A Farm Visit

As the sun rose in Northern India on Sunday (18-2-18), some kids in the city beautiful woke up with the excitement of having a wonderful new experience that day. Equally enthusiastic parents were up by the first light and prepared for a memorable day ahead.

Down south, in one house, was a kid who couldn’t get a sound sleep through the night owing to the flu. A similar situation of un-wellness prevailed in another house. But they were unstoppable, the kids; these little hiccups were no obstacles for them.

Up north, in a beautiful countryside farm, another house had risen early in preparation for hosting a day full of fun, nature, games, and talks. The kids of the house were eager to welcome their unknown mates for the day. As the parents planned the day for the guests, the workers hustled around going about the chores of the farm and preparing eateries for the visitors. Equally excited seemed the pets of the house who weren’t sure what was up that day but the ambient positive energy had engulfed them too.

The sun was up and the sky was blue. A bright, sunny winter day was about to unravel. As the morning ripened, the visitors from various parts of the city started their journey to the farm, all geared up for the day. With mountains and open fields all around, the drive turned out to be beautiful.

There at the farm, the hosts were all set to welcome the guests. In no time the animated families from different walks of life poured in. They were greeted with bright smiles and spirited introductions. Thereon, the FAF (Fun@Farm) began.

It started with a good walk around the farm with the lovely host explaining the various plantations, as the kids enjoyed playing alongside the cultivated columns identifying different fruits - peaches, pears, litchis, plums, strawberries (A treat!), oranges and what not! Most kids were up in the front row all eager to know more about converting the daily kitchen waste to a nutrient-rich in-house fertilizer.

By the time the round was over, the little mice in everyone’s tummies, especially the kids, had started jumping. The table was laid under the trees for all to come and savor the salad prepared from fresh veggies right out of the farm, along with fruit juice. The informal talks had just begun and the visitors hadn’t stopped admiring the greens when a tray full of soup glasses could be seen arriving. A few hungry kids hopped on to be the first to catch a glass each. The rich and smooth taste of the soup, cooked from fresh veggies, was relished and praised by everyone.

Slowly, like-minded groups started forming. Some discussed the games and animals they loved and some exchanged recipes. Some put their heads together on the subject of bringing up kids and a few drifted into the issues of the world. In the meantime, lunch proceeded to the main course and everyone had started munching yummy home-made burgers.

As the table cleared, everyone was excited for a little adventure – the forest walk! A little trek through the forest to a nearby mountain, to have a view of the landscape around. The DSLRs and Binoculars, the caps and goggles, all took their places on the shoulders, heads, and eyes respectively.

From the youngest to the eldest, with firm steps, the troop moved up the hill enjoying the flora and fauna around. Fauna?! Well yes! A little way up the trek, there were goats, so many of them; the delight of the kids knew no bounds. Pictures and poses, the herd and the troop, it was indeed a perfect day.

The goats seemed to enjoy the company and lingered around for some love, so the herd and the troop marched together for some time. Soon the troop was at a point where they adored a view of the farm below and decided to descend. But the energetic kids differed in view and wanted to climb even further. The smaller the kid, the farther he/she wanted to go. After some convincing by the elders and luring for some more fun at the farm, the kids agreed to participate in the return journey.

Once back, everyone quenched their thirst and there were games to be played. Some picked up the cycles while some installed the wickets to play cricket. A few meters away, the very young ones ventured their hands into the soil and took up building the sand castles of their dreams. There, under the umbrella, sat a few for a little chat. A little further, the kites had come out and the string was being tied for a flying session. 

As they all talked and played, everyone realized how connected they felt to the ground, to nature, to the earth. Many had not even touched or checked their phones since hours. A clock tick-tocked somewhere in the world outside as evening crept in slowly and silently.

In a little while, everyone receded to the base to relish a bowl of delicious ‘phirni’ and a cup of soothing tea. Alongside, the tea-time talks began where some sitting by the tree discussed how delightful it had been spending such quality time in nature.

As the sun dipped a little further, it was time to bid adieu. With those positive vibes reverberating in everyone, best wishes were exchanged. The visitors thanked the hosts from the bottom of their hearts for having them over this beautiful farm.