Why Modern Food Is Making Us Sick | Krishna McKenzie on Organic Farming, Millets & Indian Wisdom

Why Modern Food Is Making Us Sick | Krishna McKenzie on Organic Farming, Millets & Indian Wisdom

Author Name:Level Up with Anona

Youtube Channel Url:https://www.youtube.com/@anonaagarwal

Youtube Video URL:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lLNM4Cs6SI



Transcript:
(00:00) Welcome sir. >> Welcome ma'am. >> Very very excited. I've come to Pondicherry specifically to meet you. >> And that for me was like a culture shock. Not coming here but returning to England. I was like man where's the life? And this has been my university. You need a tatam. You need something to move you in your heart.
(00:23) You know, mcelium allows trees to connect with each other for up to 30 km. Farmers know what to do, but they're not allowed to do it. Indians are running Google, NASA, White House. There's a lot of buddhi. So, I open the envelope. Invitation to go and meet Fukuoka. Couldn't believe it. I thought he was dead. We don't use chemicals.
(00:50) We don't use machinery. We're feeding people every day. And every day people are saying, "Wow, this is so good." And we're like saying, "Why didn't you do it?" >> Tamil we have a word pokeish means treasure. You see the treasure of the cultural nutritional heritage in this country. >> It will all start from the awareness.
(01:07) >> But the awareness is not cerebral. This is in the pallet. That's why insisted when you come here to eat. It's called Hindi. The nectar of immortality. My god. Rice will contribute to diabetes. Millets is a solution. You know, mother nature gave you these notes. And it's up to us to play with them. If in 40 years we've we've arrived at 10% of the population having diabetes, what will it be like in 40 times when food quality is even getting worse? Maybe we have to wait for Khalki to come on his white horse. You know, I think
(01:44) he's coming, bro. Food is medicine. Hi everyone, welcome to Level Up with Anona and to my brand new series, True Stories of Organic Industry. From millet expert to chef Ayurveda experts, entrepreneurs, policy makers perspective cover when it comes to organic industry or literally urge to just go and watch every single episode of this series
(02:30) from organic Need of important information. So go and watch the full episode because this series comes with nothing but the truth. This episode is powered by true story organic. So go and enjoy nothing but the truth. Welcome sir. Welcome. Welcome to Level Up with Anona and my series true stories of organic farming.
(03:12) Very very excited. I've come to Pondicherry specifically to meet you and been looking forward to this episode specifically because you have become a pioneer who is working towards creating that awareness first to the awareness towards farming to everything that a person should know when it comes to eating what we are keeping inside how should we eat why should we eat that that's like the most important information but again thank you so much I'm very excited >> thank you for coming >> yeah so I want to start I think most of
(03:40) the people who read who loves farming and everything they know you but probably that one person who probably doesn't know your story when did you come to India how did you choose Oruroville as your place tell us what was the idea when did you plan that you wanted to come to Oruroville stay here and just just do whatever you want to do >> okay so so basically I'm from England >> and I was a student in Ju Krishna Morti school in England and um when I was I was there from the age of 15 to 19 and when I was 16 a multi-millionaire a
(04:12) friend of Krishna Morti uh called Mr. Fesh Gro who just passed a few months ago. very very dear dear person and um he paid for our school and the Krishna school in California to come to India and he paid everything and we went in four groups and we visited all the schools in India and that for me was like a culture shock not coming here >> but returning to England I was like man where's the life you know where are the buffaloos on the road you know where are the people everyone's in their car and then you get to your town and there are
(04:46) you know two 300 streets in a in a in a line and each street has 200 houses on this side of the road and 200 on this side of the road and the next and the next and the next and everyone's locked in the house watching TV and you're like what is this life you know and what I saw in India was not that >> what I saw in India was something maybe called culture you know where people were interacting a lot and very vibrant and noisy and lots of tastes and smells s and and uh you know very very inspiring and music all sorts of
(05:22) different music and dance I and and art and all sorts of beautiful things I saw and farming and um coming back to England was frankly depressing >> in just one visit >> one visit >> okay >> I was here for 7 weeks from the age of 16 >> the age of 16 and uh it it was depressing and then very quickly at at school at At that age I was studying a lot of jazz guitar theater.
(05:49) >> I was doing research in genetic engineering and I was also helping run the vegetable garden. >> Okay. >> And the guy who run the was running the garden had um had been in Orville in the 70s and the 80s. >> Okay. So he he he put a spell on me, you know, telling me about building your own hut >> with bamboo and coconut thatch and and riding horses bare back and the collective peanut harvest and planting trees together and I was like that's where I want to go.
(06:22) All my friends went to study in America and I came here and this has been my university and this this this earth mother nature bumv >> she's been my guru still my guru >> wow >> talawi you get tali means the how do you say the head head woman the boss >> my boss >> so how did you start to learn everything >> the first thing is you see when people come to me and say krishna I want to start farming and I say you know the first thing is you need a twam tatwam is a philosophy.
(06:52) >> You need something to move you in your heart >> to inspire you to that thing that will make you go beyond the efforts that most people will make you know and that often comes from an inner search you know. So firstly I was very inspired by mother and sir bindo and the possibility that you could actually work on yourself you know yoga and and learn about you know your mind and and uh you know sort of an inner inner growth you know so that was very motivating and then realizing that working with nature working with growing
(07:29) food and farming and all uh could be a very beautiful context a framework within to which to live one's life if your aim is an inner search you know and then that Orville was a place that needed people to develop lands and and so that was like wow everything is like fitting you know perfectly >> was this what >> so this was in it was in 90 >> 91 or 92 that I first um got the idea about coming to India and I came here in >> I I came to India in '92.
(08:05) Oh, almost more than three decades. >> It's more than three decades. Yeah. 30 34 years ago. So, it was around that time that I discovered also my guru who is a Japanese farmer >> called Masan Nou Fukuoka and he wrote a very famous book called the one straw revolution. >> So, I read that book. I was inspired to to explore his idea of a non-interventional farming.
(08:32) a farming that you would do. You don't plow, you don't use machinery, you don't use chemicals that you know you recognize this sort of inherent wisdom of nature >> which is which is very sort of parallel to sort of an adviteic thought you know the tamas you know you you are that you know this magic that's what we are that is that essence of divinity but when I came to Orville first I had to find a place to work and where to stay and so I found a beautiful farm called Anapuna farm which is truly the bread basket of Orville. Exceptional farm started by a
(09:05) one-armed Dutch farmer called Thomas. Okay. >> After Freddy who was the the teacher in the Krishna Modi school, he is the one who really gave me my ABCs in and I learned to plow and thresh rice and harvest rice and milk cows and build roads and build huts. I got the whole sort of got a vision and after being there for about a year and a bit I started my own community called Irania which was a 50 acre reforestation project with a few acres of farmland >> and I started working there.
