Marjan van Ravenzwaaij. The Dutch founder of The Organic Farm Bali - a natural sanctuary of wellbeing in the heart of Balinese culture.
The unspoiled paradise of Bali can be found at the Bali organic farm. Located at the foot of Mount Batukaru in a small Balinese village preserved of time and tourism Marjan and her husband Wayan Sukerta, created a magical oasis of organic farming and the kitchen where guests can immerse themselves in a fashion sustainable living by the spirit of nature and traditional life.
I feel like I'm in Bali it was thirty years ago! When you come to Bali?
I sold my business in Amsterdam eight years ago and came to Bali. I learned to surf and built a villa on the seafront in Pantai Senseh. I thought I had built my dream. Then I met Wayan and we fell in love!
Tell me about Wayan.
This is amazing! It is also Pantai Senseh and a surfer. He has many talents. He studied hospitality management in Jakarta and traveled the world. So now he combines his knowledge of the West and tourism with its family roots to grow crops.
What led you to this area of Bali?
Love brought me here. Wayan's uncle had this earth and when I finally got here, I realized that's why I'm in Bali; live this pure simple nature life, surrounded by beauty and love. Nothing here is taken for granted. You will discover what is important in life; that we are all part of this living world and love is the force that makes all of us and all living things develop. I believe that power every day that I'm here.
How your organic farm and homestay have evolved?
This is a farming community. Farmers here have taught us that more and more food is to trust nature and respect for all life forms. This means no chemicals and planting good ground. As you see, we have vegetable gardens but we also grow fruit trees and herbs throughout the country; pineapple and guava and coconut to name a few. The plants tell us what is best. Here in these gardens are currants, ginger, arugula, asparagus, onions, aloe vera, strawberries, mints and herbs such as piduk; a purifying and cleansing herbs. We have leaders increasingly restaurants with us upon request so that we experiment with new varieties and learned to prepare unique and delicious food. We take special customer requests. Customers can bring seeds from their country of origin and we will develop it for you or you can hire your own vegetables per month bed that leaders do. This also helps to support local farmers in our village and gives them the opportunity to have a stable monthly income. It also teaches them about new products and new marketing opportunities.
What is the biggest challenge here for organic farming?
The biggest challenge is water. We are 800 meters above sea level which makes them cooler growing conditions, but also means that there is much loss of water flowing down. A friend from Holland came and donated a system for each house in the village has a water tap. The rest is made from natural sources. We offer the best of nature in western standards of accommodation. Besides growing organic products, we offer farm and wellness stays in our traditional pondoks. We want to support our local community so we can all benefit from eco tourism.
What is a typical day for a guest here to stay?
This is our private mountain balls, accessible only on foot. It is a seven minute walk through farmland and forest bamboo, through the pure water flux and the mountain! You are surrounded by true nature uneducated! This is a traditional building bamboo with Western amenities such as electricity, a comfortable bed, comforter and a western toilet. You can swim as the locals; together at sunset in the crystalline river or going to the natural hot springs or waterfalls cascade. You can sleep under the stars with a bonfire and enjoy the view of the natural foliage and rolling hills and valleys. Breakfast can be served in bed watching the sunrise on Mount Agung. The other pondok has a view of the bamboo forest and the stream. Your morning coffee is locally grown beans. You can purchase fruits and vegetables and we prepare for you as you like. With our experienced local guides and villagers you can enjoy the real traditional Bali everything once was.
What are some of the alternative therapies and cures offered?
We offer a range of traditional therapies. These days it is common knowledge that most physical illnesses appear in the physical body, but its origins are evident in many other areas of our being. Local traditional healers are available here to help you understand how you can improve your health problems and global targets you may be suffering physically, emotionally and spiritually. Guests are offered facials and natural massages, reflexology, yoga and meditation and energy healing. Special diets are supported as special needs. It is therapeutic just to be here where the silence of the modern world and the sounds of nature will nourish your spirit.
You and Wayan are founders of the organization named Organic Village. The village mayor is the president of the foundation. What problems is addressing organic village?
There are so many challenges here. Wayan and I talked to our neighbor and friend Dodi and discovered that marketing is the main problem for the farmers of this village. They were ly dependent on intermediaries for their production and income. Worse, however, farmers were forced to sell their land to pay off debts. If this continues, their children will be forced to leave their families in search of work. There is a lack of education and appropriate opportunities. We try to answer these questions as best we can. It is therefore important to maintain the tradition and culture of this beautiful village while offering better opportunities to young people. We must pay more respect for farmers and what we eat. We should pay more for our local organic products instead of buying what is cheaper. Hotels and restaurants should support our local farmers instead of getting all imported.
You have another ongoing project too -. '! I'm just a girl "program
I'm sure you are aware of the problems girls face in this culture. I'm lucky to have grown up in Holland, without discrimination based on sex and maximum opportunities for education. I teach English girls. We now have football and girls playing in the field that was previously used exclusively by boys. I want to empower them. We support their creative efforts to make money by cooking and doing things for sale. They learn to be independent. At the moment they set up the speakers, they bought so they could dance. The dances that you will see are choreographed to modern music and Balinese influence.
I am so impressed with the work you do here and how you choose to live. Marjan and Wayan thank you for introducing me to this timeless place of well-being.