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Banaksha (Sweet Violet) : The delicate flower with huge health benefits Shakespeare’s wrote: “I know a bank where the wild thyme blows, Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows, Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine, With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine” Yes its beautiful and very delicate, but don’t be fooled by its looks. This herb packs a punch. It is called by many names in different parts of the country. Here we call it Banaksha, it’s called Banafsha in certain parts, sweet violet in the west and many more. It contains salicylic acid, which is used to make aspirin. This makes it effective in the treatment of headaches, migraine and insomnia. The whole plant is anti-inflammatory, diaphoretic, diuretic, emollient, expectorant, and laxative. It is taken internally in the treatment of bronchitis, respiratory catarrh, coughs, asthma, and cancer of the breast, lungs or digestive tract. Externally, it is used to treat mouth and throat infections. The plant can either be used fresh, or harvested when it comes into flower and then be dried for later use. The petals are made into a syrup and used in the treatment of infantile disorders. They are gathered in the autumn and spring and dried for later use. A homeopathic remedy is made from the whole fresh plant. It is considered useful in the treatment of spasmodic coughs and rheumatism of the wrist. The essential oil is extracted and used in aromatherapy in the treatment of bronchial complaints, exhaustion and skin complaints. Besides being used for its medicinal uses it is also a very useful plant in the kitchen. The leaves have a very mild flavour and make a very good salad, their mild flavour enabling them to be used in bulk whilst other stronger-tasting leaves can then be added to give more flavour. When added to soup they thicken it in much the same way as okra. A tea can be made from the leaves. Flowers can be used to decorate salads and desserts. A soothing tea can be made from the leaves and flowers. Come October it’ll start flowering and then again in the spring we get more flowers. Stay posted for the harvest photos of the herb….

Established by Sh. Paddha Roda Mal Ji in the early 20th century, Deodhar Orchard is the oldest orchard in the valley to be ever planted by an Indian. With over a hundred years of tradition coupled with the futurist regenerative techniques, Deodhar Orchard stands tall in the test of time as a totem of quality farm produce. Deodhar Orchard prides itself as one of the oldest apple orchards in the region and still has some of the oldest persimmon trees planted in early 1900’s. Today, the multiplicity of the farm produce ranges from fruits like apples, pears, plums, apricots, persimmon, grapes, peaches to nuts like walnuts, chestnuts and pecan nuts and to a bushel of seasonal vegetables.  Apple has always been our staple produce. Owing to climate change and market demands over the years, the orchard has undergone several changes in terms of techniques employed and varieties of apples grown. Some of the oldest varieties like Baldwin, King’s Pippen, Jonathan, Kali Devi and McIntosh were regarded as robust and rich in flavour and graced the estate for several decades. The 70’s saw new varieties introduced that showed an exponential rise in popularity. These were mainly the “Delicious” varieties of American origin, namely- Royal Delicious, Gold Delicious and Red Delicious. Some European varieties like Gala and Japanese varieties like Fuji were also introduced. This era saw the introduction of some “Early Varieties” like Mid June and Red June that bore fruits relatively earlier than the other varieties. These varieties dominated the fruit market for years and some are still regarded as some of the most popular and successful varieties of apple. To keep up with the changing times and growing market demand, some new varieties and cultivars of pre-existing varieties were introduced. Some new strains of Delicious like Jeromine, Red Velox and King Roat and Gala like Galaval, Gale Gala, Redlum Gala and Buckeye Gala were also introduced followed by the Sun Fuji variety from Japan. Today, these varieties constitute the apple cart of the orchard. Deodhar Orchard prides itself in being one of the few farmlands that employ regenerative farming techniques. These new techniques have enabled us to gain the best results with least possible interference with the soil composition, maintaining a balance in the natural ecosystem. It’s our pride that a generations old legacy continues to this day with a heightened sense of responsibility but the same assurance of delivering quality farm produced products.