Soil health and testing
Assess soil condition, structure and nutrient levels to make informed decisions.
Learn with an experienced practitioner
Hiteshbhai Thummar
25 years of agricultural experience — nearly three decades of learning, practice and experimentation.
Hiteshbhai began his journey in conventional chemical farming, where his work earned several awards. After reaching a high level in that field, he began questioning the approach and exploring ways to farm in greater harmony with nature. Guidance and inspiration from his gurus, Deepak Suchde Baba, Ashok Shah and Hirjibhai Bhingaradiya, played an important role in his journey into natural farming and its many branches.
His field experience includes working with saline land in Kutch, stony terrain, desert sand, slopes, terraces and cultivation beneath solar panels — conditions where growing crops can be especially challenging. He has mentored more than 15,000 farmers and contributed to agroforestry and Miyawaki initiatives involving over 9 lakh trees.
His approach brings together ancient and traditional agricultural knowledge, modern agronomy, contemporary techniques and practical tips from the field.
25 yearsAgricultural experience
15,000+Farmers mentored
9 lakh+Trees in plantation initiatives
Course curriculum
Understand the foundations of natural farming.
The course combines modern and ancient techniques with practical tips. It explores how soil, water, sunlight, plants and biodiversity work together — and how these principles can be adapted to different growing spaces.
Carbon and NPK
Understand soil carbon, essential nutrients and their role in plant growth.
Mulching and moisture
Explore soil cover, moisture retention and ways to support living soil.
Sunlight and wind
Understand exposure, orientation and environmental factors that influence growth.
Water management
Explore sustainable irrigation, water efficiency and conservation practices.
Pruning and plant care
Learn how thoughtful pruning can guide plant structure and growth.
Multi-crop cultivation
Explore intercropping, crop rotation and multi-level growing systems.
Companion planting
Understand beneficial plant relationships and ways to support soil fertility.
Biodiversity
Encourage a diverse ecosystem and understand its role in farm resilience.
Natural pest management
Explore natural approaches to observing, preventing and managing pests.
Terrace and urban farming
Use limited spaces thoughtfully through vertical growing and practical water techniques.
Ancient and modern methods
Bring traditional agricultural wisdom together with modern techniques and field-tested tips.
Scientific explanations
Understand the reasoning and natural processes behind the practices, not just the steps.
Sunlight optimisation
Plan growing spaces around sunlight availability, exposure and plant requirements.
Growing with limited sunlight
Explore suitable alternatives and artificial lighting options for spaces that receive little or no direct sunlight.
Water conservation
Learn practical approaches to conserving water and managing it efficiently across the growing space.
Carbon cycle practices
Understand the carbon cycle and practices that support carbon-rich, living soil.
Understanding wind patterns
Observe wind direction and movement and consider their effects on plant health and garden planning.
Effective farm and garden planning
Plan the layout, plant placement and use of available resources to create a balanced growing system.
Effective pruning methods
Understand when and how to prune for plant structure, airflow, light and healthy growth.
Urban garden management
Adapt natural farming principles to homes, balconies, terraces and other limited spaces.
Crop rotation and compatibility
Explore crop sequencing, companion relationships and compatible combinations for diverse cultivation.
Terrace gardening with composting
Integrate terrace growing principles with composting and the responsible reuse of organic matter.
Homemade plant nutrition
Explore ways to prepare and use plant nutrition from locally available natural materials.
Understanding plant sugars
Learn about plant-produced sugars and their role in plant health and the wider soil ecosystem.
Solar harvesting
Understand how growing systems can make effective use of available solar energy.
Cosmic earthing and natural connections
Explore traditional perspectives on the relationship between the land, plants and their wider environment.
Farming and lifestyle
See how food growing, daily habits, resource use and ecological responsibility are connected.
Advanced natural farming techniques
Explore advanced and integrated natural farming methods, and how to adapt them to different farms, gardens and growing conditions.
Build a sustainable garden system
Bring the learning together to plan a productive, diverse and resource-conscious growing space.
A few things we share that you may not hear elsewhere
Look deeper into how nature works.
We do not claim these are new ideas, or that they are the only way. They are practices and perspectives that have proved useful in our own work on the land — shared in the hope that they are useful to you too.
Scientific explanations
Understand why a practice works, not only how to do it — looking at the soil, the plant and the plant’s own food to understand what is really happening.
Solar harvesting
Understand how sunlight is captured and used within a growing system, and how to make better use of the energy already available.
Homemade nutrition
Explore plant nutrition prepared at home from naturally available materials, working with what is freely available instead of bringing more from outside.
Understanding plant sugars
Explore the role of sugars produced by plants and how plant health connects with the living soil ecosystem.
Cosmic earthing
Explore traditional perspectives on the relationship between the earth, plants and their wider natural environment.
Farming connected with lifestyle
Understand how the way we live, eat, rest and think is connected with the way we grow food and care for the land.
Understanding why
We try to explain why something works, not only that it works — looking at the soil, the plant and the plant’s own food to understand what is really happening.
Gathering what is already given
Solar harvesting and homemade nutrition prepared at home rather than bought in — working with what is freely available instead of bringing more from outside.
The whole, not only the field
Cosmic earthing and connecting farming with lifestyle — because the way we live, eat, rest and think is part of the same system as the soil we grow in.
A practical way of learning
Understand the principle. Observe the land. Adapt the practice.
See the whole ecosystem
Explore the relationships between soil, water, sunlight, plants, insects and the surrounding environment.
Learn from field experience
Discover examples from different terrains and growing conditions, including challenging land and urban spaces.
Adapt to your own space
Build a clearer understanding of how to approach your farm, garden or growing space according to its conditions.
Learning beyond the classroom
See natural farming in action.
Explore selected field examples shared by Hiteshbhai. These illustrate work in different conditions; outcomes depend on the land, climate, resources and practices used.
Meet Hiteshbhai Thummar
An introduction to his work and approach.
1000 lemons on one tree
A field example shared by Hiteshbhai.
Growing on stony terrain
Exploring possibilities on challenging ground.
Farming on saline land
A project from the Gandhidham region.
Papaya: 40 kg in four months
A short field example.
Terrace garden in Surat
Making productive use of an urban terrace.
Fruit trees on a terrace
Growing fruit trees in an urban space.
Participant experiences
Hear from people who have attended the course.
These videos share participants' experiences of the Natural Farming Course and their learning journey.
Purva Shah
Natural Farming Course participant
Lulua Hussain & Kaizad Irani
Natural Farming Course participants
Shobha Jain
Natural Farming Course participant
Padma Chennamaneni
Natural Farming Course participant
Vijay Dongra
Natural Farming Course participant
Course information
Frequently asked questions
What is the format of the course?
This is a three-day online Natural Farming Course facilitated by Hiteshbhai Thummar.
Who can attend?
Farmers, agricultural landowners, people planning a farm or food forest, terrace gardeners and anyone interested in understanding natural farming principles can benefit from the course.
What topics are covered?
The course explores soil health, carbon, NPK, sunlight, water management, mulching, pruning, crop rotation, companion planting, biodiversity, natural pest management and more.
Does the course promise specific yields?
No. The course shares knowledge, methods and field experiences. Results vary with local conditions, resources and implementation.
How much does the course cost?
The standard course fee is ₹5,000.
Begin your learning journey
Build your understanding of natural farming, one principle at a time.
Learn with Hiteshbhai Thummar through three days of guided online learning that combines ancient wisdom, modern agronomy and practical field experience.
₹5,000
Enrol in the 3-Day Natural Farming Course