(09:39) After that I studied solitude in 1996. >> It just kept working on its you just >> well there were reasons you know like I had gone away in 95 to Japan to meet my girlfriend and then we came back and then there was some changes happened on that land while we were away so then it wasn't suitable for us to stay there so then we came and started solitude >> but um in January 96 we started solitude so that's 30 years now in solitude farm and it was like there was a very clear sense of what I'm doing and why I'm doing it, but
(10:14) it wasn't all yet defined. And um you know, falling in and out of of love, I um I found myself in the south of Spain studying flamco guitar and and I was in England in Switzerland and I was in America. I did two albums in Paris with my band. And I found myself in southern Spain realizing that anything that I could want to do was here in Orville and that I had to come back home cuz I' I'd taken like 2 years out from this uh because of a a crazy love story had affected me a lot.
(10:49) So I I left Oro for 2 years and I and I realized that everything I could want to do was here. You know, if you want to learn Russian or Sanskrit and do ballet dancing or bat natam or have a rock band or stud study, you know, I don't know, Hindustani classical and and run a farm. I mean I've done many of those things except for badam and ballet dancing.
(11:11) But um you know basically or is a space >> you know the mother dreamt up a space where there's no authority and as long as you have that inner maturity you know things can grow here. I mean you see what's happened to solitude. It's extraordinary why this young boy from south of England should you know be speaking Tamil on live on the TV you know how is that how is that possible you know so basically just to you know just to bring close up the story I came here in in in 92 to to India and 96 January I started solitude and with some
(11:49) ups and downs in my life I I left for two years and I came back in the beginning of 2003. At that time I I made a list of all the reasons why I had come to Orville in the first place and the top of the list was Fukuoka. >> Okay. >> I was like, "Yeah, of course. What am I doing, man? We have solitude and so lucky to be here, you know, and and this is my purpose, you know, in life.
(12:13) " And the next day I went to meet someone in Orville and they gave me an envelope and I I said, "Oh, what's that?" He said, "It's for you. I don't want it." So I opened the envelope. invitation to go and meet Fukuoka in Vanashiva's farm in Deredun. >> Couldn't believe it. I thought he was dead.
(12:30) The guy, the one-armed Dutch farmer, Thomas gave me the money for the train and this and that. Another one gave me some other help and another friend said, "I have a tent. You can stay with me in the campus in the tent and and I got to spend 5 days with Fukuoka." And that was very much like a dika, you know, an initiation of of sorts.
(12:49) I I felt it like that you know it was like being with your guru and I came back to solitude after you know 10 days and since then it hasn't stopped. >> Yeah >> it hasn't stopped at all and what's happened is uh a a sort of deepening awareness of the magnificence of mother nature and a movement away from a anthropocentric viewpoint which is still organic farming.
(13:17) man is doing something to the land you know rather seeing that you know that nature if you leave her alone you know and just maybe return organic matter plants will start emerging of their own accord like all around us is rafal most of it's grown on its own >> papaya is grown on its own >> and we can eat them directly of course you don't have to think it twice >> and not only the fruits some many cases the leaves are eaten many cases the bark is eaten or the stem is eaten or the seeds are used or taken immature It's a vegetable like the the laxman fal
(13:49) >> you know that if you have it immature it's like potato >> and you keep learning about this and what you start to see is this knowledge is primarily existing already >> in the Tamil culture or maybe if we were doing the same talk in Peru we'd say it's in the Peruvian culture or if we were in China we'd say this knowledge of these foods that grow around here and how to use them in all their diversity exists in that culture.
(14:19) >> And that's what I've understood here that a non-interventional farming that doesn't use chemicals, that doesn't use machinery, is not based on an extractive economy. That's all the agriculture is based on fuel and and pumping and mining and drilling for fuel and sending it across the seas in pipelines and ships to get refined.
(14:42) And the you know, you need to do all that. you need nuclear power stations is huge web of industry creating climate change so we can do farming or even organic farming frankly whereas this non-interventional um this non-interventional farming is really the benediction of bumidv you know in Europe they call her ga in South America they call her pachim mama but it's it's her benediction and she offers us so many gifts we have 4 and a half acres we have over maybe 200 200 220 edible plants that grow here and we have about 8 to 10 tons of harvest in 4 and a half acres
(15:21) each year if there isn't a cyclone. If there's a cyclone, it gets reduced. And for each plant, there are diverse parts of the plant you can use. For example, the banana, there's the banana flower, the banana, the banana stem. Even the banana leaves are used, you know, as a plate or packing or in ayurveetic massage for treating burns, you know, even the banana fiber is used to make cloth, you know.
(15:46) It's like >> mother nature is so generous. And it's the same for many plants. You know, >> we use the leaves of the lakmanal, the mullet for the the sour soap for the cancer. We use the the immature as a potato substitute. We use the mature fruit as a fruit. >> You know, there's so much diversity. There's probably more things we can do that we don't know.
(16:06) >> How did you get to know about the advantages of like this is helping in this? >> When I first came back from Fukuoka's place, we were very much focused on trying to replicate what Fukuoka had done and that was grow rice. grow rice >> without plowing >> okay >> and without transplanting that means direct sewn non- tillage no >> rice cultivation so we worked a lot on that because that's what Fukuoka had talked about and over the years I started to see hey this tree has come on its own this has come on its own this
(16:36) has come on its own and then came a crucial part in my life where I met my wife who is from Tvanlay her name is Deepa and we started this farm toplate cafe where you just had your lunch and that's focused on really honoring all the plants that grow around us. So she started to show hang on. Oh yeah, this is my grandma used to give me this and my auntie used to make this and we used to make a chutney with this and we can put this in the raggi and make a roti and and then all the ladies around start to share that knowledge and then many
(17:08) people started to share that knowledge and people like yourself would come. Hey Krishna, my grandma you know what she does she makes this thing with the the jackf fruit leaves and she crowns them and then she puts the the dough inside and makes idlies in the jackfruit leaf. really well.
(17:25) Can you show me? You show me. Boom. We know how to do it. That's our knowledge as well. >> And we are basically assimilating >> knowledge that's already there. >> This isn't some enra who's coming here and trying to tell people, you know, what to do. >> This is someone who has come here with, you know, enormous gratitude and and who's had an insight and who's having an insight. I'm I'm It's an ongoing.
(17:51) It's like you know Krishna Merti says no the the the river of of life doesn't end you know it's a it's an you keep learning it's an awareness that that this mystery is so beautiful and practically >> we don't use chemicals we don't use machinery we're not part of an extractive economy except the electricity that we use which is a big contradiction however that's like that but we're feeding people every day and every day people are saying wow this is so good and we're like saying why didn't you do it and the big question is how to
(18:27) do it. So obviously you can't sell this produce most of it because >> because people don't want to buy banana stem they don't want to buy >> the advantages >> because an education system has so much eclipsed >> a cultural nutritional heritage you know we've lost that uh relationship with bumidv now everything is C++ Instagram swipe left swipe right all of that sort of thing you know like who are we you know what's our purpose on this life That's not important.
