Imagine having access to clean, fresh and chemical-free vegetables and fruits throughout the year at a uniform price, irrespective of economic fluctuations. “The regular vegetables cost Rs. 35 and the vegetables, grown in the hilly areas of Ooty, cost Rs. 45,” informs Usha, one of the founders of ReStore, a non-profit venture, which aims to promote healthier and more sustainable lifestyles. Founded by a like-minded group of 15 persons, the store sources organic fruits, vegetables, millets and grains, teas, coffees and other powders and beauty care products from farmers across South India, especially from those living in Tamil Nadu. As you enter their busy bazaar, which is held every Thursday and Saturday, you notice numerous rows of neatly packed, labeled dals, grams and rice varieties. The large drums of oils also catch your eye. “We encourage people to bring their own containers and cans to take back the oil,” explains Usha. “We try our best to eliminate the use of plastic as much as we can and also reduce carbon footprint by planning our logistics and delivery activities well,” she adds.As you closely examine some of the packets containing little crystals, wondering what they are, co-founder Anantha Sayanan, who busily flits across helping each customer and explaining the products, stops by to answer your doubts. “Those are palm crystals and will easily dissolve in hot water or milk,” she explains. With such expert knowledge, people like Anantha at the store are in a position to rule out any ambiguities when it comes to measuring the genuineness of the fruits and vegetables on offer. “If we get the slightest doubt that a farmer might have used a chemical, we immediately stop the supply of such fruits or vegetables and talk to the farmer,” reassures Usha. In a way to help consumers and producers, ReStore has access to various local farmers. “The farmers are happy to sell their products to someone who appreciates the value of organic farming,” explains Usha. “They get a much better price by selling it to us rather than at a market, where all vegetables, organic or not, are the same,” she adds. But as consumers, we have always read and heard that the cost involved in organic farming is much higher. Is that the reason it is not considered a practical option for every day farming? Usha says, “We have to understand that they usually produce at a small-scale level and do not get the fertilizer subsidies that other farmers get.” The store also provides home delivery, conducts farm visits where city folk can participate in farming and digging trenches. Other than that, ReStore conducts workshops and film screenings to promote healthy and sustainable living, besides collaborating with other organisations that are working towards the same cause. ReStore operates from 27/10, Second Main Road, Kasturba Nagar, Adyar, It is open to volunteers who want to help out with the various aspects of the store and at the bazaar.
Comments
0 comment