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Urban farm located within the city limits of Coimbatore grows and sells naturally grown vegetables
The taste of freshly harvested vegetables is invincible but to get the same surely is practically impossible that too in a city! No more for the people of Coimbatore because an urban farm right in their city is the source for more than 25 varieties of freshly harvested vegetables that has an authentic flavor! It implies the veggies have an original taste as it is grown through natural farming practices. Veggies are harvested right before the customers! It is as good as picking one’s own food on their platter. No advertising and no propaganda, it is purely the quality that draws the buyers to the farm gate for purchasing the vegetables every morning and evening! The farm is called as Poorna Natural Farm started by Mr. Senthil Kumar Natchimuthu and his wife Ms. Sanmuga Priya.
Initially the couple started the farm to feed their children with tasty vegetables but slowly and gradually once an idea of setting up an organic garden turned into a commercial natural farm. “On our return from USA after staying there for more than a decade our kids didn’t like the taste of vegetables available in the Coimbatore market. It was hard to look for naturally grown vegetables. As we had the land we decided to grow our own veggies. The process of converting the bushy 2 acres area into a cultivable land took me through detailed progression of clearing the space, making arrangements for water, electricity, solar power and constructing the farm shed. In the end it was possible to grow vegetables for family, friends and neighbourhood,” shares Mr. Senthil on venturing into commercial farming.
Mr. Senthil had the guidance and expertise of Mr. OVR Somu all through the way of establishing the commercial farm. “We visited many professors, experts, horticulturist and organic farmers. I observed that commonly the farmers were growing 2-3 crops at a time. They used to sell their entire farm produce to the traders who re-sold to the urban consumers. Being in the city, we definitely had an advantage of selling directly to the end user but we came with a challenge of growing more varieties of vegetables. We had to plan in a way that we can provide our customers assorted vegetables for an entire week. After in-depth research we started growing most-in-demand vegetables in a planned way such as tomato, okra, brinjal, beans, corn, cauliflower and beetroot etc,” he explains. In all there are 14-15 varieties of vegetables and 12 different kinds of greens produced in open cultivation at Poorna Natural Farm.
Farming input used at the farm are moringa plant extract, EM solution and goat manure. “Twice a month we spray jeevamrutham and panchagavya. These are sourced from neighbouring cow shed while other natural farming inputs are bought from the local vendor,” he informs. Irrigation is done through drip. “We are very careful on using the water as we advised by the experts because water in the city is highly alkaline. Besides we ensure to keep adding organic matter in the soil to protect it from the water impurities.”
Maintaining the continuous production of multiple vegetables is the biggest challenge faced by Mr. Senthil. “I am quite engrossed to keep up with the production schedule. To cope up with it I follow the systematically designed calendar on vegetable production that gives details on quantity required of vegetables on every day basis, number of plants needed to grow for producing the same quantity, production time, climatic condition and so on. The calendar is designed meticulously taking into account every minute detail yet practically we do at times face some tribulations but it is fine as we are learning every day,” he elaborates.
In future Mr. Senthil plans to grow all the vegetables required in daily cooking. “We have recently set up a shade net in 1/10th of the acre to grow some more new vegetable variants. We want to meet all the vegetables requirements of our customers for that we want to have a bigger farm outside the city where we can grow the vegetables that are difficult to grow in the present farm. It would need more time and effort but shall be accomplished,” he shares. Prices are fixed as per expenses incurred in growing the vegetables and not as per the market cost. It is claimed to be less than the prices at the organic stores.
Mr. Senthil is Management Consultant by profession engaged full-time for running a tech startup and is enthusiast part-time farmer. “It certainly is a daunting task to carry on both the roles but when I look at the satisfaction and happiness of children eating the vegetables then all the money spent and hard work invested is worth it to the core,” he signs off.
