Have a memorable experience at a unique farm on the backwaters of Kumarakom. You will be hosted by a prominent family in the region - Vinod & Anu Mathew, who live at the farm with their son and mother
Three tastefully done up cottages set in an idyllic surrounding, traditional homemade food, and personal attention of the host and his family are the highlights of the home-stay The cottages have modern toilets with running water and all luxurious facilities.
The host’s grandfather was a pioneer in land reclamation and the host’s father, was an illustrious agriculturist who was awarded the Kera Kesari award for the best coconut cultivator by the Government of Kerala in 1994.The farm is part of an island which was reclaimed (man made) in the early 1950s by the host’s grandfather .The island was the last bit of land to have been reclaimed in the backwater region for agriculture.
About the farm
The host manages a large part of the farm, which is a part of the larger farm owned by the extended family .The farm is five feet below sea level. A pump is employed to pump out the excess water that accumulates with the monsoon. The farm has an interesting mix of crops. During the home-stay you can see the cultivation of commercial crops like coconut (also toddy tapping) ,banana, cocoa, nutmeg, a little bit of pepper and the culture of fresh water jumbo prawns (Scampi). Scampi culture is seasonal. In addition to these there are many other fruits, spices, flowers and vegetables that are grown in the garden.
Activities
You can enjoy a quite time all to yourself just relaxing in the peaceful, quite and green surroundings, swim in the lake waters, interact with the family and other farmers, or learn some Kerala cooking from your hostess. You can observe planting, harvesting, toddy tapping etc., or just trek through the farm enjoying the natural surroundings. You can also take a country boat ride through the main Canal in the farm and do some bird watching. You can visit temples, churches and other places of interest in the near vicinity. You can also do a village expedition either by foot or on a bicycle with the aid of a map. In short you have a chance to observe local community life and activities like coir making , mat making , traditional fishing and more. For those interested in the Ayurvedic tradition of Kerala, consultations could be arranged on request.
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