Solitude Farm
A Living Story of Organic, Sustainable Agriculture in Tamil Nadu, India
Solitude Farm aims at reconnecting people to where their food comes from:
“A society that doesn’t know where its food comes from is a society without humanity, without culture, and it will perish.” Masanobu Fukoaka, Natural farming, author, philosopher, Japan
We recognise that all the organic matter that grows on and around the farm is a bio-resource. This is our profit, its not a financial but nutritional profit. The currency that we are generating is the currency of wellbeing.
We understand that a healthy soil means healthy crops, which in turn mean healthy people, and a healthy society. We deeply believe that to bring any meaningful social change we have to bring people together. Healthy nutritious food is at the root of this movement.
This philosphy confluences at Solitude Farm through sustainable food projects such as fruit and vegetable baskets; natural farming, permaculture and cooking workshops; the People, Food, Music movement; music festivals and events; and in the heart of the organic farm, the Solitude Organic Farm Café.
Vision of Solitude Farm
Solitude Farm was started in January 1996 by a group of young Aurovillians, of which Krishna Mckenzie remains as one of the founder members.
Krishna from England did studied at a Krishnamurti school and came to Auroville in 1993. Everything that has happened since the start of the farm in 1996 has been inspired by the teachings of Masonubu Fukoaka and has been made possible by the wide vision of The Mother Sri Aurobindo.
The story of Solitude Farm as it exists today started with a dream: Krishna speaks of a dream in which Fukuoka appeared and cut his hair. In the dream, Krishna paid Fukoaka 1 pound and received 100 pounds in change. The spread of abundance is a running thread at the heart of the farm and café.
The farm today is now an abundant 5 acres of food crops, both wild and cultivated, fruit and forest. The farm project continues to expand. In 2005, the Solitude Café and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) baskets were born. In 2015, the “People, Food Music” movement was initiated, aiming at a wider involvement with food and community.
Permaculture and natural farming has attracted many people to the farm. The simple evolutionary vision of the farm is to reconnect people to where their food comes from. It has been and continues to be the driving force behind all the projects.
Philosophy of Solitude Farm
“It is not cultivation of crops but the cultivation of the human soul“ Masanobu Fukuoka
Visit Krishna’s website: krishnamckenzie.com
