To refresh you folks, Balur is the oldest coffee estate in the country and is also the largest only arabica coffee estate in India. This is a unique chance at owning this legacy and what is even more important, preserving it. We are looking for an exclusive set of 46 members who would together own the entire estate of 372 acres.
Work in Coorg comes to a standstill in the monsoon. The structure of the Blyton Bungalow is now complete and we await a slight abatement of rains before we can start with the internal works. We expect the building to be up and running in around December. This is a 6 bedroom bungalow which is a mix of both hospitality and member accommodation for those who have opted for guest house access at the collective.
The focus for June was to ramp up our nursery operations to make sure we were ready with the required saplings for the bio fence by the time the showers come in. The team had to go all in on bringing the count up to 13000 saplings. We are happy to report that the monsoon came late but just in time for us to be ready. The team also had the foresight to make sure the digging and manuring of the pits were all done beforehand so that once the first few showers are in, we just have to plant.
With April here, all the collectives enter their toughest phase of the year - the summer. Work hours shift, work quantum reduces and it's overall a tough day, everyday at the farm.
March saw a lot of changes in the communities and the interaction with BeForest. Lots of action at both the collectives that are in full swing. Most prominent of these have been - the Member quarterly meet we did for Hyderabad and Poomaale, where we brought our members abreast with the work so far and the outlook for the future developments.
February is usually the best time of the year at the Collectives. The weather is just perfect with a pleasant chill in the air. Most estates would have just harvested their produce. There is a general vibe of well being, not just at the Collective but the villages all around.
For us at BeForest, February has been a roller coaster ride - a few nervous moments with hail storms in Kodagu, a few wins with the phase I of Hyderabad closing out. Lots and lots of interest for both Balur and Mumbai Collectives
Winter is almost done and it has been a month of experimentation at the farm on our side. Different water conservation methods, farming experiments, soil mulching techniques - just to see what works best. We spent extended amounts of time at the collectives this time. The estates are just beautiful on a winter morning.
