„I farm because
it resonates with me“
Where are you from, when did you join Auroville, and why did you feel called to join Auroville?
“I come from the Netherlands, joined Auroville in 1983, just cycled in on a Saturday morning, not planned or called, but felt I can breathe here, and that is very important for me.”
How long have you been farming? Why do you feel called to do this work?
“I come from a rural area, always been on the land, did horticulture school, worked for a few years in a seed breeding company in the Netherlands, volunteered in a vegetable project near Calcutta for 6 months, was in Kottakarai Farm (which was still one big farm at that time) in the first years in Auroville and moved to Annapurna in Nov 1986. I farm because it resonates with me, and I think I have something to offer to Auroville in that field.”
It is now over 30 years, you have been farming Annapurna. What were the highlights?
“The highlight is the constant flow, the ever changing evolution. To some people farming may appear a bit mechanic, but in reality it is the opposite. The changing demand from the community, the differing impulses of the people coming in and staying longer, the transformation and variation of climate, weather, soil and cattle: It is a very lively base, we deal with here in Annapurna.”
Interview with steward Tomas Tomassen
ecological sustainability is a fundamental management principle of the farm, where the two main activities, that is crop cultivation and milk production, are harmoniously integrated to ensure sustainability in the long run with the field crops providing fodder for the cows, and the cows providing fertility for the fields. The size of the herd is determined by the productivity of the farm to produce green fodder throughout the year; the cattle are all home-bred and selected on general health, milk production and character. Ecological sustainability is also ensured by the farm’s commitment to use only non-hybridized local seeds and by the sustainable use of water. Integrity and joy in work are core values of Annapurna.