm and how it functions except you’d have to take several bites and think on all the different taste-textures that meet your tongue—the creaminess of fresh farm eggs; the soft, layered, lightly bitter bite of
- [What’s in seasonㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/whats-in-season/): Rucola, also called Arugula, is very tasty  and delicious. And Auroorchard offers fresh organic Rucola of the best quality. You can eat it raw in salad, pizza, wraps etc. This green  nutrient dense food is high in fiber and phytochemicals. Home  »  Blog  »  What’s in season What’s in season Feb 07, 2025 · Fresh Arugula from Auroorchard · Natalie A Rodriguez Rucola, also called Arugula, is very tasty  and delicious. And Auroorchard offers fresh organic Rucola of the best quality. You can eat it raw in salad, pizza, wraps etc. This green  nutrient dense food is high in fiber
- [Unravelling Auroville's food system](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/unravelling-aurovilles-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
- [Lemongrass Tea Recipeㅤㅤㅤ](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/lemongrass-tea-recipe/): Lemongrass is a great intercrop with our Papaya and Moringa plants. And it not only tastes good but has a lot of health benefits as well. Home  »  Blog  »  Recipe Alert! Lemongrass Tea Recipe Jan 31, 2025 · Natalie A Rodrigues Lemongrass is a great intercrop with our Papaya and Moringa plants. And it not only tastes good but has a lot of health benefits as well. Lemongrass tea recipe:  Boil lemon grass in a saucepan. Add how much grass as much water you have and the strong flavor you want.  Pour into a cup.  Plain lemongrass has a
- [Learning Journey at AuroOrchard](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/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
- [Experiments in the Mango orchard](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/experiments-in-the-mango-orchard/): During the last month, our birds contracted a virus and fell terribly sick. The egg production came down drastically with almost no eggs. The little eggs that we got from the sick birds were discarded. With intensive care and help from the entire team, the birds are now doing well. The fourth batch of birds (one-day old chicks) will arrive in two weeks! This will replace the oldest flock which will complete two years at the end of the year. Home  »  Blog  »  Experiments in the Mango Orchard Experiments in the Mango Orchard Jan 31, 2025 · Pictures by
- [Demystifying Avocados with Bala](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/demystifying-avocados-with-bala/): 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  »  Demystifying Avocados with Bala Demystifying Avocados with Bala Jan 31, 2025 · Anuja Khokhani & Chintan Jadwani We recently hosted an insightful workshop with Bala, a passionate Avocado farmer from the picturesque hills of Kodaikanal. Participants were taken on an enlightening journey through the history of Avocados in India, exploring their diverse types and subspecies. Bala
- [Connecting Through Permaculture](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/connecting-through-permaculture/): 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  »  Connecting Through Permaculture Connecting Through Permaculture Jan 31, 2025 · Amber Hill This past month, we had the opportunity to come together for a three-day intensive introduction to permaculture. Most of the participants were volunteers already working on the farm, making it a fantastic way to strengthen our sense of community while deepening our understanding of
- [A World Without Agriculture](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/a-world-without-agriculture/): 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  »  A World Without Agriculture A World Without Agriculture Jan 31, 2025 · Anshul Aggarwal AuroOrchard saw some great shifts in 2024 with the land exchange, the massive loss of productive orchards and infrastructure, the financial difficulties due to the orchard being leased and finally the cyclone as the year came to a close. Through the commitment of the team and encouragement and support from friends within
- [A Journey with Humans and Non-humans​](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/a-journey-with-humans-and-non-humans/): 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  »  A Journey with Humans and Non-humans A Journey with Humans and Non-humans Jan 31, 2025 · Eric Chacra The physical challenge I had to be much more aware of what the physical body is telling me. The first years, I was becoming a zombie for one full day like twice a year because of exhaustion. I

## Pages

- [About](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/about-3/): ABOUT AuroOrchard is Auroville’s oldest farm, founded in 1968-69 under the guidance of the Mother with the vision of “growing food for Auroville.” Spread over 25 acres of red earth on the eastern coast of Tamil Nadu, it has been a cornerstone of Auroville’s food system for more than five decades. Today, it produces over 50% of the fruits and vegetables and 90% of the eggs from Auroville farms. The farm grows a diversity of crops—mangoes, papayas, bananas, guavas, citrus, roots and tubers, leafy greens, vegetables, and herbs—alongside a small poultry that provides eggs. Each year, these fields and orchards
- [Blog](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/blog/): Blog Blog 0 Blogs ( showing 0 ) Clear filter Filter posts by tag Filtering posts… February 26, 2026 Hunger: A forgotten language Previously, I wrote about the dilemmas of working with animals in agriculture, emphasising that the question… Read more February 24, 2026 Vermicompost at AuroOrchardㅤㅤㅤㅤ In December 2025, we decided to revive the vermicompost experiments at the farm. The earlier experiments… Read more February 24, 2026 The World of Bananasㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ We recently hosted a beautiful knowledge sharing session on bananas with Vinod Sahadevan Nair, whose ㅤ… Read more February 23, 2026 Frequently Asked Questions about Eggs Previously, I
