In a world where purity is losing its essence, people’s physical well-being is constantly being victimized. Right from consumables to clothing, there is nothing that has been spared by quick-profit driven motives. Adulteration in food products has especially taken a toll on people’s health and that of our Mother Earth. Deepti Agrawal has taken it on herself to turn the tables around and steer Jaipur towards healthier living. She is out to spread the love for organic eating with Jaipur’s first-ever farmer’s market.
Deepti’s initiative, The Farmer’s Market of Jaipur, is more than just a project born out of ambition. This project is throttling forward like a force of change. Read on to know her story.
It’s all in the roots
Born and brought-up in Jaipur, Deepti has been trotting to different places in the world all her life. Soon after she completed her Masters in Botany from the University of Rajasthan, she got married and later moved to Bangkok. After five years in Bangkok, she moved to the USA. There, she rekindled her thirst for knowledge and started over with a Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering from Columbia University.
Amidst getting back to studies and shifting home across the oceans, she was blessed with two children who were born fifteen years apart. However, her health wasn’t so kind after she delivered her second child and was diagnosed with an ovarian cyst. Keeping in mind the uncertainties in life, she decided to move back to Jaipur with her family in 2009.
Going Organic
On returning to India, Deepti vowed to look well after her health and in that pursuit, they bought land in Bassi in 2011. Falling back on her knowledge in Botany, she decided to grow organic produce. Being very scientific in her approach, she carefully studied all that she was going to grow and the other aspects of organic farming.
She realized that any type of soil can be made fertile, after carbonizing it with the help of cows. This boldened her thought that cows were essential to the ecology and she hence started rearing them at her farm. The dream took wings, and they gradually expanded and bought another farm in Chandwaji. The focus was not only on growing fruits and vegetables, but, several reforestation projects were taken up around these areas.
JLN Farmer’s Market: The inception
The Farmer’s Market as a concept was birthed by accident through a garage sale that took place when there was an excess of tomato produce. When Deepti didn’t receive the price she had expected, she realized how other farmers too, don’t get enough for all their rigorous labor. She wanted to sell her organic produce to people who understood the importance of it and increase awareness about it. This is when she decided to start a farmer’s market at JLN, in front of the Grand Uniara in 2015.
From that day to the present, she gives tables to other farmers to sell their organic produce and also sells excess that is grown at her farm, Agrawal’s Organic Farm. Taking place every Wednesday and Saturday from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm, the farmer’s market of Jaipur is just the place to be for all those who believe in mindful eating. Deepti’s initiative just doesn’t stop at selling the produce but she also conducts various workshops like the holistic Farming Workshop, a workshop on urban farming, Kombucha making workshop, and the likes. Through the farmer’s market, she also aims to spread awareness about the JPGS certification system that is locally focused on keeping a check on the quality.
Giving way to growth
Being one of the initial few to grow organic didn’t come without its own set of challenges. It was even difficult to convince her staff that it will work, but her belief in herself kept her unmoved. The results of her perseverance shone brightly.
Her motivation to eat well makes her continue to grow her food and in the same manner, she wants to spread her knowledge to help others grow their food.
If mindful eating is what you are all about, then you should attend their next holistic farming workshop that is taking place from 21st to 23rd September. The charges are Rs.1000 a day that includes lunch and the visit to both of the farms. You can register for the workshop with Manisha on 7737713061. Join the health wagon with the Farmer’s Market of Jaipur.