our roots

We are passionate about natural and organic food growing. That passion led us to explore one of the most fundamental questions in horticulture: how can we create truly healthy, living soil that naturally supports strong and productive plants?

Through this interest, we discovered the work of Sir Albert Howard, one of the pioneers of the modern organic farming movement. Working in India in the early twentieth century, Howard studied and learned from traditional Indian farming practices. This work contributed to the development of the Indore Method of composting, in which organic materials are carefully combined and composted to create a rich, biologically active growing medium.

These principles strongly influence the way we approach growing at Govardhan Eco Farm. We use the HH-2 horticultural system developed by Richard Higgins to transform natural organic materials into a rich and nutritious compost in around 90 days.

An important ingredient in our compost comes from New Gokul, where cows are cared for in the goshala at Bhaktivedanta Manor. The Manor was donated to the Hare Krishna movement by George Harrison in 1973 and has since become home to a thriving spiritual and farming community.

By returning these natural materials to the soil, we aim to build fertility rather than depend on synthetic fertilisers. Healthy, living soil provides the foundation for growing an abundance of fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers while supporting the wider ecology of the garden and farm.

For us, composting is more than a way of dealing with organic material. It represents a cycle: caring for the soil, growing healthy plants, producing nourishing food and returning organic matter to the earth so that the process can begin again.