- [Volunteer](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/volunteer/): Volunteer Volunteer at AuroOrchard We offer a welcoming environment for learners, researchers, and seekers who wish to help us and learn more about the land, food, culture, and themselves. We respect each person’s journey and interests and are open to proposals for how their time at the farm can be meaningful for them and the farm. Work commitments vary according to each individual’s interests and capacity. We only ask that volunteers be sincere, responsible, and respectful with the team and the work.Learn more: Please also visit our website to explore the different areas and dimensions of our work. Register here:
- [Free-range poultry](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/free-range-poultry/): Free-range Poultry Eggs have been an integral part of AuroOrchard since the early years. Over decades, our poultry practices have evolved through reflection, experimentation, and an ongoing search for balance between ethics, ecology, and nourishment. From Battery to Free Range For many years, AuroOrchard raised white chickens (BV-300 breed) in conventional battery cages, a system still used widely in industrial poultry. These cages often hold up to thirty birds in a single square metre, restricting movement and natural behaviour. While efficient for production, this model neglects the wellbeing of the animal and affects the quality of the egg itself. In
- [Polyorchards](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/polyorchards/): Polyorchards We now cultivate about ten acres of mango, four acres of cashew, one acre of coconut interplanted with banana, one acre of lemon with root crops, half an acre of avocado with papaya and lemongrass, and smaller patches of jackfruit, ramphal, pineapple, and other tropical trees. These are not isolated orchards but interconnected plant communities, each designed for cooperation and succession. Nitrogen-fixing trees like gliricidia, moringa, and sesbania feed the soil; papaya and banana create shade and biomass; while turmeric, ginger, cowpea, lemongrass, and other herbs and shrubs form a living mulch that conserves moisture and deters weeds. In
- [Research](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/research/): RESEARCH Research project on co-composting of fecal sludge Our research is meant to explore the conditions for a low-tech approach to fecal sludge composting: co-composting of fecal (domestic septic tank) sludge with organic bulking material in trenches; to examine conditions of groundwater depth, soil type and quality, flora and fauna, and to assess the ratio (of volumes) of sludge and bulking material, weather conditions, and duration of composting times to arrive at recommendations for periurban and rural scenarios, where nutrients and water provided by sludge and compost will contribute to agricultural (or agroforesty) productivity and simultaneously avoid increasing risks to
- [Abundance](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/abundance/): Abundance In our tropical climate, fruits arrive all at once — Papayas, Mangoes, Bananas, Jackfruit, Ramphal and others ripen in abundance during the summer — and then there are long months when there is little fruit at all. Vegetables, too, fluctuate with the seasons: some months bring plenty, others very little. Over time, we’ve come to see that food preservation is not a luxury but a necessity — a way to care consciously for what the land gives us. At AuroOrchard, we prefer to speak of food preservation rather than processing. The aim is not to transform food into something
- [Seeds](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/seeds/): Seeds Every season at the farm begins in the nursery — the dynamic center of the farm where new life quietly takes shape. Under the greenhouse, trays of soil mixed with compost and coco husk hold seeds that will become the next cycle of vegetables, support species, and fruit trees. Almost all of these seeds have been saved from our own fields, others exchanged with nearby farms or brought in to try new varieties. Each tray is marked with date and name, and once the seeds sprout, the nursery fills with a kind of rhythm — a hum of watering,
- [Vegetable gardening](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/vegetable-gardening/): Vegetable Gardening Vegetable growing has always been at the heart of AuroOrchard. Even with the challenges of heat, erratic rainfall, and variable soil fertility, we continue to grow food for the community throughout the year — one of the few farms in Auroville to do so. This continuity has taught us to look more closely at the land’s rhythms and discover that the year is not divided into four but into six subtle farming seasons, each with its own mood, crops, and light. Over time, we’ve learned to plan our plantings through this rhythm, adapting to the local climate and
- [Community](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/community/): COMMUNITY Agriculture, from the Latin agrum meaning land and cultura meaning to cultivate, carries within it both the physical and the spiritual dimensions of care. It is the same cultura that gives us the word culture — the cultivation of the human spirit through shared work, art, and meaning. We understand agriculture as this extended act of care — a field where ecology and community meet, and where the growth of food and the growth of people are inseparable. The farm team lies at the heart of this culture. Around thirty people work at AuroOrchard. Most come from the villages
- [Ecology](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/ecology/): ECOLOGY Archaeological studies show that agriculture began around ten thousand years ago. This marks a radical turn in human history — the moment we decided to “tame” nature, clear forests, and establish field crops. It was an important step in our individuation from nature, leading to a profound change in our relationship with ecosystems. Today, faced with the climate crisis, species extinction, soil and water pollution, and the rapid loss of biodiversity, we are called to imagine an agriculture that not only respects ecosystems but actively heals them. Natural farming, organic farming, Permaculture, Biodynamic, and many others are valuable efforts
- [Signup form](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/signup-form/): AuroOrchard Join our newsletter for exclusive updates! * indicates required Name *Email Address * Thanks for visiting! Head back to AuroOrchard’s main website to explore more. Thanks for visiting! Head back to AuroOrchard’s main website to explore more.
