How a Punjab Family Built a 14-Acre Organic Farmstay That Now Sends Fresh Food to 170 City Homes

On a winter morning in Hansali village, the smell of fresh jaggery and the sound of a hand pump filled the air as Pavail Gill walked the narrow path leading to his family’s first acre of land. The soil looked stubborn. The house existed only in their imagination. Yet something settled inside him that day. A wish his father had held for years finally had a home.

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That simple moment marked the beginning of a journey the family had never planned but slowly grew into.

A father’s wish started it all

Hansali Organic Farm took shape in 2007 when the Chandigarh-based Gill family decided to leave their city routine behind and invest in farmland. There was no blueprint, only a shared desire to build something real.

“We had no idea what we would do or how we would do it,” Pavail tells The Better India. “But my father always wanted a farm. When we finally bought the land, we knew we did not want manicured lawns or a city farmhouse. It had to be real farming, and it had to be viable.”

The early days felt uncertain. “The people who sold us the land thought maybe these guys would get frustrated in six months. But then it was one step after the other,” he says.

That first acre eventually expanded into a thriving 14-acre organic farm and a farmstay that now welcomes guests from across the country. The family’s effort earned national recognition, including the ‘Best Tourism Village’ award (Agri Tourism category, 2024) and the Gold at the Indian Responsible Tourism Awards (IRTA) 2025 in ‘Leadership in Homestays’.

One milestone came early, in 2010, when the then Prince of Wales, now King Charles III, visited the farm to observe their methods.

‘We invite customers to our farm’

Before Hansali, Pavail worked in the fast-paced construction sector in Chandigarh. The farm offered a slower rhythm, yet the family wanted their decision to feel intentional. They began with one acre dedicated to chemical-free food for their own kitchen.

Life shifted soon after. “I lost my mom in 2009 to cancer. That was a moment when we really felt that the toxins were actually affecting every family,” he says. That loss gave new meaning to their small experiment.

As more friends grew curious, the family tried gyms, flyers and conversations to explain what they were doing. Their turning point came from a simple Facebook post. “I just posted a picture of some produce. Slowly and gradually, people became more interested,” he says.

Today, Hansali sends fresh organic produce to more than 170 homes across Chandigarh. “It is not about selling. It is about connection. People want to trust their food again,” says Pavail.

He realised that trust grows when people see the land themselves. “Everyone says their food is organic. Very few can show where it grows. So we started inviting our customers to visit the farm.”

Visitors often walk through fields of wheat, mustard and vegetables. They see how seasonal fruits, pulses and fodder greens are grown. This transparency has become the heart of their relationship with the community.

When lunches turned into overnight stays

The visits grew into more than afternoon tours. Families stayed longer, children wandered deeper into the fields, and guests began asking if they could return with friends. What started as casual meals slowly shaped itself into something larger.

Visitors plucked vegetables, walked through mustard fields and watched wheat sway in the breeze. Many stayed for lunch cooked on a wood-fired chulha (traditional mud stove) and left with a clearer sense of where their food came from. “If I am talking about organic milk, I can show you my Sahiwal cows and their fodder,” says Pavail. “That trust, that connection, is what makes it special.”

As interest grew, the family shaped these visits into the Hansali Organic Farmstay, a rural retreat built around simple comforts. Guests wake up to roosters, eat parathas cooked over wood heat and spend their day moving at the pace of the land.

For 36-year-old IT professional Yuvika from Mohali, the visit shifted something inside her. “We chose Hansali because most hotels do not allow pets,” she says. “But it turned out to be such a blessing. Pavail took us on a farm tour. Everything was organic, clean and cosy. My niece loved feeding the goats and watching the roosters. It reminded us where our food really comes from.”

City life no longer appealed to her in the same way. “I want to live simply. I want to live organically. I want to give back to the environment. It is so peaceful. You do not get to hear traffic noise.”

