Friday, Mar 01, 2013
Abu Dhabi
“Once I construct the cottages for guests inside the farm, they will have everything to eat from this farm itself, except rice that will be imported from India,” said Khaled Bin Butti Al Shamsi, the owner of Abu Dhabi Organic Farm.
The farm is like a self-sufficient village that does not need to depend on outside world for food. “We have already successfully cultivated wheat that can be produced for our guests,” he said.
Wheat is a water-intensive crop so he does not want to cultivate it commercially. “Rice needs more water than wheat, that’s why even we don’t think of it,” Al Shamsi said.
Apart from 70 types of vegetables and fruits, the farm produces its own milk from cows and camels. The free- range chicken, turkey, ostriches, duck, pigeon and quail give eggs and meat.
A vast pond and man-made tanks grow fish. Honeybees provide about 3 tonnes of honey every year. Sand gazelles, horses and peacock are also reared in the farm as part of the owner’s hobby.
Beautiful rose flowers on the periphery of the vegetables gardens are sold to hotels and restaurants for adding favours in their disserts.
Al Shamsi said farm tourism is a growing sector across the world, his cottages will be ready to receive the guests soon.
The farm is also self-sufficient on seeds and organic fertilisers.
By Binsal Abdul Kader Staff Reporter
Gulf News 2013. All rights reserved.
