A mulberry farm that was also conceived as a sustainability project that attempts to raise environmental consciousness sits near Kolar, right outside Bangalore city. Lush with tree life and other crops, this farm is surrounded by streams that run wild during monsoons in an interestingly stark landscape of boulders and brambles and ponds.
In order to grow mulberry that’s free of the chemicals that harm silkworms, a mulberry farm has to be organically run. Mulberry Days, which is near Kolar, has worked hard to make sure the farmland remains organic for healthy crops. The farm has a small double unit cottage with individual sit-outs with a view of the plantations around. The owners have kept it simple and comfortable, with cool interiors made of stabilised mud bricks composed of sand, clay, cement, and jaggery. Entirely run on solar power, the place is a little getaway tucked right outside Bangalore with plenty of interesting biodiversity as well as a taste of farm life.
To save water, the farm has been contoured so there’s very little runoff. The Bangalore-based multi-generational farm owners have studiously raised the farm phase by phase and brought back long holding crops as well as indigenous tree cover to attract birds and insects.
comforts
Once you reach Mulberry Days, you’ll be led to a lovely double unit cottage that can comfortably house two to four guests each. Each little studio has a kitchenette and two bathrooms, one attached to the cosy bedroom with a roomy double bed. The cottage is kept cool during summer months thanks to the stabilised mud bricks that hold the walls together. Sit outs upstairs and downstairs have a lot of privacy so bring a book and be distracted by the chirping birds while sipping on some cold lemonade.
food
Lemonade is a good segue to the conversation around food and drink. Choose between an authentic rural Karnataka meal or some comforting but delicious rice and chicken or vegetable curry, sambar and rasam, and crispy papads.
ideal for
As a perfect and easy getaway from Bangalore, it’s a no brainer if you want some peace and quiet. If you have an itch to begin your own small-scale farming, this is a great place to learn about the terrain and the landscape. Hikers and trekkers will enjoy exploring the village as well – there are many hillocks around near Chintamani. Birding enthusiasts will find ample biodiversity like spotted owlets near the creepy old well, or water birds like egrets, herons, and lapwings!
getting there
It’s a short one-and-a-half-hour drive from Bangalore – ideally in your own vehicle. Numerous buses ply to Kolar – a taxi/rickshaw can be organised from here.
things to do
We highly recommend going on a nice, long walk past the farms and to a lake that reclaimed the land after several dry years. Otherwise, go on a farm tour through the mulberry farm, say hello to the indigenous cows and goat breeds, and learn about the farm’s irrigation techniques (including the drip-irrigation technique). You can also birdwatch, paint, sleep the afternoons away, and stargaze on clear nights.
price
The property is priced at Rs. 4,650 per night for two including all meals.
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