THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The daily commute in bumper-to-bumper traffic along dusty roads, a lunch packed with colours and preservatives and neverending video conferences at the office. Does that ring any bells for you? A new generation of entrepreneurs—aware of the perils of the city life—are offering temporary respite in the form of weekend getaways, which combine green living, agrarian work culture and organic food, to reset minds and rejuvenate bodies. Head over to any of these spots and spend your days milking cows, plucking fruits and sleeping in hammocks overlooking the backwaters, while being attended to by the entrepreneurs themselves, who could make you feel at home.
Harvest Fresh
35-acre farm
Location: Lower Camp, Theni
Distance: 175 kms from Kochi, 15-minute drive from Thekkady
Originally an Indocert-certified farm growing organic pomegranates, Harvest Fresh is the pet project of Kochi-based agar-agar exporter, Kurian Jose. Today, the South Asian Travel Award-winning farm harvests organic papayas, custard apples, mangoes and even invites guests to be a part of the process. “Our guests can experience the agrarian way of life here. As soon as they step foot on the 35-acre farm, they are welcomed and taken to their cottages on a bullock cart. They can milk the cows, feed the calves and even engage in fruit picking, which they can ultimately take to the Cumbum market on a tractor for sale,” explains Jose. Patrons of Harvest Fresh—who are served food prepared with ingredients sourced from the farm—can also engage in practical farming lessons. From nurturing young saplings in the nursery, learning various composting techniques, and feeding poultry to getting acquainted with the medicinal uses of the plants from their special herbal garden. Rs 200 (for farm visits) and Rs 3,500 onwards
(for a day’s stay and activities). Details: harvestfresh.in
Kayal Island Retreat
Four-kilometre long island
Location: Kakkathuruthu, Alappuzha
Distance: 120 kms from Kochi
An island on Vembanad lake that is only accessible by boat and is home to just a few hundred families—this is Kakkathuruthu. It’s where New Yorker Maneesha Panicker decided to create her island paradise, Kayal Island Retreat. Now, Panicker has more to celebrate as Kakkathuruthu has been listed among the best destinations in the world via National Geographic’s Around the World In 24 Hours. With lakeside cottages built with recycled material modelled after old Kerala houses—equipped with quaint reading rooms adorned with local art and garden baths—guests can disconnect from the world to reconnect with themselves. “In a world that moves at a breakneck speed, there’s a little island where time stands absolutely still. Imagine life 100 years ago in this part of the world — that is what
we offer at Kayal,” says Panicker, who quit working at the American cosmetics giant Estée Lauder to create Kayal. Guests can even try their hands at toddy tapping or join the friendly fishermen from the island for netting the day's catch. Rs 7,500 onwards for cottage.
Details: kayalislandretreat.com
Escape Natural Farm
10-acre farm adjoining the
Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary
Location: Kanthalloor, Idukki
Distance: 200 kms from Kochi
I nitially an orchid farm, Escape has been ex-civil servant Jony Thomas’ secret abode. “I didn’t name the farm resort Escape without a reason, as it is indeed a getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city,” says Thomas, who also cultivates apples, plums, peaches and pomegranates at the farm. Bordering the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary at Devikulam, the resort offers an up-close picturesque view of the Western Ghats’ forests from within cottages built into the mountains. If you’re lucky, you can even spot a few langurs, spotted deer or the endangered giant grizzled squirrels. For the adventurous, there are tree houses with thatched roofs, which recreate the tribal way of living in the forest. “Though, the most
popular activity for our patrons is the guided trek into Marayoor’s world-famous sandalwood forests, we will gladly accommodate our guests in the farming and fruit picking events as well,” adds Thomas, who is wary of expansion and wants to maintain his resort in its own slow secluded space. Rs 3,000 onwards.
Details: escapenaturalfarmkanthalloor.weebly.com