Greenshoots: From a barren patch to mini­organic farm

MUMBAI: Had last month’s strike by the agricultural produce market committee (APMC) prolonged, a residential complex in Kurla would stay unaffected.

MUMBAI: Had last month’s strike by the agricultural produce market committee (APMC) prolonged, a residential complex in Kurla would stay unaffected.

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In December 2013, like-minded green enthusiasts from Kohinoor City, Kurla (West), converted a quarter of an acre barren patch into a kitchen garden. Within a month, the first yield of organically grown spinach, amaranthus (lal math) and fenugreek (methi) cropped up on the patch. Today, a mini green lung amidst 11 apartment buildings is home to a host of vegetables — brinjals, cucumbers, pumpkins, papayas, leaf cody (kadipatta), lemon-grass, and apiaceae (ajwain), to name a few.

Every weekend, adults and children get together at the garden patch called Greenshoots to nurture vegetables. “Growing vegetables is exciting and thus we try to involve as many children as we can,” said Samir Bhure, a resident, who introduced the idea along with wife Rashmi.

The project was completed with the help of an NGO in the city — Earthoholics.

Excess vegetables are sold within the complex that fetches Rs 500 to Rs 600 every week. “The money made from the sale are used for maintaining the the garden itself,” said JN Thapliyal, secretary of the society.

Last month, environmentally conscious residents decided to recycle the 250kg of wet waste generated from all 11 buildings by installing four compost pits at one end of the apartment complex. NGO Stree Mukti Sanghatana was roped in to sensitise residents and domestic helps about the importance of segregation and waste management.

Rashmi Joshi, coordinator, Stree Mukti Sanghatana said the society gets over 500 kg of compost that is used for the mini organic farm every month.

In two months , the residential complex is planning to become a zero-garbage one . “We want our city to be green,” said Jugnu Gosrali, a resident.