(18:59) It's how much money you earn, >> what what what phone do you have? You have iPhone 16, >> iPhone 17. You know, they want to know those things. >> What car do you drive? And and you start to you start to realize that, you know, we've been tricked and that that organic farming is also part of that trick. >> It's a very fragmented solution.
(19:18) It's like it's like there's a big problem, you put a little sticking plaster thinking that's going to solve it, you know, but most of these foods don't sell. You look at what people buy. They buy carrots, >> potato, cauliflower, cabbage, beetroot, maybe broccoli leaks. None of those grow here. >> You ask any tamilian.
(19:37) >> You ask them, go and ask their grandma. >> Nothing. >> Did you ever eat those food? They'll say no. And you say why? They don't grow here. So how is it in every single person's cupboard and any restaurant you go to in the samba is carrot potato you know in the vegetable dish even if you go to an ividic hospital >> and the t the the boss you know the master he's he's from a lineage of ancient ividic practices >> and he does you m wow this is extraordinary you go and have the lunch in their canteen it's cauliflower
(20:13) beetroo carrot potato. >> Yeah. >> And you say, "But this has nothing to do with your culture." You know, potato came from South America in the 17th century. You know, >> how is it that food has been so marginalized and and made just functional? You know >> when you were talking about this I had this thing in my mind that it has become everything has become a marketing gimmick like people don't know and that's why if I bifurate like when you said whatever I am producing probably people won't buy it but that creates a
(20:43) big question because people don't know like if you you travel and if you go for buying the basic things that you spoke about so people don't know the difference between the conventional things that we are buying versus the natural things that our >> our bum dvi is already giving. of course and gives in in such diversity.
(21:04) You go to Bengal, it's one thing. >> You go Rajasthan, you have your bajger roti. You go in in in Hyderabad, you have this gongura things, this chutney. No. >> You go in this place, you have this. You go in. Everywhere is different. You know, like if you go in Rajasthan, you have this beautiful tapestry with hundreds of little mirrors.
(21:23) You've seen that? No. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> That's the colors of our culture in India. How can it possibly be one color, >> you know? It's it's so diverse because everywhere topography is different that means soil is different because aquifer is different >> because climate is different rainfall is different >> then people are different language is different what grows is different >> you know how beautiful diversity is such a beautiful thing but everywhere is potato carrot beetle cauliflower and they're relatively modern you know
(21:55) >> so as I say you can't sell these things very well unless you become some big corporate like dabur and you start harvesting the sour soap leaves and you sell that. I meet people like that and they're like um you know we're going to start growing 10 acres of drumstick minga >> why they're still thinking money.
(22:12) >> They're not thinking the most fundamental value of this food forest is nutrition and medicine. In Tamil we say un food is medicine. I'm sure they say it in every culture in the world, you know, >> but food is medicine and the value of this, >> you know, is so deep, you know, it's so deep to reduce it only to money, then you're going to miss so many things.
(22:39) >> So, how do you bring something that has so much value and importance and relevance into our society? But the biggest question that I want to ask you when we talk about organic and any the natural food basically key right now I'm here I'm in Oruroville I have the access I'm here I can eat whatever you have to offer and which is good for me but probably I go somewhere anything when it comes to healthy we know is the organic thing like there's a product there are two products so I see this is organically produced so probably I
(23:08) should buy this that is the only knowledge we have like >> a lay man who is watching probably he'll think that I don't have the access to the food that he's talking about >> what should be the >> so I mean if you if you look at India >> and in particular Indians >> I mean it's not to boost the Indian you know morale they already got good to boost >> there's a lot of intelligence you know you see Indians are running Google you see Indians are running NASA Indians are running white house >> there's a lot of buddhi you know
(23:43) >> we have a culture >> we have a heritage We have ancient languages. We have ancient books. This knowledge is still alive. You still have collective families >> where you live with mothers, grandparents, and they still have that knowledge. They're still cooking traditional foods. This is a question of logistics.
(24:06) If this farm has four and a half acres and we can produce between, you know, eight 10 tons of food in a year and that food could all be brought to say a midday meal cooking center >> and there were say 20 farms like this in 20 30 km radius diameter. It just needs the brains of the Indians to go hey or we need some gadi.
(24:32) You go around and you make one system and you ask him, okay, how much minga you have today? Okay, how much banana stem you have today? Okay, give that. You give the loi, you give this, collect all the things. Three times a week, you make the round. You inspire those farmers to have food forests like this. >> Yeah. >> Because you're not looking at money.
(24:50) You're looking at profit as nutritional. >> You're looking at profit as climate resilience. You're looking looking at profit as addressing lifestyle disease. In India, you go to these villages locally, 30, 40 years ago, maybe 50 years ago, there's no diabetes. Now there's over 10% of the population has diabetes.
(25:09) >> India is being called the diabetes capital of the world. >> I mean, it's being called that, but maybe it's China, maybe it's America, but it's all kind of it's it's here and there, you know, that's that's irrelevant. People feel offended when they hear that. >> But I mean, I would feel more let's wake up, you know.
(25:27) Okay, maybe it's maybe it's just a statistic. But when you have such a treasure in Tamil, we have a word pokab means treasure and you see the treasure of the cultural nutritional heritage in this country. That is why we have ancient language like Tamil like let's talk about Tamil Nadu. We have the oldest language in the world the Barat Natyam.
(25:51) You'll cry at the bi you know the karnetic music as a musician I can tell you all my very very like well-known jazz friends you know top musicians they all want to study karnatic music cuz it's very complex music form or Hindustani you know you look at the temples architects don't know how to build anymore you look at in Tamil Nadu for example and you have other places in India we have something called nadi jadagam which is a thumb print astrology so you give your thumb print especially here in vitas nadam and they they come back with your palm with
(26:22) a palm leaf that corresponds to you and they say your mother's name is this >> your father's name is this your sister and this and this will happen that will happen and I didn't everything came true >> now I'm not trying to sell you astrology I'm just pointing out to you the culture is so deep in Tamil we say ani ver it's a taproot you know it's going very deep >> and that culture emerged because people had an understanding of this pokam this treasure >> of local foods.
(26:52) >> Okay. So I'll ask you a followup question on this like two questions basically. If somebody a normal person a family person who is listening to you right now and they are inspired enough to start something from their home itself like from their garden itself from their terrace itself how can they start like the first thing that you start.
(27:09) >> So the first thing is the first thing is to to not even worry about growing food. The first thing is okay what can we do you know what can we eat at least once a week it's like almost like a puja >> you know you do it once a week Friday you do your puja Tuesday you do a puja it's good you know so you take one thing in Tamil Nadu that one thing would obviously be minga because you go and ask tamilians you know like I did a speech in a college and I it was for I think this G20 thing no and they brought professors from England so those guys
(27:40) give their talk on climate resilience and then I gave my talk and I said to to them do you like moringa k dr dr dr dr dr dr dr dr dr dr dr dr dr dr dr dr dr dr dr drumstick we call k in spinach you know do you like moringa k and everyone they all shake their heads yeah yeah yeah we like that's our culture we know that we eat that we like that >> second question does it grow on the campus they say this college has 10,000 students it grows everywhere amazing third question do you serve it in the canteen no so you're doing climate change
(28:13) conference You're fully aware that the industrialization of agriculture is the main contributing factor to climate change and yet you are not serving something that a you like, b you know how to cook and three you have in your back garden. >> This is the problem we have. >> But what is the reason? >> The reason is everything is an education system where you push kids to have C++ know C++ rather than knowing the value of this leaf.
