Farmer’s Share: In Pursuit of a Quiet Making and Living with Nature

Ambrose Kooliyath, the co-founder, envisions Farmer’s Share as a sanctuary for young people free from societal scrutiny and conducive to exploration and self-discovery.

Nestled peacefully on the banks of the river Bharathappuzha also known as Nila, Kerala's second-longest river, Farmer’s Share is an initiative grounded in communal and deliberate living, challenging the prevailing consumerist culture with its philosophy of 'Love Make Live.'

At the heart of Farmer’s Share lies an emphasis on local self-sustenance, and a redefined approach to the essentials of life which is evident in the ways life happens every day at the farm. 

Rejecting the conventional dichotomy of physical and mental labour, the farm champions interconnectedness and diverse engagement. We find people partaking in a multitude of tasks including but not limited to gathering Krishna tulsi, Hibiscus flowers, and Shankhpushpam as the dawn arrives, proceeding to cook together in the communal kitchen, over shared laughter and endless stories. 

For those who come from the noisy urban corners, the farm announces itself most prominently during afternoons and nights with the loud chirping of birds and hums of the crickets as human voices, muted and understated, discreetly inhabit the background.

Krishna tulsi tea being served at the farm.

Of utmost importance at the farm is the need for the creation of a dignified local livelihood which is harmonious with nature. For this, there is a small handloom unit run by women from the neighbourhood. The raw material for the food prepared at the farm is sourced from local farmers, thus initiating a circular economy in the area.

Unlike the conventional farming practices of using a separate plot of land for cultivation, Hibiscus farming is done with trees planted on the boundaries weaving seamlessly around the entire farm like a nurturing fence.

Hibiscus flowers are collected and laid out for drying.

Ambrose Kooliyath, the co-founder, envisions Farmer’s Share as a sanctuary for young people free from societal scrutiny and conducive to exploration and self-discovery. 

Everything that has found a place at the farm from the cycle rims and guitar fretboards used in the construction of the place to the sun-dried and honey-dipped mangoes sold in the store run by the group, has had an eventful journey worth knowing. The philosophy embodied by Farmer's Share handholds the visitors to reconsider ways of living and to derive joy from the deliberateness of coexisting with everything alive in this world.