“20 acres of farm land… garden flowers, coffee plants, black pepper plants, ayurvedic medicinal plants… ”
Enough to generate a great deal of expectations. But it seems we are getting it wrong every time with farm stays. Initially it was at Dandeli, where it was a farm house devoid of any farms. And now at Nashik.
Typical agri-tourism initiatives are where farmers with significant land holdings and agriculture often extend a room or two in their house for tourists for a home-stay experience. That was our expectation. What we got was a 20-acre farm, with rooms, play areas, dining area, a mini swimming pool, and hold it – a stage for rain dance where songs blare from half-broken speakers.
On the day of our arrival, there were 200 guests for a day picnic. Talk about a peaceful farm stay!
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The vegetarian meal offered was dominated by lentils and pulses – with potatoes and brinjals thrown in. Cockroaches on the mattress and taps running dry in the morning added to our unexciting stay at Silver Oak House.
While the overall experience was not so great, there was a silver lining. We strayed on to the nearby farms and vineyards, met people who were more than eager to answer our questions. We took home farm-fresh grapes and vegetables sold by those farmers.
