Est. Rai Ruen Rom Organic Farm 21/05/2014

The Remarkable Birth of Rai Ruen Rom

There I was, alone. My only help was my own hands, my sweat, my blood my tears. I was at the complete mercy of mother nature. If I was shown favor, and I worked with diligence and temperance, I would thrive. It was an acre of land - rugged, and untouched. I was now this plot’s ‘parent’, it's ‘guardian’, its ‘steward’. ‘Nurture it, look after it, and tame it,’ they told me. ‘Do as you should, and it will be fruitful.’ At the beginning, I was clueless. I had no experience raising animals, growing plants, or anything. I was a purebred city girl, raised in the beating heart of Bangkok. How in the world would I survive? What would people think when they saw me with burnt skin, dark complexion, and dirty feet?

I threw away my life in the city. I gave away my phone. I abandoned my nice clothes. I left my mirror in Bangkok, so I couldn’t look at my reflection. Waking up before dawn, I got dressed in my burly farmer’s clothes. I prepared my heart. And, I dug soil. I tilled clumpy dirt. I watered plants. I did all the necessary duties. Remarkably, I learned to grow plants organically. Never did rely on pesticides or chemicals. It was hard. But, it was worth it. I slowly-but-surely became proficient in horticulture, and raising small animals. Mother nature taught me to delight in simple beauties - a green stalk of rice budding anew, a flower opening up its petals, a bee seeking after nectar, a dog sleeping atop a dirt mound. Virgin, graceful, and magnificent was her movements.

One year quickly passed by. In 52 weeks, I had accomplished what I had set out to do - to completely unplug from all the distractions, to incarnate myself into the body of a rural farmer, and to learn what it’s like to live in harmony with the land. With some tears and sadness, I returned to the bustling streets of Bangkok. I thought I would restart my life in the city without hiccup or hesitation. But I couldn’t. My life had been overhauled, and radically reorganized. I, Apple - a self-entitled, stuck-up urbanite - had been broken, beaten down, built back up, and made into a new creature.

The joyous rituals of farming had become a part of me. I loved it so, and I yearned for it dearly. Coming back to the Metropolis - back to a place of unconstrained consumerism, and narcissism - crushed my heart. ‘How could I do this?’ I argued with myself. ‘This is a part of who I am. I can’t throw the farm.’ My imagination flew away into dreams. And I began to plan, and scheme, and explore. I went to seek out experts on sustainable agriculture and integrative farming. They helped me a great deal in my quest. In the next several months, I was restless in my pursuit. I spent countless hours racking my brain around the possibilities. I found people. I took notes. I wrote visions, and re-visions. I created proposals. And I trashed many of them. The vision for Rai Ruen Rom (RRR) - and Harmony with the Land - was thus birthed in my heart.

My family and I began to seek out suitable land. We went to many places and provinces throughout Thailand. We scouted out dozens of locations. Finally, we settled on the picturesque and refreshing region of Chiang Rai - in the amazingly green tip of Northern Thailand. The land we chose was super-suitable for organic farming. It was virgin soil, pure and green.

On this beautiful soil, our vision began to come to fruition. Rai Ruen Rom (RRR) takes a radical, innovative, yet very ancient and practical approach to farming. This is a tried-and-true, holistic, sustainable way of farming and living. We are working hard to create a ‘model approach’ to agriculture - one which can be utilized by anyone, anywhere, as long as you have a plot of land. We encourage others to remain true to organic principles, fair trade relationships, and sustainability ethics. This will help future generations to thrive. The environment and citizens will thank us one hundred-fold.

We take much inspiration and wisdom from the beloved King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and many of his Royal Project. We partner with local people in our district. From the nearby village, we employ dozens of staff. Instead of being exploited, and worked to the bone in large cities, we offer them a peaceful and fulfilling alternative: integrative farming and sustainable agriculture. We envision tens and hundreds of families emulating our unique, practical system of farming. Even you can do this at your home - whether it’s in the USA, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, France, China, everywhere! Come learn with us. And return home, to make this vision a worldwide reality!