Name: Rajaganesh
Organisation: Terra Soul
While we disconnect from our daily office routines and entered into the world of new learning, we were able to comprehend a lot about ourselves than
the subject we were learning; this volunteering work is one of such activities. The observations and reflections which I gained here are plenty to share….
Though farming is one of the areas of my interest, like most of us it’s the first time I am engaging myself in intensive farming
activities. Actually my works at Terrasoul are largely on farm based activities
which include clearing the weeds, collecting different plants, mulching,
composting, watering plants, preparing beds, preparing nursery and even
some plumbing works and ultimately sitting silently and connecting with
nature. Terrasoul is relatively new farmland within Auroville which is
consciously developed by Mr. Neil with the support of a few like minded
individuals. One of the best things in this farm is that there are lots to do
and learn for everyone. Mr. Neil is one of the most wonderful human being I have ever met in my lifetime – cool, humble, easy going, happy to teach and learn.
He is one of the exponents of Permaculture practices and is always ready to support
us and teach permaculture. While working, Neil shares lot of insights on farming activities both from theoretical
point of view and also based on his own personal experiences on the field.
As a part of SLI, we can explore possibilities
to start a course on Permaculture Design – a 72 hour course on how to identify relevant strategies in order to
create a permaculture system jointly with TerraSoul. Since Terrasoul has enough
experience in conducting this course, Mr. Neil is interested to design similar course for the region (Tamil Nadu).
I have started reading Permaculture:
A Designers Manual by Bill Mollison whenever I get time and I
realized that I have miles to go and lots to do… because as Henry David Thoreau wisely said, “As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single
thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we
walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over
the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.”
Learning by Doing - Reflections on Volunteering Experience - Part II
Cutting Grasses, preparing compost bed, chopping, chopping, chopping
& chopping and mulching in the farm beds are my major work today. Every
work at farm has its own unique technique .. I started cutting grasses as
Rajinikanth does in one of his film –தம்பிக்கு எந்த ஊரு J, gradually I learned the shortcuts of grass cutting and the art of
chopping and composting. Pain in the fingers, scratches in skin parts and itching
were disturbing and distracting at the initial stage of work but later the immune system started responding well little by little and by the end I was able to manage and bear the troubles and
continued the work… chirping of unknown birds, cool breeze in the middle
of sunny morning are natural energizers for us during the work at field.
Mr. Neil shared the importance of soil management and explained how
mulching and composting would support the soil system to rejuvenate. This is
one of the benefits working with Neil, he always share information about how the work we do is directly or indirectly helping soil/farming. Having a black
coffee, pep talk with the fellow farm workers and some fresh Guava fruits at
farm helped to re-energize us in between our work.
As the word Terrasoul defines, we can sense that our Soul always
connected with Earth at this Unit.
Raja Ganesh. M
Raja Ganesh. M
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