Orchard stories · Updated October 2026
Gholvad is closely associated with chikoo. The sapota grown in the Dahanu–Gholvad belt is GI-certified, a Geographical Indication that ties the fruit to this stretch of coast. At Save Farm, the orchard is still a working place: trees are cared for, nursery work continues and guests can see more than a fruit on a plate.
The Save family began its nursery here in 1970. Today the farm covers 25 acres, with chikoo and mango as the main crops alongside coconut, litchi and seasonal vegetables. A guided walk gives visitors a closer look at the orchard and a chance to ask how plants are grown and tended. What you see will depend on the season and the farm work happening during your visit.
Why Gholvad is chikoo country
Chikoo grows in several Indian states, but the fruit from Dahanu and Gholvad has its own identity. It carries a Geographical Indication, held by the Maharashtra Rajya Chikoo Utpadak Sangh, an association of the region’s growers. Its sweetness is often credited to the calcium-rich soil of this coastal belt.
For a visitor, that history is easiest to understand among the trees. Orchards line the roads around Gholvad, and many families here, including ours, have worked with chikoo for generations.
The orchard is part of everyday life
A chikoo orchard changes through the year. Leaves, flowers, fruit and the work needed to keep trees healthy do not follow a guest itinerary. That is part of the pleasure of visiting a real farm.
At Save Farm, crops are grown without chemical pesticides, using organic fertilisers. Bees are kept mainly to pollinate the orchard rather than for honey. On a guided walk you may pass the orchard, the nursery, the vermi-compost unit and the farm lake. Ask your guide what is happening in the orchard at that moment; the answer is often more interesting than a fixed list of attractions.
There is a story behind every sapling
The nursery is where the farm began. It is a government-registered nursery and one of the oldest private nurseries in what was then the Thane region. Chikoo and mango plants are grafted and raised here, carrying a chosen variety from a proven tree into a new plant.
Ask the guide which rootstock is used for chikoo, how a graft is cared for while it joins, and why a nursery plant is grown on before it is sold. If your school or college group is interested in these topics, tell the team in advance so the visit can suit your age group and learning goals.
An orchard needs water it can count on
Chikoo trees need dependable water through the dry months. The farm uses three borewells, but its water management goes further: a lined pond holds about 3 crore litres, three check dams slow rainwater as it runs across the land, and some of that water is returned to the ground to recharge it.
The farm uses roughly 1.1 lakh litres of water a day. Seeing how that water is stored and returned is one of the stops on the guided walk.
What to look for on a Gholvad chikoo walk
Begin with the trees themselves. Ask your guide which parts of the orchard are being tended, how a young plant is established and how a grower judges what needs attention. The answer may be different after rain than it is during a dry spell.
Gholvad's identity is closely tied to chikoo, but a farm visit is more useful than a promise of sweet fruit on one particular day. The nursery, the workers' knowledge and the changing orchard all help explain what it takes to grow this crop here.
After the harvest
Not all chikoo leaves the farm as fresh fruit. A home-scale processing unit turns part of the harvest into products such as chikoo chips, pickle and powder. Ask the team what is available when you visit.
Locally, chikoo is also enjoyed in milkshakes and ice cream, a reminder of how closely the fruit is woven into everyday life in Dahanu.
The chikoo festival at Bordi
Each year a two-day chikoo festival is held on Bordi beach, about 4 km from the farm, usually around January or February. It celebrates the region’s fruit with local food, tribal art and stalls. Dates change from year to year, so check with the organisers before planning a trip around it.
Plan around the farm, not a fruit-picking promise
Fruit and activities vary with the season and the condition of the crop, and a guided walk does not guarantee fruit picking or tasting. If something particular matters to you, ask what is possible for your dates before making plans.
Couples and families can stay overnight in a room among the trees, with meals, a guided farm tour and rural activities included. Schools, colleges and other groups of at least 25 guests can plan a day visit around their interests.