Permaculture Consult - Alibag

Tropical, Hill Top Organic Orchard

Two friends decided to cement their friendship and buy adjoining plots of land to grow one large, shared resource farm! A heart warming initiative, which has already grown to more friends buying plots and setting up community in the neighborhood, it was an honor to be part of bringing this beautiful dream of farming to life!

Situated on a rocky, basaltic hill-top, a few kilometers from the Arabian Sea, and just south of Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary, the joint plots commanded stunning views of the neighboring villages

The vast promise of raw property in this 3.5 acre site at a Konkan coast hilltop

Soil reports pointed out the high alkalinity levels that needed remediation, and low levels of organic matter caused by topsoil loss and lack of vegetation. A quick survey revealed plot inclines to the east that were the main culprits of topsoil loss, and so I kickstarted recommendations with land embankments and rainwater harvesting in situ, coupled with widespread micro rainwater infiltration circles. Soil remediation always works in tandem with water management and no amount of fertilizer will be of any good if we cannot first ensure that it is not lost to run-off. So along with the water catchment strategy, we unfolded a phase wise plan of soil remediation with neem cake, gobar and compost to increase nutrient levels and cation exchange capacity, or holding capacity in soil.

A model solar powered water pump that fills this borewell water tank on a tower on site

The clients had moved with astounding speed - constructing boundary walls, borewells, erecting tanks on towers and solar powering them, building a water permeating swale and laying the foundation of the first farmhouse, besides procuring and planting hundreds of plants - all of this within a year of purchase. The picture above shows the water tank tower, and swale while the picture below shows the first farm structure, solar powered and fully functioning!

No need to wait for your electricity connection when solar power is with you already!

What this site lacked in organic soil matter and desired pH levels, it more than made up for with ample sunshine, an excellent watering plan and client ingenuity! Wind power was also evident as despite the intense heat of summer, cool sea breezes flowed unhindered west to east during the visit, nudging me to toward sustainable, cooling farmhouse design elements!

With this site visit, the focus was on orchard design. And so it was another great opportunity to share insights culled from years of growing in the extraordinary bounteous Konkan coast, to another Konkan coastal plot. As any native would know, the red soil of this region has a special place in the heart, and scientific proof of how acidic laterite soil and its synchronous elements come together to grow the sweetest of tropical fruits, just validates this emotion completely!

My clients are blazing away at their to-do lists. They will, in all likelihood, win the race for the fastest farm development I have had the privilege of witnessing!

More on the amazing work of these two friends at Alibag, later!