Contact details:
Poorna Natural Farm
SNV Gardens Main Road, Keelakarai,
Ramanathapuram,
Coimbatore 641036, Tamil Nadu
Phone: +91 9952 555 629
Email: snatchim@gmail.com
Web: http://www.poornanatural.com/
The taste of freshly harvested vegetables is invincible but to get the same surely is practically impossible that too in a city! No more for the people of Coimbatore because an urban farm right in their city is the source for more than 25 varieties of freshly harvested vegetables that has an authentic flavor! It implies the veggies have an original taste as it is grown through natural farming practices. Veggies are harvested right before the customers! It is as good as picking one’s own food on their platter. No advertising and no propaganda, it is purely the quality that draws the buyers to the farm gate for purchasing the vegetables every morning and evening! The farm is called as Poorna Natural Farm started by Mr. Senthil Kumar Natchimuthu and his wife Ms. Sanmuga Priya.
Initially the couple started the farm to feed their children with tasty vegetables but slowly and gradually once an idea of setting up an organic garden turned into a commercial natural farm. “On our return from USA after staying there for more than a decade our kids didn’t like the taste of vegetables available in the Coimbatore market. It was hard to look for naturally grown vegetables. As we had the land we decided to grow our own veggies. The process of converting the bushy 2 acres area into a cultivable land took me through detailed progression of clearing the space, making arrangements for water, electricity, solar power and constructing the farm shed. In the end it was possible to grow vegetables for family, friends and neighbourhood,” shares Mr. Senthil on venturing into commercial farming.
Mr. Senthil had the guidance and expertise of Mr. OVR Somu all through the way of establishing the commercial farm. “We visited many professors, experts, horticulturist and organic farmers. I observed that commonly the farmers were growing 2-3 crops at a time. They used to sell their entire farm produce to the traders who re-sold to the urban consumers. Being in the city, we definitely had an advantage of selling directly to the end user but we came with a challenge of growing more varieties of vegetables. We had to plan in a way that we can provide our customers assorted vegetables for an entire week. After in-depth research we started growing most-in-demand vegetables in a planned way such as tomato, okra, brinjal, beans, corn, cauliflower and beetroot etc,” he explains. In all there are 14-15 varieties of vegetables and 12 different kinds of greens produced in open cultivation at Poorna Natural Farm.
Farming input used at the farm are moringa plant extract, EM solution and goat manure. “Twice a month we spray jeevamrutham and panchagavya. These are sourced from neighbouring cow shed while other natural farming inputs are bought from the local vendor,” he informs. Irrigation is done through drip. “We are very careful on using the water as we advised by the experts because water in the city is highly alkaline. Besides we ensure to keep adding organic matter in the soil to protect it from the water impurities.”
Maintaining the continuous production of multiple vegetables is the biggest challenge faced by Mr. Senthil. “I am quite engrossed to keep up with the production schedule. To cope up with it I follow the systematically designed calendar on vegetable production that gives details on quantity required of vegetables on every day basis, number of plants needed to grow for producing the same quantity, production time, climatic condition and so on. The calendar is designed meticulously taking into account every minute detail yet practically we do at times face some tribulations but it is fine as we are learning every day,” he elaborates.
In future Mr. Senthil plans to grow all the vegetables required in daily cooking. “We have recently set up a shade net in 1/10th of the acre to grow some more new vegetable variants. We want to meet all the vegetables requirements of our customers for that we want to have a bigger farm outside the city where we can grow the vegetables that are difficult to grow in the present farm. It would need more time and effort but shall be accomplished,” he shares. Prices are fixed as per expenses incurred in growing the vegetables and not as per the market cost. It is claimed to be less than the prices at the organic stores.
Mr. Senthil is Management Consultant by profession engaged full-time for running a tech startup and is enthusiast part-time farmer. “It certainly is a daunting task to carry on both the roles but when I look at the satisfaction and happiness of children eating the vegetables then all the money spent and hard work invested is worth it to the core,” he signs off.
Contact details:
Poorna Natural Farm
SNV Gardens Main Road, Keelakarai,
Ramanathapuram,
Coimbatore 641036, Tamil Nadu
Phone: +91 9952 555 629
Email: snatchim@gmail.com
Web: http://www.poornanatural.com/
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