Kerala black pepper
Vines clinging to jackfruit trees, cured slow. Brings a clean heat that blooms late, perfect for rasam and tadka.
SEASONAL • SMALL-BATCH • INDIA
Farm & Fable — fresh stories you can taste
We gather produce, grains, eggs, and dairy from small Indian farms, then share the tale of each harvest — the monsoon that ran late, the soil turned by hand, the patience behind every crate.
Our promise is plain: honest food, fair pay, and flavor that travels no further than it must. Browse today’s picks or follow the trail to our journal — where each batch gets its chapter.
- Traceable lots — know the village, the field, the date.
- No-nonsense quality — sun-ripened, shade-dried, stone-ground.
- Community first — better margins for smallholders.
FROM FIELD TO PLATE
Today’s picks, traced from monsoon to market
We mark every batch by season and village. Follow the path our freshest lots walked this week — rain, soil, sun, and a short ride to you.
-
Rains arrive
Southwestern winds soak the paddies; millets and leafy greens surge. Our field scouts log moisture and schedule first cuts at dawn.
-
Hands over machines
Plots are hand-weeded; peppers and herbs are shade-dried, not rushed. Stones mill our grains into fuller, nuttier flours.
-
Short morning haul
Labeled by date and village, crates leave at sunrise and reach our packing shed before the day heats up. Batches go live by noon.
REGIONS & NOTES
Aroma notes from two corners of India
Each week we spotlight terroir. This round: pepper from the rain-fresh Western Ghats, and tender saffron threads from the Kashmir valley.
Kashmir saffron
Short harvest windows, high altitude chill. A little steeps into golden, honeyed warmth for kheer and kahwa.
SMALL BATCHES
Fresh batches rolling off the belt
Swipe the belt to skim three ready lots. Each card lists the village, process, and a serving tip from our kitchen notes.
Ragi flour — Dharwad
Stone-ground at low heat to keep nutty notes. Try soft rotis with jaggery.
Country eggs — Wardha
Pasture-raised; richer yolks, sturdier whites. Sunday bhurji, less fuss.
Forest honey — Satpura
Gravity-filtered, no heat. Floral hints, great over curd with bananas.
WHAT WE STAND FOR
Ethics that outlast the season
Reliable food grows from reliable values. These four guideposts shape how we buy, pay, and pack across the year.
Fair pay first
We sign price floors before sowing so farmers aren’t squeezed by late rains or market swings. Predictable for them — and for your pantry.
Short routes
Cold-chain where needed, but never miles of idle waiting. Batches move in morning windows to keep flavor intact.
Water-wise
Millets and legumes get preference in dry spells; we support drip lines and mulch to stretch every drop.
No loud labels
Plain packs, clear dates, batch and village on every tag. What’s inside matters more than buzzwords outside.
SEASON MAP
Three Indian crop seasons, one steady pantry
Our buying follows the rhythm of Kharif, Rabi, and Zaid. The wheel keeps our lots grounded in weather, water, and daylight — not buzzwords.
Kharif
Monsoon crops: paddy, maize, millets, leafy veg.
Rabi
Winter fields: wheat, chickpea, mustard, carrots.
Zaid
Short summer: gourds, cucumbers, quick greens.
Season Wheel
Trace crops by sky and soil
EASY SERVINGS
Two quick plates our team cooks on busy days
We keep recipes short and forgiving — good ingredients should do the heavy lifting.
Tuvar dal + millet rotis
- Pressure-cook dal with turmeric and tomatoes.
- Tadka: ghee, mustard, garlic, curry leaves, pepper.
- Serve with warm ragi rotis and lemon.
Spiced curd paneer
- Whisk curd with saffron water and pepper.
- Coat paneer, rest 15 minutes.
- Pan-sear till golden; finish with honey.
QUALITY LAB
Three checks before any batch goes live
Simple tools, strict thresholds. Numbers beat slogans.
Moisture
Whole grains must land below our posted ceiling for the season.
Target ≤ 12%
Granulation
Stone-ground flours get a broad, natural spread — never chalky.
Balanced mesh
Density
Milk lots are checked warm from the pot — dilution never sneaks by.
Lacto window
PEOPLE & PLACES
Short voices from the field and the road
A farmer, a driver, and a regular at our Saturday shed.
“We switched two plots to millets last year; less water, steadier money. Your price floor helped us try.”
“Short hauls beat late-night runs. We load at sunrise and I’m home by lunch.”
“Your ragi flour tastes like my grandmother’s rotis. Please don’t change mills.”
PROVENANCE LEDGER
Our buying log — three recent entries
Plain records beat fancy labels. Date, village, process — stamped and saved.
Byadgi Chili — Dharwad
Shade-dried pods, low sharpness, big color. We buy from a three-family co-op that splits drying racks between courtyards.
Aged Rice — Raipur
Stored above ground for a year to relax starch. Cooks fluffier, drinks less water. Family mill still uses stone polish.
Desi Ghee — Jalna
Cow milk simmered slow; grainy spoon feel, nutty perfume. Clarified in small steel pots, filtered through cotton.
PRICE, UNPACKED
Where each rupee travels
Farmer first. Operations stay lean; routes stay short.
Farmers56%
Logistics18%
Operations16%
Margin10%
PACKING & STORAGE
How we keep flavor intact
Simple materials, clear dates, different homes for different foods.
Dairy and eggs land in the cold room by 9 AM. We tag crate IDs to lot sheets; milk is tallied warm and shelved by density.
Herbs and chiles dry under shade nets; flour sits in stainless jars with date rings. No plastic liners near heat.
CUSTOMER MOMENTS
Plates, porches, and Sunday noise
Short notes from friends who cook with our lots.
“Your aged rice cooks gentle — my pressure cooker hisses less. The thali sits lighter.”
“Forest honey over curd and bananas is now our post-walk routine.”
“Bhurji tastes rounder with those eggs. Please keep the morning haul schedule.”
PANTRY CARE
Make good food last longer
Light, air, heat, time — tame these four and most food behaves.
-
Flour
Keep sealed steel or glass jars; cool shelf, not over stove. Date rings matter. -
Spices
Whole beats ground for storage. Toast light, grind fresh for a week’s use. -
Rice & Millets
Airtight, dry, and off the floor. Aged rice wants calm air more than cold. -
Honey
Crystals are fine — warm the jar in water, never microwave.
WRITE TO US
Let’s Connect
Whether you're planning a gathering, building a pantry, or simply want to say hello, leave us a note — we’ll reply with care and clarity.
