Choosing Farming Over Engineering, a Young Goan Revives 34 Acres With Bees and Organic Veggies

In Goa’s Mollem, lies a 34-acre universe of self-sufficiency in the form of RasRaj Goa Farms, managed by the Naik family. In 2010, when Vandit (27) was faced with a choice of two streams — agriculture or engineering — following his class 12, instinct caused him to opt for the former. 

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This coincided with his parents purchasing a land in Mollem, which had “been barren for the last 40 years and was choking with weeds”.  

Vandit recalls his years of B.Sc. in Agriculture as some of his most cherished days. “For five days of the week, I would study theory in college; from Saturday afternoon to Sunday evening, I was on the farm experiencing the practical side of things. This gave me excellent exposure,” he shares. 

For Vandit, these farm experiences were a lean into nostalgia of the “golden days” of his childhood when he’d spend all day with his grandmother at their paddy plantations in Goa-Velha, Goa. But for his parents, who’d never forayed into agriculture, this was a new territory. 

Vandit’s dad, Rajendra, was a contractor for years. In 2010, unable to ignore the green itch any longer, he decided to buy the current piece of land. “Dad was the only breadwinner of the family. It was a big decision for him to leave his profession and decide to do something in agriculture,” Vandit reasons, but credits nature for being the best teacher, as the family attempted to find their footing on the land. 

Today, the place is brimming with colour and the sounds of birds. You can experience it for yourself; take a trip to RasRaj Goa Farms. 

Letting the land heave a sigh of sustainable relief 

Everyone had the same retort when Vandit and his family took on the challenge of transforming the denuded landscape into a functional farm — “It is impossible without chemicals.”

Today, the pomelos thriving in fruit pots “without a single drop of chemicals” refute the criticism. 

“We have used organic manure for everything that is grown on the farm,” explains Priyanka, Vandit’s wife, who is also a graduate of agriculture studies. Intent on adopting techniques that did not go against the grain, she says, their efforts were geared towards keeping the soil as natural as possible. 

“We use beneficial microorganisms to enrich the soil and make the nutrients available to the plants. When soil is organic and fertile, there is no need for chemical fertilisers and the productivity of the land increases,” she shares. 

One of the trade secrets of the family is their panchagavya. The product is an organic melange of cow milk, curd, ghee, dung, and urine (all obtained from the cows on the farm dairy), combined with other ingredients like jaggery, tender coconut water, banana and toddy (a drink made from the fermented sap of coconut trees). The mix is fermented for 18 days, then filtered and used to nourish the plants. 

While the land now boasts 20,000 trees — grapefruit, rose apple, litchees, avocados, black berries, plum — Vandit says when they first stumbled upon it, it was in a desolate state; it had surrendered to natural forces. 

“We started by cleaning the land, then mulched everything in the soil. When we started out, the carbon: nitrogen ratio was very high because of the decomposition in the soil. We had to balance out this ratio, then followed it up by planting a cash crop, areca palms — around 5,000 trees, which are now 8,000. We followed this with nine different varieties of bananas.” 

The intercropping of bananas and pineapples helped, he elaborates, adding that the system ensures judicious absorption of fertiliser by plants according to their needs and position. 

“The spice plants — cardamom, turmeric, etc — lie at a deeper level and their tap root systems absorb the manure that penetrates to these layers. Meanwhile, the areca palms’ fibrous root systems are more superficial, and the manure at the higher levels fills these gaps,” he shares. 

Evenings at RasRajGoa Farms will treat you to views that stretch beyond the plantations. Brace yourself for a kaleidoscopic display — tomatoes, chillies, brinjals, leafy vegetables and numerous mango varieties — mankurad, Ratnagiri mangoes, totapuri, Goan alphonso. 

Throughout this journey, Vandit credits his grandmother for being his voice of reason. “She used to guide me on how to water the plants; for instance, brinjal plants do not require watering every day, only every three days.” Most techniques and the know-how of farming are not mentioned in books and guides, he says. “Even if they are, they are blanket tips. But no book has rules specific to Goa or to the different soil kinds that are found in Goan farms. I learnt all these tips from my granny.” 

Channel your green fingers at RasRaj Goa Farms

A new addition to the RasRaj Farms landscape is four sustainably built cottages made with laterite stone, mud and lime. Since last year, the Naik family has transitioned to an agri-tourism model that allows them to incentivise their knowledge. In 2021, the family was awarded the Krishi Ratna Award, the highest state award of the Goa state government for farmers, a further boost to their confidence.  

It solidified their intent, Rajendra shares, “My parents are farmers, and so farming is in our blood. Since my childhood, I liked plants, animals and nature, and always dreamt of having a big farm someday.” 

His excitement was palpable as Vandit pursued his degree in agriculture. “More than me, he was studying my textbooks; he wanted to grasp all the knowledge that he could,” Vandit jokes. 

You’ll be treated to these anecdotes during your stay. Get a chance also to learn beekeeping, grafting, vermicomposting, and probably even milk a cow at the dairy unit, which houses 34 cows and buffalo. 

This is, in fact, Rajendra’s favourite spot. “I get a sense of satisfaction and peace when I see the animals doing well. It’s almost like them giving us love in return for taking good care of them," he says.  

During your farm visit, you’ll be treated to authentic, local cuisines comprising the produce grown on the farm. 

As Vandit points out, 95 per cent of all their food needs come from the farm. 

“We rarely have to go to the market to sell produce; people come to the farm to buy fruits and vegetables; everything gets over quickly,” he is proud to share, adding that their pomelos are some of the biggest in Goa — validated by the farming competitions they participate in. 

The farm tour attracts a broad spectrum of nature lovers. These include students and amateurs as well as seasoned farmers who love getting a lay of the land. Last year alone, the Naiks had 126 schools, institutions, and farmer groups visit them. The tour includes a welcome snack, lunch, lessons in organic farming, a river dip, a herbal tea and a tour of the dairy unit. 

Take notes as you feast your eyes on it all. At RasRaj Farms, at every corner, nature seems to tip its hat to the Naik family’s endeavours, almost whispering a thank you in shades of green. 

Book your trip here.