Principle #2: Agri-Culture, not Agri-Business

When farming is treated as a business, the general outcome is mono-cropping, fertilizing, and using pesticides to extract the maximum yield. In the name of creating space for cash crops like banana and turmeric, we have seen neighboring farmers cut Papaya trees, weeding out fragrant flowers and not even grow a few vegetables for their own consumption.  Our firm belief is that if we take care of the farm and put its needs before ours, it will take care of us. It is agri-culture after all.

This is not to undermine the financial sustainability of the farm or our life on it. We believe there are two ways towards sustainability.  Generating profits from the markets is one. Reducing our expenses by growing most of what we need in terms of food, fuel, fodder and timber is another.
And trees give in such abundance that just by sharing a portion of its wealth (twigs, leaves and fruits) with the soil and animals and birds on the farm we can make the farm self-sustaining.