Chef on the Road: Two Brothers Organic Farms | What is ‘Organic’, Anyway?

From dining at a 100-year-old family wada to walking through sugarcane fields—this edition of Chef on The Road explored what ‘organic’ actually entails at an ancestral farm in Maharashtra’s Bhodani village.
Asim Shaikh, farm manager at Two Brothers Organic Farms (TBOF), explains the importance of staggered planting of diverse varieties of fruit trees at their food forest, a dense plantation that ensures there is something to harvest year-round. All photos by Team Locavore.

On a balmy day in February, we made our way to Bhodani village, located in the Indapur taluka of Maharashtra’s Pune district for a much-awaited Chef on the Road (COTR) experience with The Locavore’s partner producer Two Brothers Organic Farms (TBOF). Hosted by fourth-generation farmers Satyajit and Ajinkya Hange along with ChefTZac, this itinerary gave 15 eager visitors a glimpse into everyday practices at an ancestral organic farm, where food is produced at scale while remaining rooted in soil health and farmer relationships.

From moving through sugarcane fields, observing a functioning food forest, and learning how cows are raised and cared for, visitors spent two days delving into what the term ‘organic’ really means at its source. 

Participants also cooked together with ChefTZac using seasonal ingredients harvested from the farm earlier in the day—chopping, stirring, tasting, and shaping the meal as a group. They also sipped delicious meads from Moonshine Meadery—a sister organisation of The Locavore’s partner producer Moonshine Honey Project—alongside guided tasting sessions with the farm team that delved into the range of products made at the farm and the stories behind them.

By the end of two days, this edition of COTR was able to equip participants with the right questions and perspectives centred around food—about sourcing, pricing, trust, and choice—and how they relate to complex problems within our food systems. 

The TBOF COTR crew, ready to set off with fresh perspectives and an invigorated palate.

Our Itinerary

  • A simple breakfast of local favourites in Pune—misal pav and sabudana khichdi.
  • A walkthrough that contextualised the farm’s history, philosophy, and the choices that shape how it operates today. 
  • Lunch at the 100-year-old Hange family wada, offering a taste of food rooted in local tradition as well as the farm.
  • An introduction to dairy operations, milking, and learning how the cows are raised and cared for as part of the farm’s integrated system. 
  • Understanding the rainfed water management system at the farm. 
  • Visiting sugarcane fields and a functioning food forest. 
  • Cooking a meal with ChefTZac using seasonal ingredients harvested from the farm. 
  • Sipping mead specially brewed for COTR by Moonshine Meadery using Two Brothers’ Organic Farms Honey. 
  • An early morning visit to a partner date farm, witnessing the tapping process, drinking fresh neera, and trying freshly-made date palm jaggery.
  • Hearing from the farm team on topics ranging from the history of farming in the region to scaling, certification, markets, and what the future holds.
  • A last shared lunch at the wada—reflecting on the last two days, exchanging insights, and closing the journey together.

Before visiting the farm, visitors sampled breakfast dishes at Pune’s iconic eateries, including misal at Bedekar Misal (L) and sabudana wada at Prabha Vishranti Gruha (R).

Upon arrival at Two Brothers Organic Farms, visitors were greeted with refreshing drinks—buttermilk and jaggery sweetened nimbu sharbat—both made using ingredients sourced from the farm.

After lunch, visitors explored the food forest, where turmeric, chana, figs, citrus, chikoo, mangoes, awla, and shatavari grow throughout the year.

“[COTR] subtly reshaped my relationship with food. I find myself more involved in what I eat and more mindful in how I cook. Strangely, and perhaps tellingly, I’ve also noticed that I’ve started cooking more often than usual after the COTR trip.”

—Nitya Aman Bhagat

Indian figs, an integral part of the food forest, are characterised by a thicker skin and well-rounded flavour than regular figs (L). Ramphal, a slow-growing but reliable fruit tree (R).

Asim Shaikh, farm manager at TBOF, demonstrating how turmeric is harvested and replanted (L), with participants partaking in the process (R).

“COTR has a way of bringing you closer to a reality our current world is otherwise shut to, in a way that is kind and humbling for every person involved, and that shared equity in learning, staying curious, and wanting to connect with your world is otherwise rare. That’s what made it worthwhile for me.”

—Roshini Jacob

The farm has more than 100 Gir cows that are milked by hand everyday. Cow dung fuels a biogas plant while the slurry is used as fertiliser.

Participants gather for dinner at a beautiful campsite, sipping mead specially brewed for COTR by Moonshine Meadery from Two Brothers’ Organic Farms’ honey.

“[This was] one of the most memorable farm visits I have had! From smooth planning and organising by The Locavore to beautifully curated experiences by Two Brothers Organic Farms, it was the perfect weekend getaway that genuinely left me inspired and hungry to start growing my own food.”

—Panisthi Vora

The next morning, visitors explored a TBOF partner date farm and sampled fresh date neera (L). The farm also makes date jaggery everyday on a traditional wood fire (R).

Chef on the Road (COTR) is Chef Thomas Zacharias’ deeply personal exploration of India’s regional cuisines and food traditions. Want to organise one with The Locavore? Write to us at connect@thelocavore.in.

Know more about Two Brothers Organic Farms here.