14 — Open Questions

A single, authoritative list of every assumption I had to make while writing these docs. Each item has a Q-NN reference; every Q-NN in the docs points back here.

How to use this. As decisions are made, mark the item as ✅ resolved with the date and the decision, rather than deleting it. The history is useful.

Q-1 · Delivery radius in Phase 1

Where it shows up. 03_SEED_FARM.md, 04_BUSINESS_MODEL.md §2, 06_INFORMATION_ARCHITECTURE.md "out-of-radius". Assumption. Default delivery is the Bengaluru urban area (radius ≈ 40 km from the city core). Outside this radius, /subscribe is a lead-capture surface only. Resolved. ☐ — pending founder + ops sign-off.

Q-2 · Photo digest in the cheapest tier

Where it shows up. 04_BUSINESS_MODEL.md §2, 05_PRODUCT_REQUIREMENTS.md FR-1.5. Assumption. The Half-plot tier receives no weekly digest; a digest is bundled for Plot and above. Resolved. ☐ — pending founder decision.

Q-3 · Subscription tier prices (INR)

Where it shows up. 04_BUSINESS_MODEL.md §2, 05_PRODUCT_REQUIREMENTS.md FR-1.2. Assumption. Numbers deliberately TBD. The shape in §2 of the business model is the deliverable. Resolved. ☐ — pending founder + finance.

Q-4 · Stay + workshop pricing

Where it shows up. 04_BUSINESS_MODEL.md §3, 05_PRODUCT_REQUIREMENTS.md FR-2.1. Assumption. Existing workshop pricing is preserved through Phase 0; tiered in Phase 2. Resolved. ☐ — pending founder.

Q-5 · Retail SKU pricing

Where it shows up. 04_BUSINESS_MODEL.md §4, 05_PRODUCT_REQUIREMENTS.md FR-3.1. Assumption. "Honest-organics band", not luxury-organic. Numbers TBD. Resolved. ☐ — pending founder + ops.

Q-6 · Delivery surcharges beyond the core radius

Where it shows up. 04_BUSINESS_MODEL.md §2, 05_PRODUCT_REQUIREMENTS.md FR-3.2. Assumption. Flat-rate within the core radius; first-tier surcharge beyond it; refuse beyond N km. Resolved. ☐ — pending ops.

Q-7 · Pause / cancellation / refund policy

Where it shows up. 04_BUSINESS_MODEL.md §7, 05_PRODUCT_REQUIREMENTS.md FR-1.6. Assumption. One paused month/year per subscriber; clean cancel at cycle end; no in-app refunds (handled via email). Resolved. ☐ — pending founder + legal.

Q-8 · Payment provider

Where it shows up. 05_PRODUCT_REQUIREMENTS.md NFR-5, FR-1.2, FR-3.2. Assumption. Razorpay (UPI + cards + subscriptions supported). One provider throughout Phase 1–2. Resolved. ☐ — pending founder + finance.

Q-9 · /subscribe landing messaging

Where it shows up. 05_PRODUCT_REQUIREMENTS.md FR-1.0, 08_CONTENT_STRATEGY.md "Tone by surface". Assumption. Voice stays in the field-journal register; concrete baskets, dates. Resolved. ☐ — pending founder + writer.

Q-10 · Anonymity on /zones

Where it shows up. 05_PRODUCT_REQUIREMENTS.md FR-1.1. Assumption. Anonymous visitors see zone-level occupancy ("3 of 12 slots open"), not subscriber identities. Resolved. ☐ — pending founder + dev.

Q-11 · Stay booking payment provider

Where it shows up. 05_PRODUCT_REQUIREMENTS.md FR-2.1. Assumption. Same provider as Q-8; deposits at booking, balance on arrival / before check-in. Resolved. ☐ — pending founder + ops.