(28:39) >> It's where you you know where money becomes everything. where medicine is ani you know an injection >> an injection >> rather than the ancient knowledge that is ayurveda that India is actually super famous for >> you know I was not well recently and I took some siddha medicine man it's extraordinary you what you sa sidda medicine is an ancient tamil you know it's actually not only medicine it's a whole esthetic line of spirituality and but part of it is is medicine and amazing results like I was like wow Amazing. And second time I've had that
(29:14) with SA medicine. So it's like you know western medicine is supporting pharmaceuticals. You know they of course they they don't want to lose out on their medicines for diabetes. You want to stop diabetes. You start giving all these foods to local people. Traditionally there was no diabetes here >> in the village.
(29:34) So imagine that you know you're the government you know and you got all these smart guys around you very smart people and you got guys let's let's just put aside everyone's selfish aim and and the and the corporates pushing for their profits let's look at how we can get people to be well. We say okay well let's start making these type of food forest like solitude in in in areas around and let's make centers where we can collect all the produce three times a week.
(30:03) It can go cooking for the midday meal scheme. >> It can be food processed. We can even make a medicine line like the the lakman fal powder and tuli powder neem flour powder all these things. Sapuru parajita flowers you know you can do a food processing thing and pickles and jams and all that and and there can be a shop there where people can also come and pick it up there can be a even a a distribution center for people to buy a basket of fruit and veg you know isn't that just kind of basic intelligence that's what we're doing here
(30:33) >> but is it sustainable for the for long-term for a local farmer if he wants to shift eventually >> it's it's not sustainable if a farmer is pushed to buy black plastic mulch >> and use particular hybrid seeds and chemicals and grow foods that have a particular economic value that is really fluctuating according to the market.
(30:58) >> But what it is sustainable is when you start to see those foods as our most basic collective need. >> You see as you grow up we're on the maybe we're on the midday meal scheme. We know what is banana stem. We know jungali bangan. We know all these spinaches and green papaya. It's very normal for us now cuz we grew up eating that.
(31:21) We local people living on lunch day lunch midday meal scheme. But as we get to 14, 15, we'll have our own opinion about things. You like you're a vegan, vegetarian, I eat meat. >> And you'll be like Krishna, how dare you eat meat. You give me a smack and I give you a smack. I say, who are you to tell me what to do? >> You know, you like Jay Krishna Mati, I like Sai Baba.
(31:41) They say Krishna is just an old fool. Boom, you slap me. How dare you criticize my guru? Boom. How dare you tell me? Who are you to say? You know, >> you know, you like karnatic. I like hip-hop. You're rubbish music. How are you? This is ancient is Indian. We'll fight for any concept, opinion, belief, ideology. >> But you put the drumstick, the minga soup between us.
(32:07) We'll both go very nice. >> Yeah. Wow. >> This is the lowest common denominator. So in a society, if you can grow a generation, eating local foods >> simply by honoring the foods that grow easily like we are demonstrating here at Solitude Farm, you will grow a generation that addresses lifestyle disease.
(32:28) There's no reason we don't go back 40 years before no one has diabetes. You will address also climate change. You might not end climate change but you will have a significant you know >> your contribution to >> no not just contribute you'll have a you'll have a data about that this many million kids ate local foods that didn't travel more than 20 km that didn't use chemicals didn't use petrol and practice there is a significant carbon offset >> you get someone from IIT and they can do the calculations it'll be very meaningful >> but the most significant takeaway is
(33:02) cultural Because you and me we grow up eating that food you know and we'll disagree in lots of things but this is this is our matai this is our mother this is bumidv >> and these are the gifts she give us you agree I agree we know that and this is our culture >> and I think it it it will all start from the awareness like people need to know >> but the awareness is not cerebral >> the awareness is in the pallet >> that's why I insisted when you come you have to eat >> you know awareness is not intellectual Awareness is being and you be more time
(33:36) here and you start to see and feel and realize that hang on these are beings. >> You know, you start to develop an a relationship with this place, you know, >> and you start to see that that prophet, cultural prophet is actually >> can be called empathy >> because if we share one very deep common value, then we have empathy.
(34:01) >> Very true. And a society that has empathy can move mountains. >> You think a society who has empathy will drop bombs on another country. No, I think the society that has empathy will have slowly slowly have intelligence and awareness and they'll have much deeper uh uh you know ways to solve conflicts and problems.
(34:22) >> True. >> So when we go in organic farming, we're not actually moving out of the paradigm. >> We're in the same paradigm. There's nothing fundamentally shifting. You just need to clear your fundamentals. I think that's the whole point. >> The fundamentals means means dropping all our conditioning, but we're not aware that we're conditioned.
(34:41) >> Yeah. >> We don't see that we're conditioned. >> True. Very true. But >> we're not aware. I I this How dare you say that? What? Oh, >> I'm getting offended because I'm conditioned about something. Oh, why am I conditioned about Oh, because they told me when I was a child. Because this be Oh, that's called meditation.
(34:59) >> Yeah. That's an active thing. That's a thing that goes through your day >> and that's yoga. And that will bring you back to this oneness. And this oneness is part of this bum. All her glory, her magnificence, her mystery. >> And that mystery is under the soil. the micro, you know, the microorganisms, the mold, bacteria, insect, earthworms, fungi, small animals, the mcelium, the life under the soil is as rich and diverse if not more than what you see above and all of that balances the climate.
(35:33) >> Even culture, it is said key, we are supposed to coexist with the nature and now people are moving away from it. That is the biggest issue. does I mean it's such a beautiful insight if you think about it you know and and no one's talking about that you know everything is very uh strategic you know and >> how much I can get and what can I get and how I position but empathy a society that has empathy could move mountains you know and um a society that's really happy you know how beautiful it could be >> yeah that is true and people I think
(36:06) this is a very you talk a lot about fundamentals this is the fundamental core I think the principle that people should learn if this happens the world will change >> the whole world will change definitely >> but continuing to this conversation if I ask you the the two questions that I ask if a farmer practically wants to shift D from conventional farming to natural farming and if a person who want to start something at his home like from the very basic technical part what are your two >> so I mean let's start with the farmer
(36:35) >> the thing is that you know food is such a collective responsibility it's respons responsibility of the politicians, of the kings, of the the society as a whole. You know, like Fukuoka, he he said, you know, that a farmer should start spraying deadly chemicals in his field. Surely, it's not his decision alone.
