Neelagiri Collective Farmers Producer

Up here in Ooty, the air is a bit cooler and the hills are steep. Neelagiri Collective Farmers Producer is based at Bkc Lakshmi Cottage on Churchill Road. It’s right near Charring Cross, so it’s easy to find if you are in the area. We’ve been living in the Nilgiris for a long time. Farming on these slopes isn't the same as farming on flat ground. You have to be careful about how you plant so the soil doesn't just slide away. Most of us grow tea or vegetables like carrots and potatoes that like the cold weather. We got together to share what we know. The office is just a small place, 109 Churchill Road. We spend most of our time out in the fields anyway. It’s nice to have a spot to gather and figure out who is taking what to the market. Sometimes the mist gets so thick you can't see the next row of plants. It makes the work slow but the vegetables taste better for it. We don’t use big machines because they don’t fit on the hills. It’s mostly hand work. Our families have been doing this for generations. We just wanted to make sure the next generation has a way to keep it going. It’s not easy work and the prices for our goods change every day. But we stay at it because it’s what we know. If you are passing through Ooty, you might see us moving crates around or talking.