Amritsar farmstay retreat, Punjab, India
How this holiday makes a difference
Environment
At Green Acres Haveli we are committed to sustaining our environment and have initiated numerous efforts and activities to ensure this.
The whole concept of restoring our property was borne out of preventing it from falling victim to urban expansion and sprawl. A lot of the farm land around us was being converted for development to commercial and residential space. We decided to preserve about 5 acres of our land as a self-sustaining green space, and start living there.
During the renovation of the Haveli none of the waste was sent to the landfill. All the materials were recycled and re-used in the construction.
Due to the depletion of greenery in the surrounding land, the plantation of trees and orchards on our land offers an oasis to a large variety of local and migratory birds. Over 100 varieties of birds can be spotted throughout the year.
We grow our own fruits and vegetables using organic methods, without using chemicals and pesticides. All of our plant cuttings and food waste is recycled for compost. Fruits trees and vegetables are fertilized with this compost.
We harvest rain water for re-charging the water table. We have started to install solar lighting and will also utilize solar energy for heating water to minimize electricity usage.
All our waste water and discharge is recovered, treated organically, and the run off is channeled to irrigate trees and orchards.
Community
Apart from generating employment for nearby villagers, we support local crafts makers and artisans by purchasing their wares for our own consumption. For example, seating in the lounge and all the cane chairs in the Haveli have been crafted by local artisans. We also offer free tours for our guests to the nearby villages where they can see the crafts people at work and purchase their wares.
We arrange cultural entertainment for visiting guests at our premises to promote our culture and folklore. In the process local dancers, singers, and performers find employment, and feel encouraged and proud.
We also offer free trips for our guests to visit neighboring dairy and poultry farms where they can drink fresh milk straight from the cow and purchase fresh eggs which they can come back and have for breakfast.
We support and provide assistance to number of charitable organizations that perform social service in the local community – such as Rotary, Lodge Universal Brotherhood, and Chief Khalsa Diwan. For example, a health camp was recently held on the premises. Hundreds of people from nearby villagers were provided free checkup, medical diagnosis, and medicines by over a dozen doctors who volunteered their entire day time for this worthy cause.
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