The spice plantation in Thekkady is one of the major spice plantations in Kerala. The spice plantations in Kerala are captivating farms to wander in, since different spices are cultivated in different sections of each plantation.
Thekkady, also known as Periyar, is the most beautiful place in Kerala which is a home to the famous Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary and Tiger Reserve. Some of the famous activities in this exotic land are Periyar Tiger Trails, Bamboo Rafting, Nature Walk, spice plantation walk, etc. The spice plantation in Thekkady is a prime attraction of this beautiful land. Though sprawling tea estates cover much of the landscape of Thekkady, plantations of cardamom, rubber, vanilla and coffee can also be seen.
Walk amidst the green, terraced farms in Thekkady, while you hear the murmuring sound of the rippling stream. You can go for nature walks, bird watching treks, taste the various spices and breathe in the fragrant air while exploring the spice plantation in Thekkady. Pick up a few packets of the tea and spices grown here that make for a good buy.
There are various kinds of spices cultivated in Thekkady. The most abundantly found spice in Thekkady is pepper. But there is a variety of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, ginger, turmeric and curry leaves on the slanting slopes of the spice plantation in Thekkady. The top 5 spices are as follows:
Cardamom:
A cardamom plant normally starts bearing fruit from the third year of planting. The harvested fruit are rubbed on wire mesh and polished before they are graded and stored in polythene-gunny bags to retain the green colour and to avoid exposure to moisture.
Nutmeg:
The Nutmeg tree bears fruit throughout the year, but peak harvest season is from December to May. The nuts split open when the fruits are fully ripe. After de-husking, the red feathery aril (mace) is removed, flattened out and dried in the sun for 10 - 15 days. The nuts are dried separately for 4 - 8 weeks till the kernels rattle within the shells.
Cinnamomum:
Important Varieties: Cinnamomum Verum, Sweet Cinnamon, True Cinnamon, Mexican Cinnamon, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum. Cinnamon plants are ready for harvest about 3 years after planting.
Harvesting is done twice in a year - in May and November. The bark of the cut down shoots are split on the day of harvest itself and dried in the sun for 2 - 5 days. The dry quills or bark are packed in bundles for trade. Leaves and tender twigs are used for extraction of oil by distillation.
Pepper:
The pepper plant grows best in a warm and humid climate. Berries mature and are ready for harvest in about 180 to 200 days. Black pepper is produced by sun drying the mature pepper berries for 3 - 5 days after they are separated from the spikes by threshing and white pepper by retting mature berries in clean water for 5 - 7 days, removing the outer skin and drying the seed after thorough washing.
Clove:
Important Varieties: Zanzibar, Penang and Amboyna. Clove trees begin to bear flowers 7-8 years after planting. Unopened flower buds are carefully picked when they turn from green to pink. The buds are then allowed to dry for 4-5 days till they become crisp and dark brown in colour.
For more information visit : Kofiland Resorts, Thekkady.
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