- [Market Gardening](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/market-gardening/): Market Gardening COURSE DETAILS February 18ᵗʰ, 2026 to May 13ᵗʰ, 2026 Join Now More and more people are beginning to realise that the central solution of our food crises today is change of scale from large agro-industrial factory farming to smaller community-human scale farming which opens up the possibility for direct interaction between growers and consumers. Market gardening is an emerging profession for both traditional and new farmers where the farmers work with natural cycles to produce food throughout the year, either directly for consumers or for the market. Since market gardening relies on growing in and in-between the seasons,
- [Payment Form | Standard Contribution](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/payment-form-standard-contribution/): If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us at: auroorchard@auroville.org.in
- [Payment Form | Abundance Contribution](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/payment-form-abundance-contribution/): If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us at: auroorchard@auroville.org.in
- [Payment Form | scholarship](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/payment-form-scholarship/): If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us at: auroorchard@auroville.org.in
- [Course form](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/form/)
- [Home](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/): AuroOrchard is Auroville’s oldest farm, founded in 1968 and spread over 25 acres of red earth on the eastern coast of Tamil Nadu, it has been a cornerstone of Auroville’s food system for more than five decades. Despite the challenges of farming today, the farm resiliently holds to its purpose,  ‘growing food for Auroville’ and tending to the fragile web that binds land, community, and spirit together. ABOUT AUROVILLE BASKET SIGN UP SAPLING ORDER AuroOrchard is Auroville’s oldest farm, founded in 1968 and spread over 25 acres of red earth on the eastern coast of Tamil Nadu, it has been
- [Refund & Cancellation Policy](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/refund-cancellation-policy/): Refund & Cancellation Policy Effective Date: July 31, 2025 We aim to provide a fair and transparent refund process for all course registrations. 1. Cancellation by Participant Cancellations made 10 or more days before the course start date: 100% refund. 2. Cancellation by AuroOrchard In the event AuroOrchard cancels or postpones a course, participants will be offered a full refund or the option to transfer to a future course. 3. Refund Processing Approved refunds will be processed within 7–10 business days using the original payment method. Back to Course
- [Privacy Policy](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/privacy-policy/): Privacy Policy Effective Date: July 31, 2025 AuroOrchard is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy outlines how we collect, use, and protect your personal information. 1. Information We Collect When you register for a course, we collect personal details such as your name, email address, phone number, and other information directly through our website. Payment information is collected securely through third-party payment services integrated into our website. 2. How We Use Your Information To process course registrations and payments. To send course-related updates, reminders, and feedback requests. To respond to inquiries and support requests. 3. Information Sharing We do
- [Terms and Conditions](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/terms-and-conditions/): Terms and Conditions Effective Date: July 31, 2025 Welcome to AuroOrchard. By registering for our courses and using our website, you agree to the following terms and conditions: 1. Course Registration All course registrations must be completed through the AuroOrchard website. Submission of the registration form on our website does not confirm admission until payment is successfully received. 2. Payment Terms Course fees must be paid in full at the time of registration, unless otherwise noted. All payments are processed securely through our integrated online payment gateway. 3. Participant Responsibilities Participants are expected to attend all scheduled sessions and follow instructions
- [Courses](https://auroorchard.auroville.org/courses/): COURSES WINTER COURSE Market Gardening More and more people are beginning to realise that the central solution of our food crises today is change of scale from large agro-industrial factory farming to smaller community-human scale farming which opens up the possibility for direct interaction between growers and consumers. Market gardening is an emerging profession for both traditional and new farmers where the farmers work with natural cycles to produce food throughout the year, either directly for consumers or for the market. Since market gardening relies on growing in and in-between the seasons, it requires a good amount of design and


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