(36:56) >> We should invite everyone to discuss whether it's permissible. Invite scientists and teachers and doctors and also musicians and poets. We should all discuss whether that should happen. But everything is seen as very individual. You know, success and well-being, it's very individual.
(37:14) You know, I struggle for my corner and you struggle for your corner and people are jealous of each other. Oh, she got more funding than me and you know, but if it's about food, it's not the farmer having to change anything himself. It's rather on a collective level. >> Yeah. that we say, you know, that government and and NOS's and schools and parents and everyone comes together and say we need to feed our kids local foods, foods that have no carbon footprint, foods that reflect the ancient culture of the land that we live in and foods that grow easily and are
(37:48) tasty. Yeah. >> Foods that are medicine. And for that to happen, we need an enormous collaboration between everyone. >> The government could definitely help push that through. Yeah, >> you know, >> and that would be let's give a basic salary to all farmers, you know, every farmer 20K. Boom.
(38:08) And and yet these are this is how we want people to farm. >> Yeah. >> Maybe some farmers are still plowing and growing rice and everything. That's it's not not to be fundamentalist, >> but we can show that a food forest will give the most amount of food. There's no doubt about This is the question when we talk about no tillillage farming the local farmers won't be able to think about it.
(38:32) How is it possible? >> That's why it's not it's not only it's not the farmer on his own. It's a society together. >> Yeah. It's very >> people people come together and it's like a dialogue that the society is having together you know you raise it as a video you know and you say you know guys we're talking to each other as tamilians you know as equals.
(38:52) We all live on this land. Everyone has the same, you know, they have the same roots, you know, and we need our children to be healthy. At the moment, the foods they're eating are leading to diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity. You know, they say in I think 30 20 30 years that over 220,000 million children will be obese.
(39:13) It's frightening, you know. I mean if if in 40 years we've we've arrived at 10% of the population having diabetes, what will it be like in 40 times when food quality is even getting worse? >> Yeah. >> So if we bring that collect question on a collective level, people will say, "Oh, you're being so naive?" Yeah, maybe.
(39:34) But if we don't dream to try and do something, what are we going to do? Put our head in the sand and just wait for everyone to be obese and have a diabetes? So that's the thing you know let's let's see how we could bring this to our kids and then we start to say okay well this is a model it works and probably there are other places that have >> various similar models or different or corresponding ideas let's bring those together let's replicate those type of farms in a bio region let's take maybe one or two bio regions let's have 20 30 farms let's build a center let's have a
(40:05) little lorry that collects all those produce bring it to the cooking center let's start at least by feeding giving kids local food >> and we give the farmer a basic salary and as part of that basic salary we we give you know each kid a basic salary and that salary is their food in every school >> but you are right I think it's it's a it's a broader perspective it's a >> much broader perspective government has a lot of role to play >> you can't say oh let's do a training for organic farmers so they know what to do
(40:37) that's nonsense farmers know what to do but they're not allowed to do it. You know, >> they're not allowed to do it. >> They're constantly pushed to buy hybrid seeds >> and and chemicals and tractors and and utilize huge amounts of water. >> But if we really came together, maybe we have to wait for Khalki to come on his white horse, you know, but if we and I think he's coming though, >> but if we really come together and ask fundamental questions like how do we feed the children in Tamil Nadar? >> And as again, we're talking about Tamari
(41:09) because we're in Tamunari. If we were in Gujarat, it'll be about Gujarat. If we were in Peru, it would be about Peru. >> But how do we feed the people here >> in Tamil Nari? How can we develop such farms >> that produce abundance? >> Yeah, >> there will be profit. Economic profit. Everyone is hankering after economic profit. Farmers making nothing.
(41:31) The only people making money of this is the people who sell the chemicals, the hybrid seeds, and the tractors. >> Very true. So if we really want to look at profit, we have to look at profit as being something much more equal, you know, and farmers will start to say, you know, give you sour soap leaves and you'll make there's a brand local Tamil Farmers Association sour leaf powder anti-cancer bumu.
(41:57) It gets sold all around the world and all of these plants and the tip and the butterfly pee, the apar, >> the hibiscus, all of the things are evalued. M >> I believe it can happen. Yeah, >> I have a very profound faith >> and this is true right the the amount of the diseases and everything that you mentioned the major reason is what we are eating specifically the major food that we are eating from from wheat to rice to even the vegetables to the fruits and everything and probably the pesticide and everything that is involved in it right
(42:30) >> if I ask you but there's this one thing that I read because you have your own farm here and there was this thing that when we use organic produce probably in a cafe or So the spoilage issue is more using an organic produce like it spoils faster. Is that is that true? Like there's any issue like that? >> No.
(42:46) >> We go out in the farm in the morning. We harvest what we need for the lunch >> and we cook it. >> Yeah. >> The sweet potato can last in the storage for at least 10 days. >> It's sitting there since day yesterday or day before >> we using it. Pumpkins were harvested 2 days ago. They can also sit. >> Yeah.
(43:07) If you're cooking regularly, there's no problem. All of those problems of storage, transportation are still within the narrative of an industrialized agriculture, looking at food as a unit to be sold somewhere. >> Yeah. >> And not looking at food as a benediction of your mother. >> When you look at that as nutrition, what do you need to store it? You need to cook it.
(43:31) >> Exactly. Huh. >> You need to have that. You need to have the same policy in the midday meal scheme as in hospitals and in every hospital in Tamil Nadu. >> Makes sense. Yeah. >> You have Minga. So this is a project I have started right now and we already worked with a corporate in Chennai and we made them a whole farm.
(43:51) But now what I'm doing is I'm not making a whole farm for them. We had 700 kilos of produce after 3 months. >> Okay. >> And these employees I didn't I told them don't make a cafe just use your own canteen. Yeah, >> but do the land on the on the in the corporate campus. So we had a 5 acre farm in their campus, >> 700 kilos of produce in 3 months.
(44:12) >> Those the employees were in heaven every day. Their own lookie pumpkin, tomatoes, beans, radish, you know. >> Yeah. >> Spring onions. It was so so beautiful, you know, everything that we that we produce. But then I start to realize that very few um companies will be ready to go the full you know the full distance >> but let's start with moringa drumstick spinach >> you focus on moringa why what everyone cuz it's known >> cuz you go to any villager >> now if I ask you the benefits like if >> the benefits are massive it's a
(44:47) superfood I mean these are all superfoods but minga has been very well documented it has all the essential amino acids all the fatty acids It's omega 3, omega 6 and a lot of micronutri nutrients like full. It's a powerhouse >> of of nutrition. You have that you won't have anemia. >> Yeah. >> Imagine in India so many girls have anemic. No.
(45:11) Imagine if you could stop that. And the way you'd stop it is by saying to people, you know, Minga, no. Yes, we know it. Let's grow it. You know, so in every hospital it's growing and once a week they do it and then in every school it's growing and they use it. Every college it's growing in every corporate there's a policy if you have a corporate you have a canteen at least minga once a week has to be served.
