Thursday, October 02, 2008
1st Mindanao Farm Tour in the Philippines
*July 23, 2008**
Arrival at Gensan from Manila.
1st stop: Yusepeng Farm. We were fetched and we toured at Yusepeng farm. They welcomed us with free taste of their fruits like dragon fruit, macapuno papaya, sweet balimbing, berries, etc. All yummies especially the red dragon fruit. Some bought seedlings worth P35 only: java jackfruit, fig tree, atis, dragon fruit (P25 per cutting, you need 4 for a pole), sweet balimbing, etc. We bought some seeds that will grow fruits in just one year for only P10. These are macapuno papaya, pitanga, atis, and cherry tisa.
2nd stop: Seedworld. They have different seeds for sale from diff. companies. They have a store selling native baskets, hats, etc. made from corn husks. Great handicraft products they are.
3rd stop: Garden Club. Lots of ornamental plants and orchids.
4th stop: Ben Figueroa Farm. Free buffet lunch and dinner with accomodation at the 6-storey house in the middle of the 200 hectare farm. We saw a lot of ornamental plants, big and small ones, big bananas and other fruits. We had the program there, getting to know each other (everyone introduced themselves and how involved they are in farms/planting), speeches from Rex Rivera, Ben Roy, Ben Figueroa, Butch, etc. There was some slides/presentation about the conservation and endangered trees/species we have. Trees were very few now compared to when the Philippines started with vast forestry, plants and trees. This event was attended by more than 60 participants from all over the Philippines with special guests from tourism, government and SMI sponsors. Dinner were served with nice band while eating. The band is ala-Joey Ayala style with ethnic instruments. Very nice :)
**July 24, 2008**
1st stop: Ed Cejar Farm. We had tree Planting at the roadside which is the very purpose of the Plant a Tree Movement (PATM). We wore the free t-shirt and green pin courtesy of the Plant A Tree Movement. We planted 2-4 Pacquiao Trees each. We had breakfast at his farm served in banana leaves. It was a very nice house with good landscaping of plants around. We got some african neem seeds, balimbing cuttings, and red torch plant. Near the farm, we saw the 21 hectares land for sale.
2nd stop: Pacquiao Farm full of fighting cocks. So many.
3rd stop:Roger Rivera Durian Farm. We tasted different varieties of durian. Saw the durian plantation.
4th stop: Tampacan Municipal Hall. They had a few slide show presentation and then free buffet lunch.
5th stop:Mt. Carmel Rural Center. We had a tour guide there and showed us their goats and plants using the Natural Farming system. They have a store there for vegetable seeds and other products they produce like goats milk and goats milk choco. Most of the participants stayed there for the night and they had a small gathering at night, getting to know each other with Dr. Alexis and the participants.
**July 25, 2008**
1st Stop: Herbal Garden. We bought some herbs there. Tasted some herbs like spearmints, stevia (sweet) etc.
2nd stop: Layug's Residence and Lola Marge's Farm. We ate a sumptous buffet lunch with Nandok-mai mango, yummy. Saw the mangosteen seedlings and nandok-mai mangoes for sale.
3rd stop: Andry and Jojie Lim's Farm. We had a bus ride tour courtesy of Andry Lim. Tour with lecture of natural farming system (korean technique) rehabilitating the 30-hectare farm that was destroyed by conventional farming(pesticides,fungicides,chemical fertilizer inputs). Saw the satisfied contented happy sweet pigs with no smell (no baho). Saw the big cacaos, coconut trees, vegetable garden. Unable to see their forest fruit trees due to lack of time and we were very tired for the whole trek is quite big. Had a taste of their pomelos and freshly picked okra with zero chemical (organic). They gave us cacao pod and tricanthera stocks.
4th stop: Layug's plantation of pomelos and durians. Had a taste of their pomelos too.The bus sent the participants to a hotel for their stay overnight. Some went to Ponchit Enrile's restaurant and had a get together there.
** July 26,2008**
Some went to their own trips. I went back to Mintal Nursery and was able to get some cheap pomelo, mangosteen, nandok-mai, ponkan, and longkong for only P...... (secret) hehehe. Others went to crocodile farm. Most of us went back home. Mintour finally ended with more promise. Went from Davao back to Manila.
We missed the Kablon Farm and other nursery and farms but its a good excuse for coming back and see those farms. Truly a rare and fruitful 1st Rare-Fruit Mindanao tour it is. The seeds of the future were planted in our minds now and we will propagate a very bright future. Let us all plant a tree even in our little containers in the backyard for a start if you dont have a farm yet, vegetable container gardening will do for the meantime. :)
