Here’s another Organic Farm tour experience for us OA(Organic Agriculture) Bloggers. Join our journey as we explore one of the Organic oasis in Negros… Peñalosa Farms located at Victorias City, Negros Occidental.
When we arrive in the farm, I was really amazed how the farm looks like. It doesn’t look like a farm to me, it is like a resthouse full of greenery.
We were given welcome drinks… A “healthy”welcome drink 🙂 this healthy drink is composed of Herbal greens like Ashitaba(good for blood circulation), Tahebo( good for fat burning), Gotu-Kola(memory enhancer), Peppermint leaf(flavor adding/garnish), Kalamansi and Honey. I usually don’t drink tea but when I tasted this one I even ask for more. 🙂
We were first toured around the 4-storey house which is open for occupancy to people in training about Organic Farming at Peñalosa Farms. The house is made of wood and other indigenous materials.
Peñalosa Farms is a 4,000 Square meter farm lot which promotes natural and diversified farming system that is eco-friendly, zero-waste and purely organic that can contribute to a sustainable agriculture.
Peñalosa Farms produces and markets an average of 60 tons of assorted certified organic vegetables, fruits, herbs and rice.
The farm also uses vertical type of planting, to save farm space. Aside from that it looks good as a landscape design. This type is called edible landscaping. The farm practices Integrated natural organic systems, planting different crops in the same soil.
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The farm also produces and sell in the market probiotic-based pork, chicken and eggs that is hormone-free and antibiotic-free compared to other regular poultry and livestocks raisers. And to add to that, the farm does not smell foul at all. The farm also produces its organic basal and foliar fertilizers including vermicomposting and other natural fertilizers.
The owner of Penalosa Farms, Mr. Ramon Peñalosa thought us so many things about organic farming here are some:
-That 60 percent of Filipino population are in Agriculture but our agriculture sector is the poorest compared to other countries.
– 60 of total domestic supply in the Philippines came from Negros.
– Negros is the premium organic province in the Philippines.
– The real enemy of agriculture is POVERTY due to ignorance or lack of knowledge.
– You should know the “language of the soil”, you should know how to make your soil and treat it so that it will be very conducive for the plants to grow and for you to know the nutritional requirement of the crops that you are going to plant.
– You should know the “language of the plants”, stage specific and hormone based where you can tell the plant it is time to root, it is time to grow, it is time to mature, you can also tell the plant to stop growing using indigenous hormones. When you know the language of the plants you can plant any crops seasonal or non seasonal regardless of the altitude, place, or environment.
– Unproductiveness comes from the farmer. It is the farmer who is accountable for them to have productive crops.
– The farmer who does not know how to pray is not a good farmer.
Lunch Time! Another thing that I look forward to when visiting organic farms is their food and products. At Peñalosa Farms we were served highly nutritious and sumptuous meal.
Green Salad
Chicken Binakol
Squash Soup
Organic Rice
Fish Fillet with Tartar Sauce
Pechay Fritters
Honey Mustard Dressing and Red Onion Sauce- these sauces taste good with the salad and the Pechay Fritters and Fish Fillet.
Fruit Salad
After our delicious lunch, I went around and saw different products created from the produce of Peñalosa Farms displayed in the Restaurant.
Group activities were also prepared for us to familiarize ourselves more about Organic Agriculture. The Bloggers were divided into three groups and were given different tasks.
And our BEAUTIFUL and GORGEOUS group… We were tasked to find 30 Culinary plants, 10 Botanical Plants, 10 Pesticidal Plants and 10 Medicinal Plants.
I believe that if many Filipinos will learn about organic farming, it will open opportunities not just for business and employment but also for a sustainable and healthy lifestyle.
I would like to thank Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) and Peñalosa farms for giving this kind of opportunity to us bloggers. For once again educating us with the gifts of Nature through Organic Agriculture.
>For more details you may contact:
Andrew Peñalosa 09173633885 andrewpenalosa@yahoo.com
Kelly Peñalosa 09165644059 rachelrosepenalosa@yahoo.com
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