(45:34) >> So how do you do that? could push them a bit but even in the parking there's an edge between the hedge and the car you have minga line there and you have on the on the pathway you know you go to do your C++ and there's a a pathway and there's got tip and hibiscus and muring >> a >> you know and it's used once a week and from there we'll jump to the next thing green papaya and then we'll jump to the next thing plantain and then we'll jump to the next thing banana stem or whatever jungli bangan >> you know and we start to see that that
(46:10) we are just creating a menu from our pokam from our treasure our cultural heritage >> and when I had the thali like you mentioned that eat first then you'll know better when I had it the first thing that I had in my mind was when I took that one uh what should I call it roti only right >> adai >> adai okay so >> raggi minga and onion >> oh it had minga also >> yeah for Sure.
(46:35) >> Oh, >> that's a very sacred combination and yeah know I have to say this when I had it the first thought is people don't even know how to make a rodi out of raggi like it's either sticking or anything and the roti I had it was like completely crunchy stuffed and so tasty it was super tasty and crunchy and people don't know how to make it crunchy like that's a far off thing that people >> knowledge is in Tamil culture any any grandma in Tamil Nadu will tell you how will show you how to make that any grandma
(47:08) will know that >> so why can't something so tasty be in Italies why can't it be I'm I'm trying to work with major airlines >> so you get on a flight from Chennai to Hyderabad and there's no homemill bed and bread and cheddar cheese which have nothing to do with Indian culture >> but there's a ragi a and there's a gongura chutney and a bit of this and a bit of that people on the like going, "Guys, this is our food.
(47:36) >> This is our culture. We're supporting local farmers that they don't have to try and grow all sorts of nonsense stuff with chemicals and hybrid seeds and, you know, over irrigation." >> Yeah. >> You know, >> yeah, >> this is this is addressing lifestyle diseases. This is addressing climate change.
(47:55) And most importantly, we all feel that we have a collective value here. This is our culture. This is who we are. >> Very true. And we have shifted to white rice, wheat, the few vegetables, >> soya, mazize, beetroot, cauliflower, cabbage, potato, >> carrots, >> maida and all of that. >> Maybe the creates gives cancer. They've shown it, you know.
(48:14) >> Yeah, people need to understand it better. What are your thoughts on millets also? Because you use >> so we used to grow a lot of millets here from varagu barnyard millet and um raggi pearl millet kambu the bajra >> and tennai foxtail millet >> and the millets are really inspiring because they'll actually grow in between vegetables and some of them are very fast like tennai foxtail millet is just 85 days.
(48:43) Can you imagine that's like there's less than 3 months you put the seed and boom it's ready to harvest >> and very less water also >> very less water very good for diabetics very nice taste >> we make this dish called pongal >> with the millet people eat it they go my god why people making pongal with white rice >> no sense so tasty >> but we don't have much light left now because a food forest has emerged here >> and we have to really explore the plants that grow in the shade semi shade and plants that will grow towards the light.
(49:14) There's a lot of trees, a lot of shrubs, a lot of creepers and um millets is millets is something that it will come back here and there where we have pockets of light. >> But what would you say to people this is the reason you should shift from whe rise to millet? >> I mean that's pretty obvious just if you're not moving >> then I suggest to the audience Google it.
(49:40) Why should I shift from rice to millets? The answer is so simple. Rice uses >> tens of thousands of lers of water per plate. >> Millets sometimes use none, >> just rainfed. Rice will contribute to diabetes. Millets is a solution for people with diabetes. >> Rice is kind of bland in many cases when it's polished. And millets have a nice different nutty taste and can be used in many different ways.
(50:06) People otherwise take it the other way. They think millets and everything, everything that they're consuming doesn't have taste. >> That's because they've lost their relationship with mother nature. All you have to do is give time. You know, time I say time is currency. >> Time is love. You know, how much time I give you is how deep I'll get to know you as a person and your qualities.
(50:25) You know, if I want to learn guitar, spend time. The more time, the better I get. >> Yeah. >> But we don't have time for food. >> We don't have time for the land. M >> we don't have any time for each other. We have only time for what I think and I'm just keep talking until till I push that in your mind. >> Yeah. >> And you only push what you have in your mind. We don't have time.
(50:47) >> So you know I think that this can be solved in a very pragmatic way by looking on a very simple way. We have this land. We have this knowledge. We have this culture. you know we have the brains and the logistics to make a center and collect the produce and cook it and distribute it. it's not so difficult you know I think that's the level that we have to start with >> you know on a very pragmatic level but >> I think that without questioning oneself you know about who am I and and why am I conditioned and trying to grow inwardly
(51:22) it's very hard to make very profound outward changes actually cuz the outward reflects the poverty of our soul >> right >> and our mind you know so when you see everywhere litter and dirty and you know and and and and you know lack of well-being. It's a reflection of how our minds are but there's no reason that we want can't reclaim that.
(51:46) That's so beautiful how you have connected food to the inner feeling the spirituality part like whatever you are consuming have it with a soul like you have to understand what you're eating and that's so beautiful >> well everything is spirituality you know everything >> everything everything is her her mystery that that colors it all and brings us to life >> and pushes us to do something to come to India as a 19year-old and learn Tamil I mean if it if it wasn't her you know divine grace I don't know what it was you know
(52:17) >> I didn't know anything particularly you know just all sort of >> happened you know >> it happened I'm sure for you as well what's happened to you is is >> no plan nothing was planned >> amazing how is life happened you know >> yeah I have few questions for you like a sudden question >> rapid fire sauce you can explain whatever the first thing that comes in your mind if you had to eat only three plants from your farm for the rest of your life what would they be and why >> definitely drumstick spinach Definitely
(52:45) bananas. >> I'd have to stay with raggi. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> You love raggi. >> Oh, I love it. >> As the best dish for raggi is what we have in Tamil Nad is called kuru. So it's a fermented um porridge >> that they they make a they powder the raggi and soak it in water and and ferment it overnight >> and cook it and then it's um >> now then they leave it overnight >> and then you mix it together with water.
(53:14) And sometime you throw in little little buttermilk or curd on some onions and chili >> and you eat it with green. It's very yummy. I love it. Yeah. It's a real cultural thing. And you and you see it's made a nice renaissance over the last 20 years. Like you can find lot of people on the side of the road selling it.
(53:33) >> Uh you know you can have it 10 20 rupees whatever with some different pickles and >> Yeah. >> Oh lovely. >> Fermented raggy porridge. Mhm. >> That's something to try of that one uh one idiapam. What what did you call the the roti? >> Adai. >> Adai. So you gave me one uh creative combination.
(53:53) One creative combination that I ask you uh be it in beverage or be it your in your food. >> Butterfly pea and nari. >> Okay. >> Sama very nice taste. Or drumstick spinach and red rice with our lemon pickle. >> Oh wow. >> Very good. >> These are so new. Radish leaves and banana stem curry. Ah, it's so good. >> Wow. >> There are so many combinations you you know mother nature gave you these notes.