After that trip, her family began sourcing milk, vegetables and even aata (whole wheat flour) from Hansali. “Once you experience it, it is hard to go back,” she says.

For many urban children, the farm brings a new understanding. “A family from Dubai showed their daughter how cows are milked because she only saw milk in the supermarket. Many children do not know which vegetables grow under the ground and which above it. These experiences stay with them,” says Pavail.

Food, memories, and the heart of the farm

Food has become one of the biggest reasons guests return. Visitors often follow the aroma of saag (leafy green curry) simmering for hours or gather around the chulha where parathas puff and ghee (clarified butter) melts into crisp edges.

“In cities, I do not think anybody makes saag anymore because it takes six hours to make,” says Pavail. At the farm, guests watch it simmer all day over a slow wood fire.

There is also the signature sweet. “I have guests who tell us they do not want ice cream. They want shakkar roti,” he smiles. “That caramelly shakkar (unrefined sugar) with the desi ghee —  they will remember that for years.”

Alongside fresh produce, the family also processes traditional foods at the farm. They make gur (jaggery), shakkar pinni (Punjabi energy sweet), panjeeri (nutritious flour mix), pickles, breads and cookies using their own organic ingredients. Many guests take these home as edible memories.

For Parisha Tridevi from Ahmedabad, the connection felt immediate. “The food was incredible. Pavail took us around the property, and honestly, his passion truly reflects in the property that he has made,” she says.

Even the décor mirrors the farm’s philosophy. Phulkari (traditional Punjab embroidery) linens, cane baskets and clay pots create a sense of warmth and place.

Building livelihoods around the farm

As Hansali expanded, the Gills built it into a space that created opportunities around the village. The farm now provides regular work to more than fifteen local residents, including women and differently abled individuals who support farming, cooking and hospitality.

“Organic farming is labour-intensive,” says Pavail. “But that is what makes it beautiful. It provides work and dignity. Our goal has always been to create something that benefits the whole village.”

Their impact extends beyond the land. Local artisans, masons and cab drivers work with the family whenever guests arrive or new structures are built. Every stay creates a chain of small but meaningful incomes.

“When a guest stays with us, everyone earns, from the person who picks the vegetables to the one who drives you from the station,” he says.

Blending traditional wisdom with modern tools

Although the farm is rooted in traditional methods, the family remains open to innovation. Pavail has been exploring ways to use AI and drones to monitor crop health, detect disease early and understand water needs more accurately.

“AI can help farmers identify diseases instantly or decide when to water,” he explains. “Technology is the future of sustainable farming. It helps us work with nature, not against it.”

Innovation, for him, holds value only when it strengthens age-old wisdom.

Seeing farming with a new lens

Eighteen years after the journey began, Hansali has become more than a farm or farmstay. For Pavail, the most meaningful shift lies in how people now see agriculture.

“So many young people here believe farming is not profitable,” he says. “But if you add value through organic methods, tourism or innovation, it can absolutely sustain a family. I want them to see that farming can be a future, not a fallback.”

Hansali is now a learning space. Students visit for tours. Families come for immersive experiences. Young people from nearby areas drop in to understand how organic farming works. Workshops and group visits spark conversations about food, soil and sustainability.

Finding joy in the rhythm of the land

Nearly two decades after the first acre was planted, the family’s perseverance has come full circle. Their early struggles, including comments about “ugly” crops and doubts about organic farming, feel distant now.

“When you work with nature, results take time,” says Pavail. “The journey humbles you. The more recognition you get, the more grounded you must remain.”

His own happiness remains tied to the land. “Seeing things grow, a new leaf, a flower, a fruit. That is what makes me happy,” he says. “Nature has its own rhythm. You just have to be patient enough to grow with it.”

He pauses before adding, “You do not need to go far to find peace. Sometimes, it is right there in your backyard, in the rhythm of nature, if you slow down enough to listen.”

(All images from Pavail Gill.)