Dhi Greens, an urban farm with a veritable treasure trove of greens

Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu

Dhi Greens is a small farm, not more than an acre and 80 cents, bang in the center of a residential colony in Coimbatore. For two years now, Dhivya Vasudevan has toiled hard there to sow, grow and harvest vegetables, native and seasonal ones.

"Usually, we hear of agricultural lands being converted into real estate. In this case, someone I knew offered me her land to start agriculture in," Dhivya laughed.

It is a favourite halt for early morning walkers and runners like me. Sometimes it is only the thought of stopping there on my way home that keeps me running!

"We are picking fresh keerai Ma'am, want some," is how Dhivya often greets me and it is a line I can't resist. As I wait, a gardener hunkers down next to the bed of greens and picks out fresh, tender green palak. Not just greens, depending on the time of the year, I can take my pick of baby brinjals, cluster beans, ladies finger, green chillies… Every time I go there is delicious anticipation. What vegetable am I going to find today?

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It has been a long and satisfying road, said Dhivya who herself is from an agrarian family. Her first love is growing vegetables and she has turned it into a profitable venture. She does not just grow produce on her farm, but she also supports a whole lot of organic farmers in and around Coimbatore who send their vegetables and fruits to her. A shed by the side of the farm holds the harvested vegetables along with other dry organic produce such as millets, honey, turmeric powder, rice, etc.

It is a revelation for urban dwellers like me who rarely get a chance to visit farms in rural areas. And a conversation with Dhivya is always edifying.

"We don't use machines to weed the land. We do it by hand and I pay my labour seven hundred rupees a day to tend my plants along with me," she smiled. Being young and tech-savvy, Dhivya occasionally sends her regular clients informative snippets about the health benefits of certain vegetables along with recipes, ranging from jackfruit ice cream to lemon vermicelli.

Dhivya has introduced me to so many greens I was not even aware of. I was purely a palak (spinach) and methi saag (fenugreek) kind of a person. But there is a veritable treasure trove of greens, I learnt, each one with special qualities from improving one's memory to sharpening one's eyesight. And, I love trying them out one green at a time.

I pick out naatu thakkali (native tomatoes), which I turn into delicious tomato thokku (something between a chutney and a pickle); I select firm green bottle gourd that is perfect for a raita and the palak that of course will be married to paneer.

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The start of a day couldn't be better and whenever I visit Dhi Greens, that day is an easy one, I don't have to agonise about what I am going to cook. The vegetables I find there decide that for me. If I am in a mood to buy the vegetables to last me a week, I can choose them and Dhivya will send them to my doorstep, in a reusable bag.

So, all the goodness of local, seasonal and sustainable along with the perks of ordering online, having the fresh vegetables delivered home, and of course Paytm, is mine to enjoy.

It is fresh coriander chutney, beetroot poriyal and mooli sambar for lunch today at home. As I run back home, I swear my pace has improved. So, what are you cooking today?