Urban Leaves India: Community City Farm at Nana Nani Park Chowpatty

Sunday 5 December 2010

Community City Farm at Nana Nani Park Chowpatty

Early morning  on 28th Nov 2010, saw enthusiastic members of the Park join Urban Leaves volunteers at the inaugural heap making day at Nana Nani Park.This is the second Community Urban Farm initiated in Mumbai city by the Urban Leaves Volunteers.The first being at Maharashtra Nature Park.

The project at the Nana Nani Park funded by the Nana Nani Foundation is aimed at providing a green activity of composting organic waste, growing herbal, medicinal plants and veggies in the Natueco way.This activity is mainly for the senior citizen members of the park. 
Purvita, Ubai are our team leaders for the project. They are participants of the first workshop conducted by Urban Leaves on Urban Farming, a year and half ago. Today they not only have their own green terrace spaces and farms but also dedicatedly volunteer with us to spread the technique.
Ubai
Purvita with senior citizen members of Park.
The existing tank beeing utilized for immersing leaves in Amrut Jal.
Purvita and Ubai have now been working hard collecting bagasse from the neighborhood, biomass within the park soaking it. In the park we are using the existing tank like structure, by spreading a plastic sheet in it. Amrut jal was made in this and biomass soaked.
Himmat bhai as his name suggests is a source of loads of Himmat, he was instrumental in getting lots of enthusiastic nana nanis to come and join us.Little Aryan was not to be left behind and enjoyed working with the 'Phavda' 
Age does not matter, when the heart sings and joins hands with friends.This morning saw amazing co-ordination and team spirit in laying the foundations of the farm.
The top soil was scraped out to six inches from ground.
This top soil was used to make Amrut Mitti heap.
Bottom was filled with sugarcane bagasse
next came the layers of leaves alternating with top soil.
Finally mulched with bagasse again.

The schedule of activity ( currently mainly of making Amrut Mitti ) at Nana Nani Park, opposite Wilson college, Chowpatty is as under

Sunday mornings         7 am -   9am
Tuesday mornings        7 am -   9 am

Friday evenings            3 pm - 6 pm

Ubai and Purvita can do with help from all our South Mumbai Volunteers. So for a refreshing early morning exercise which also nourishes your soul, come join them !

Love and best wishes
Preeti