(54:21) No, and it's up to us to play with them. There's all these thing we we can play with them and and understand how they are, you know, how they they they come together, you know. >> Yeah. Yeah. If you could bring back one forgotten Indian crop into every household, which would it be and buy? into every single Indian household.
(54:40) Moringa >> no doubt it's a superfood. Yeah, I think everyone when it comes to from cancer to diabetes to even pregnancy, I've seen doctors >> everything everything you know and it's tasty and people could grow it outside their houses, outside their schools, outside their offices, everywhere all you could grow it everywhere like I flew to Lucknau to meet uh your chief minister Sri Yogan and I was thinking very much oh what am I going to speak and how I'm going to tell that and I was flowing flying into the airport and I
(55:12) saw wow there's a a lot of agriculture here, >> but it was big fields. >> I was like, why can't they just have drumstick in between each field? Why can't there be avenues of drumstick everywhere? And then they organize some sort of way to harvest and and distribute to the school. So why is farming so focused on monetary gain? >> If you focus to nutritional gain, money will be double, well-being will be double, your society will be healthy.
(55:41) >> This is something to think about. This is the this is the these are the key ideas and why I have so much faith and confidence is that these ideas cannot be negated >> cuz they're not like no Krishna we like what you say but we think in a different way. >> Yeah. >> No, these are these are facts. You can't negate that you have a a civilization here that has a language that's 40,000 years old.
(56:08) And that civilization grew from eating these foods, not from Maggie noodles, beetroots, and potatoes. So if we have a civilization that's so profound, >> even with its spirituality and its music, its architectural, surely we have to explore how to reclaim that cultural nutritional heritage. And that's not a belief or opinion. That's solid facts.
(56:32) >> That's solid fact. >> So it's just a question of utilizing the brains and the smartness and the logistics that that uh you know Indians obviously have that capacity to organize very well you know just use that capacity and let's make everyone well. >> So true. You talk a lot about weed also like medicinal weeds also that a lot of people don't know and they probably focus on not having it while farming and everything specifically in North India.
(56:58) What's one plant growing around us that people think is a weed but is actually super nutritious according to you? >> Well, there's a beautiful plant that grows literally everywhere here and it's even hanging in the tree right there. That's called a hindme giloyachi. >> It's everywhere. >> The nectar of immortality.
(57:18) My god, if someone says here's the nectar of immortality, you'd be like, oh, you know, you'll be like friends for life. That's amazing. >> And people don't have the eyes to see. >> But is that good? >> Do is nectar of immortality. Do you think it has that name because it's not good? It's amazing. It's treating for for now they're claiming for that COVID and for inflammation for diabetes you know it's an amazing plant and they have these very wide spectrum >> of of diseases that it'll treat you know symptoms it'll treat >> but it's not only that there's so many
(57:53) sundai jungly it's a weed pongani it's a weed pongani is the the type of amaran that's good for your eyes and your liver and your skin makes your skin shine. Pound means gold. So it makes your skin shine like gold and it's so tasty. >> Wow. >> And it grows in between everything. So every day one of our ladies goes to the field.
(58:15) She comes back with a basket full of ponani. At least three types of four types of pornogani are there in the field. So she comes back, they cook it. People like, "Wow, Krishna, we came from Hyderabad and we had your food was so amazing. Like it's just weeds. >> It's just edible weeds." You know the gongura grow on its own. The this one grow on its own. This grown on its own.
(58:38) >> This is so much to think multi-cropping like you're doing like everything is growing. >> It's like 20 crops in one field my dear. Like literally >> literally there's so much diversity and this plant is the shade for this plant and this plant is the structure that this plant grows up. We've had ash good climb on the bananas this year.
(58:59) You know the butterfly pee climbing on the sundakai hanging blue flowers everywhere >> everything is >> and people are just focusing on growing that one plant that is demanded in the market probably and that is why there's >> and they demand it because of ignorance because they don't know anything else >> if you had to recommend just one millet every Indian should start eating today which one would >> ragi >> ragi your favorite >> definitely raggi I mean equally you could say varugu because varugu is what you had for lunch today
(59:25) >> and varugu is a very good rice substitute raggi I would say is less of a rice substitute. It's to make porridge and make other things like the a and desserts. It's not so you can make kali with it. This raggi bowls that's also nice. >> But as a rice substitute if you if you could grow varugu and varugu grows on very depleted not very depleted land but infertile lands.
(59:49) >> Okay. >> Because you don't want these millets to grow very tall. >> They grow tall they fall over. >> Okay. >> And they give a lot of organic matter if it's very fertile land. but not many seed. If it's a less fertile land, they don't grow so tall >> and they have a lot more seed. >> They grow have more grain on them, you know.
(1:00:07) >> So, it'll be good to use land that's not being used. No. >> But can we eat millets on a daily basis? Because that is also people have it doesn't >> people only ate millets daily basis in this area. You ask any Tamilian they will tell you we ate white rice >> on the visham marriage some death or mangjal you know like on occasion first period whatever you know or on the new moon the amabasay you know so aavas is the new moon >> and there you know there there's even expressions you know that on amavasi we can't have rice and not every day is
(1:00:42) amabasi you know cuz people eat white rice no >> otherwise everyone here everyone here >> had raggi porridge >> on a daily basis. >> Daily basis. >> That's very important. What is one sign that tells you the soil on the farm is truly healthy? Like you talk >> the the organic matter that you can see. You can see anywhere here.
(1:01:00) You see how much organic matter is growing. >> Yeah. >> Everywhere is grasses and stuff and plants and that shows that there's life. >> You know the trees there's life. >> The microbes that you talk about soil microbes and everything. How do you work on them? >> You don't work on them. This is not like how to say you know like I'll show you here for example just grab a little bit >> you know this soil is alive there are millions of microorganisms molds bacteria insects >> earthworms fungi small animals and the mcelium the life in the soil
(1:01:34) >> is the fertility of the soil >> life is fertility >> that is bumidv that is ga pachimama whatever culture you have different names and The only way that comes about is by returning organic matter. These leaves, this straw, this coconut, put it back onto the onto the land. That's called mulching.
(1:01:57) You can see it everywhere around the farm. >> This is the replacement of pesticide that is being used. >> That's not the replacement of pesticide. >> That is the what what happens in nature. No. A leaf d drop drops, a branch drops, it rots, fungi comes, bacteria come, a soil ecology develops. That is so so ecology is health and nutrition and another plant grows and eats from there and has a fruit and someone eats that fruit, >> you know, and then they die and they >> So true.
(1:02:27) >> It's a very ABC thing. But we become so overly educated and uneducated at the same time that we don't even perceive the most simple beautiful things >> in nature. And when you go into that and you start to see the life, the mcelium, the mushroom, the you start to understand nature is intelligent. You know myelium allows trees to connect with each other for up to 30 km.
(1:02:54) >> Oh wow. The trees are emitting uh little electronic pulse signals if there's a danger warning other trees. The trees can recognize that you are from the same seed as me. >> Oh, >> and you are my sibling or or or my daughter, my son, whatever like that. You know, the trees can help each other. They can send nutrition through the fungi network, the mcelium.
