It is in the heart of Yiti village located in Muscat, the 'Strawberry Festival' gives you and your children an opportunity to experience the atmosphere of a traditional Omani farm, and at the same time a look at the modern agriculture techniques represented by hydroponics.
"Yeti village is famous as a beach tourism destination, but there is a beautiful agricultural side which not many people know about it," Sultan al Habsi, founder of the Yeti Farm Project, said.
"When I combined agriculture, tourism and modern science, the result is the Yeti Farm project, which adopts the idea of agri-tourism based on hydroponic system."
He said: "The Strawberry Festival is an event in which is launched with new activities on the farm, and is considered the second stage of the farm’s complete readiness."
Visiting a farm is literally an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city to rural life, which is why the festival is considered a must-visit destination for everyone. As Sultan pointed out, the Strawberry Festival welcomes everyone without exception including families, individuals, residents and foreign tourists.
He added, "The Yeti Farm project is located in the heart of a traditional Omani farm filled with palm trees and relies on traditional irrigation system which is aflaj and ponds. At the same time, my project will take you inside greenhouses, which contain modern agricultural systems that have many features like optimising water consumption among others."
Visitors will enjoy unique events at the festival. The visitor can self-harvest the farm’s high-quality crops, such as Dutch lettuce, Swiss chard in three colours, kale, Italian basil, Greek basil, Saudi mint, cherry tomatoes, strawberries, and also the distinctive Omani zatar.
Sultan said that because of the symbolism of strawberries for children, he decided to organise the activity of harvesting and watching the strawberry bushes at the peak of their growth, and for the same reason he decided that this fruit would take the name of the festival.
Lot of fun awaits the festival's visitors. Next to the turtle ponds, visitors can have a cup of tea with mint or basil or Omani zatar, while children have an opportunity to feed the hedgehog and learn about the importance of this animal to farms.
For fishing enthusiasts, they will be able to engage in the activity of catching Tilapia fish (locally called Balti), which is a freshwater fish that is characterised by its relatively large size.
Sultan' family raises Tilapia in the existing farm pond without using any modern technology. "The old irrigation system based on the falaj system makes the pond water renewed twice a day and thus provides suitable environment for fish," he said.
Those interested in high-quality organic products will be very happy at the festival as well. "I have designated a corner for farm products and seedlings, where visitors will be able to buy natural products free of any artificial additives. Our products include green and red basil pesto, kale pesto, strawberry jam, and dried tomatoes with olive oil and honey. We are also distributing souvenirs with the farm’s logo to children," he added.
There are many challenges to cultivate strawberries. Strawberry plants can be affected by any lack of nutrients or changes in air temperature and humidity. It is also an attractive plant for some pests, the most important of which are spiders.
He added: "I succeeded in controlling heat and humidity and reducing pests with covered greenhouses operated with automatic sensors that maintain appropriate atmosphere inside. My reliance on hydroponics method, as well, enabled me to address the challenge of lack of elements, as this technique ensures provision of all necessary elements better than traditional agriculture."
AMBITIOUS PLANS
Sultan has ambitious aspirations and plans for the future of Yeti Farm. "The final stage of developing the farm project is the inauguration of a wooden hut with a hall for multiple uses, such as organising programmes for students from schools, colleges and universities. The hall will also be available to anyone who wishes to hold a special programme in any field in a unique and distinctive atmosphere," he said.
He added that the hut also will include a shop for farm products and an upper balcony to relax and enjoy with fresh snacks. Providing an overnight stay in hut will be an exciting experience for nature lovers too.
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