Q-12 · Shop shipping rates (Bengaluru perishables)

Where it shows up. 05_PRODUCT_REQUIREMENTS.md FR-3.2. Assumption. Flat-rate within Bengaluru; surcharge for perishables (ghee) outside. Resolved. ☐ — pending founder + ops.

Q-13 · Admin authentication

Where it shows up. 05_PRODUCT_REQUIREMENTS.md FR-4.0, 06_INFORMATION_ARCHITECTURE.md. Assumption. Email + magic-link for the seed-farm team; one global role for the seed farm (no multi-tenant until Phase 4). Resolved. ☐ — pending founder + dev.

Q-14 · Herd breed choice

Where it shows up. 10_FARM_OPERATIONS.md §1, 13_GLOSSARY.md H, M. Assumption. Likely Malnad Gidda + Hallikar mix — to be confirmed with the Soliga elders and a local vet. Resolved. ☐ — pending founder + ops + community elders.

Q-15 · Biogas plant in Phase 3

Where it shows up. 10_FARM_OPERATIONS.md §1, §9. Assumption. A small fixed-dome biogas plant for 5 animals is feasible; capex ~₹ 1.5–2.5 lakh. Whether to install at Phase 3 or later is undecided. Resolved. ☐ — pending founder + ops + finance.

Q-16 · Publish the yearly soil report on the website

Where it shows up. 10_FARM_OPERATIONS.md §3, §9. Assumption. It is on-brand. Sensitivity (e.g. trade secrets in our pest protocol) needs to be considered. Resolved. ☐ — pending founder.

Q-17 · Public live feed of Homa timing

Where it shows up. 10_FARM_OPERATIONS.md §2, §9. Assumption. Default is no; daily updates can live as low-key journal entries instead. Tested in Phase 3 mid. Resolved. ☐ — pending founder + community.

Q-18 · Aquaculture as a Phase-4 sideline

Where it shows up. 11_FARM_ZONING.md §7. Assumption. Not in Phase 1–3. A small fish / azolla tank could integrate cattle protein loops. Resolved. ☐ — pending founder + agronomist.

Q-19 · Mulberry / sericulture in Z4

Where it shows up. 11_FARM_ZONING.md §7. Assumption. Out of scope; not aligned with the "vertical integration for food" framing. Resolved. ☐ — pending founder (leaning no).

Q-20 · Soliga Heritage Zone (Z11)

Where it shows up. 11_FARM_ZONING.md §7. Assumption. Defensible as cultural part of the platform but requires a partnership conversation, not a zoning decision. Resolved. ☐ — pending founder + Soliga elders.

Q-21 · Community marketplace — first product list

Where it shows up. 01_VISION.md §3a, 03_SEED_FARM.md §5, 04_BUSINESS_MODEL.md §4a. Question. Which Soliga-led products enter the community marketplace in Phase 1? Provisional list: wild-forest honey, ragi & jowar flour, wild-tuber preserves, seasonal forest produce. Lean: ship with this list, expand only after month 6 audit. Resolved. ☐ — pending founder + Soliga elders.

Q-22 · Community marketplace — platform fee % and audit-fund governance

Where it shows up. 04_BUSINESS_MODEL.md §4a. Question. What is the platform fee per transaction, and how is the community audit and pricing fund governed? Lean: small flat percentage (TBD), fund governed by a Soliga-majority committee, public log of fees and remittances. Resolved. ☐ — pending founder + Soliga elders.

Suggested next-step schedule (for the founder)

1. Within a week. Q-1, Q-2, Q-7, Q-14, Q-20 — operational/ethical

decisions that block almost everything else.

1. Within a month. Q-3, Q-4, Q-5, Q-8 — pricing and provider

decisions, needed before Phase 1 build starts.

1. Within the first Phase 1 season. Q-6, Q-9, Q-10, Q-11 — detailed

messaging and ops decisions.

1. During Phase 2 planning. Q-15, Q-16, Q-17.
2. Phase 4 decision-making. Q-12, Q-18, Q-19.