(1:03:17) It's a fungal network. >> Oh, wow. >> They can send water through the fungal network. It's all been proved >> been proved. There's a lot of research. One is by a beautiful anthropologist from Canada and she injected radioactive isotopes into the roots of a tree and then they found on another tree 30 km away that same isotope appeared.
(1:03:38) So how did it get there? It traveled through the mcelium >> and how that tree recovered that one gave water to that one. They shown all these things. Nature's profoundly intelligent and if you keep going in this subject you realize you know that the problem we have is our arrogance you know it happened a long time ago you can see it through the progression of the you know man's story on the planet you know like you see it with language as well like in like Latin dominated in the Romans and so they stopped to call you know a tree she or a rock he it was
(1:04:16) it. So nature is dominating. Nature is just an it. >> Wow. >> And our whole language became that. >> So it's man and it. And we lost this we this movement away from animistic societies. Societies that worship God in all living things. Somehow still there in Tamil Nadu. You know, you go to one tamarind tree and there's a few rocks and a and a god and a prayer and a >> and you you feel there's there's this sort of >> adoration of of divinity in in nature still.
(1:04:48) >> You see it in rocks still in mountains here in Tamil Nadar and indigenous cultures they are the the custodians of of culture about seeds about the the stories of the plants. a friend working in Ward. She works with tribal people there. Not not in like some I work with tribal.
(1:05:11) She just works they do things together. >> Yeah. >> And and and they have a project where they they try and support tribals financially. And all the tribals have to do with the money they get is just be in the forest >> certain amount of hours a day. Just be yourself. Don't be more than you are. >> You know, we just want you to be you because you being you is a is a salvation for mankind in many ways, you Yeah.
(1:05:33) >> So there's a lot of things to learn and I say to people you know the first step is at least select one food for example minga or raggi and make sure you eat that food once a week. >> Ah let's start with that one step. >> One step one step. Make that a puja. >> Yeah. >> Then do it together with at least friends or family.
(1:05:53) >> Then maybe after work you know you're busy in computer and you bring maybe once a month you bring your friends together put some music everyone cooks together. Maybe later that group will start doing little garden together once a month >> and they harvest and they cook together or once a week even. >> So true.
(1:06:09) >> Maybe they start making their own soap together once a month >> and then they start changing the you know they start looking at the plumbing and that water the natural soap is used to irrigate plants and maybe they start to rent a little land together. I saw your videos also. You use everything like even the kitchen waste also.
(1:06:29) Everything >> to use here only. >> There's so many things you can improve on. Me too. >> Yeah, >> we too. We're on that pathway. And we see other people doing things. We're like, "Oh man, they're doing much better. We have to We need to learn what they're doing." You know, there's always something more you can do, you know, like right now we're working on the vermiculture.
(1:06:49) Not because it's vermiculture, but because we have everyday kitchen waste. What is omega? >> The daily kitchen waste from the cafe >> which is a wet waste >> with a particular type of earthworm and it makes a type of compost. Well, it gives you two things. First is a like a a liquid fertilizer >> that you come drips out of the bottom of your barrel >> and then it gives this very nice compost that we can use in the nursery.
(1:07:12) >> Oh, >> you know, and then of course making our soap, making our bioenzyme, even utilizing those radish leaves. If I didn't push and explore and dig with some creativity how to use the banana stem, the the radish stem and how to use a radish leaf and explore different ideas, not only one idea how to use it.
(1:07:33) They would probably get thrown out. You know what a loss a loss for your taste, >> a loss for your health, a loss for the nature. The nature grew that thing. What? Because we are so arrogant that we only want to eat potatoes that we throw it out or what? If I ask you a organic manure hack probably somebody who wants to like we I asked in the start somebody who wants to uh grow something at their home any hack anything that >> it's all there on YouTube I'm not talking about those things those are those are very s they're nice good but
(1:08:04) there's hundreds of things like that you know hundreds of things like that >> you know people always ask me oh what do I do this plant is not well this is not working to do with the soil >> it's everything >> 90% of lot of times the soil you know >> and maybe too much watering or not enough watering it's all pretty >> basic ABC things you know if you catch the philosophy with which I'm talking about >> all the hacks and all they come naturally >> they'll come they'll they'll emerge >> you learn >> because your your a your aim is a very
(1:08:37) deep clarity you know >> so I can suggest people to read Masanoba Fukuoka the one store revolution that's an amazing book If I ask you that one principle that stayed with you his that comes >> nature is already perfect then you can't improve upon nature. >> Wow. >> She's a divinity. >> Wow. Wow. >> You know >> so stop trying to improve on her.
(1:09:02) >> Yeah. >> And that I haven't let go of since I came here when I was 19. >> Now I'm you know 19 was in when? 92. You know >> you know now is now is 2026. Yeah, >> I haven't let go of that. That's one thing like if I can like reflect on how is it how is it really worked out? You know, you have all this idea about 10,000 hours of study, one thing you'll get good and that thing I never never change from that.
(1:09:33) Nature's perfect and return organic matter >> and you're facilitating that perfection and this is what's happened. >> Yeah. >> You know, we have music festival here as a musician. You know I've been with Blue Frog in Mumbai. We've done four albums played in Glastonbury in England and Kennedy Center with no longer Kennedy Center in the USA Washington DC and I run my own music festival here.
(1:09:58) So we've done about seven or eight festivals called lively up your earth with 15 bands, two stages and a lot of activities you know shiatsu massage under the mango tree and >> astrology and block printing and cardi and kids space and food workshops. Beautiful top musicians coming here. Recently we and we had poverty bowel come that was quite some years ago but she came as beautiful and a lot of good musicians and that festival would not happen if we didn't return organic matter that festival is happening because of this action cuz this action makes bumv
(1:10:40) bumv gives all of this you know >> this this food creates anamayakos pranamayor Manama, language, culture, society, community. >> Without this, there would be nothing to share, you know, to celebrate. >> People need to dig deeper for sure. >> Very deeper. >> Yeah. Lovely. Last any misconception that you want to break and any last message that you want to give whoever is listening, what would you say? >> That that you can do anything you like in your life. You know, I'm a musician.
(1:11:13) I'm an actor. >> I'm a farmer. I'm an educator. I do so many things. I think everyone can do what they like. You know, they don't have to follow what they think they've been told that they have to do. >> You know, pray to yourself. Pray your keep your intention in your heart and go for it. >> Yeah. >> And we can change the world together.
(1:11:33) >> Wow. Thank you so much Krishna. This is such an enlightening episode. I I came with certain questions but the question that I've asked and the answers that you have given I think everyone should focus like we mentioned dig deeper into that what you're trying to say and if we do even one person thinks of taking a step towards it a lot can change that's how things change that's how it starts that's how any motive any moto starts it's just our try to bring that perspective out there so thank you so much for doing what you're doing and
(1:12:05) thank you for existing >> thank you med dear >> thank