Search for the land

The lockdown period provided us with a valuable lesson — the ability to work remotely from any location. This opened an opportunity for me to pursue my long-held dream. In 2021, I enrolled in an online Permaculture course. My husband Dhruva and I began visiting individuals who practiced permaculture, natural farming, or organic farming. We explored several farms near Pune, and our search for suitable land began in 2021.

Despite warnings from many about potential difficulties faced by outsiders in rural areas, including harassment and theft, we pressed on. Fortunately, our driver Raju, lived in a nearby village where we were potentially looking for land, regularly brought us land options. The lockdown intermittently disrupted our land-hunting process, but this allowed us more time to conduct research, engage with relevant WhatsApp groups, meet people, and gain a better understanding of the land-buying process.

Finally, in February 2022, after viewing numerous pieces of land, we narrowed our choice down to one. It met our budget and fulfilled our desired criteria, with a few pros and cons. However, there were some issues with the land’s documentation. We also inquired about the possibility of purchasing the adjacent land, which was good but smaller than what we initially wanted. Nevertheless, it had the advantage of water access, which was significant for us. With my father, who had experience working in the land revenue department, taking charge of obtaining the necessary documents and coordinating with the agent, we managed to ensure that all the paperwork was in order. Without his efforts, it would have been extremely challenging to expedite the process.

Unfortunately, during this time, the Omicron variant hit Pune severely, and we tested positive for the virus. We lost a week due to this setback, but for me, every day was crucial, each one taking me a step closer to my dream.

In the meantime, we began organizing our thoughts about building a house, selecting crops and trees to cultivate, securing capital, and more. As a family, we collectively contributed to an Excel sheet, and it felt like I was back in an office setting. Our “Farm” project had officially begun within the family. My father-in-law handled the financial aspects and government schemes, Dhruva took charge of the GIS work and project planning, my father looked after the land records and history of the land, while I provided input on what, when, and how to commence cultivation. We were all enthusiastic and constantly shared relevant documents, news, and anything related to agriculture and sustainable living. We even hired a private team to measure the land, bringing us one step closer to realizing our dream.

I couldn’t help but feel that I had the strongest support and an incredibly dedicated team working together towards a shared goal — my family is truly my team.