Farmer Sutra by Kalpana Manivannan

The true story of how a city dweller realized her farm dream ǀ Guide to a healthy way of life.

If you, like me, are an organic farming enthusiast then this book is an inspiration, a guide for clueless beginners. If not, this is a comfort read that from the very first page makes you want to slow down, relax and dive into the serene farm that the author has not only beautifully described but also built with her own blood, sweat and tears in real. The author’s journey forces you to stop and think for a moment about arguably the most important question when it comes to leading a healthy life – Where does our food come from? _{(Click on the link to find some very disturbing truth)}

To me personally, there were so many relatable bits that it made me wonder if I too could someday take this bold step and turn my dream of growing my own food into reality. A farm-to-table dream as the author calls it. The author definitely pushes you towards it with some beautiful lines like the one below.

I had this dream vision in my mind of me pushing open the swinging door and walking into my kitchen with a basket of freshly plucked vegetables for lunch.
I wanted the sunlight streaming in from all directions and wanted to be able to see the trees and the vegetable garden while I cooked.
From the book.

Having conducted my own experiments with an herb garden, many of the author’s experiences made me nostalgic. The ‘city-dwellers’ awe-filled reactions to seemingly trivial things like a unique patterned insect, the rare bee, an unusual plant or simply the joy of having lunch under the shade of a banana plantain. The irony behind having to explain the importance of organic farming to a ‘farmer’ who has only ever worked with chemicals made me chuckle and wonder what has the world come to.

There were also many concepts that this book introduced me to. For instance, the importance of seed saving and the reason behind the Kalasam placed at the top of ancient temples. It also made me question where were we heading to in the name of progress and development.

Written in a simple and lucid manner, this book takes you on a journey that will make you rethink your life choices and will teach you that the most audacious of dreams can be achieved through planning, dedication and persistence. Above all, this book helps you reconnect with nature, and become guardians of our precious resources instead of being just takers.

My favourite bits of the book are the recipes that the author has generously shared with her readers. Thank you, Kalpana for authoring this wonderful book and sharing your journey with us.

More about the author and her journey here: https://kalpavrikshafarms.com/

You can connect with me on: