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Gorus Forest Farm is perched on a small hill in the Western Ghats mountain range, about 50 km west of Pune, Maharashtra.
A paradise for birdwatchers, artists and nature enthusiasts, the farm blends gently into the dense sub-tropical forest, and offers panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and rice fields dotted with rural hamlets.
Arabica coffee is grown under the dense canopy of native trees, interspersed with spices such as ginger, turmeric, and black pepper, and fruit crops such as mango, avocado, jackfruit, pineapples, passion fruit, etc. Vegetables such as cherry tomatoes, lettuce, kale, hot peppers, basil, cucumbers, aubergines, tapioca and beans are grown in small quantities for consuming on the farm.
A deep sense of peaceful co-existence with nature guides our farming practices. Needless to say, absolutely no chemicals are used on the entire farm.
This family farm is run by Ashwin Paranjpye along with a resident staff of four people, three cows with loads of personality, and most importantly, three dogs who provide unconditional love, cheerful energy and show us how it’s the simple things that bring joy to our lives!
About Us
reduce environmental footprint for a kinder, greener tomorrow.
The mission:
Biodiversity
The farm hosts diverse habitats including semi-deciduous forest, grassland and scrub, and stream and waterfall habitats. It has a huge diversity of native plant species, the most dominant being Arjuna, Asana, Beheda, Khair, Jamun, Mango, Mahua, Sirish, etc.
Resident birds include the Coppersmith Barbet, Crested Serpent Eagle, Golden Oriole, Indian Peafowl, Grey Junglefowl, Oriental Honey Buzzard, Red Spurfowl, Shikra, etc.
Mammals such as Barking Deer, Mouse Deer, Porcupine, Pangolin, Palm Civet, Wild Pig, Striped Hyena, Hanuman Langur, etc. can be spotted in the evening or early morning hours.
Venomous snakes include the Indian Cobra, Russell’s Viper, Saw-scaled Viper, Green-pit Viper and Common Krait. Non-venomous snakes include Montane Trinket, Rat Snake, Bronzeback Tree Snake, etc. A variety of frogs and arthropods are also found here.
Crop Diversity
Arabica coffee is the main crop which is grown under the shade of native trees. Turmeric, ginger, mango-ginger, black pepper, tapioca, and pineapple are grown as intercrops.
Fruit crops include mango, cashew, mangosteen, rambutan, avocado, mulberry, star fruit, chikoo, banana, jamun, jackfruit, etc.
Lemongrass, vetiver, citronella, and thysanolaena grasses are planted across hill-slopes for controlling soil erosion.
Vegetable crops such as chillies (about 8-10 varieties), cucumber, pumpkin, cherry tomatoes, mint, garlic, lettuce, kale, etc. are grown in small quantities, mostly for home consumption and guests.
Wild vegetables such as chichardi (wild eggplant), kurdu, ghotvel, chavet, huda flowers, bharanga, bhokar, kateri-math, etc. are also conserved and eaten on this farm.
Our Impact in Numbers
Irrigation water is drawn from the Walki river and potable water is drawn from a borewell. Two farm ponds store a total of 500,000 liters of water on a stock-and-flow basis, and irrigation is provided once per week through sprinklers. Contour trenches, a check-dam, and a borewell recharge pit have been made for increasing rainwater percolation. 100% of the sewage water is recycled using root-zone technique.
Less Water
50%
100% of the electricity consumed on this farm comes from solar energy. Fallen branches are used for heating water/ cooking on chulhas. Dung from two cows and one bull is used as manure and also to light the chulhas.
Renewable & Solar Energy
100%
Farm Stay
There are three cottages that can be booked for short stays or long stays. Visitors can expect simple rooms, clean bathrooms, and freshly made local food. Our staff is trained in basic hospitality, but they are best at doing farm work. Reading a book, writing a poem, going for walks or just listening to the birds is what most of our visitors have enjoyed here. Visitors are also welcome to participate in daily farm activities. The kitchen, dining area and a certain portion of the coffee plantation is accessible for visitors. Guided local tours are arranged for visiting Besde Buddhist Caves, Kuperi Peak, Jambhuldev Sacred Grove, Walen Shiva Temple, and Tikona Fort.
Coffee tours and workshops are conducted 8-10 times a year, mostly during winter. Pop-up food events happen 4-5 times a year, focusing on farm-grown ingredients and local recipes. A Farm Fair is organized in February.
Coffee Tours
&
Food Events
No secret ingredient, just plants.
