The “Ber” months have arrived! Here are some crops that you can find in abundance this September. Bayabas ( Psidium guajava ) Bayabas, generally known as guava, is among the many trees that is widely distributed throughout the Philippines. Its round fruits covered in pale green or...
It can be overwhelming to build a farm from the ground up. With the proper system, budgeting, preparation, and knowledge, one can get off to a good start and make the experience manageable along the way. Michael and Angeli Pascual, the couple who run Bukid Iluminada in Quezon province, shared their...
Filipino-American development worker and entrepreneur Michael Bryan P. Pascual, 35, grew up next to vast cornfields in Iowa, United States. “I had summer jobs where I counted plants or manually fertilized flowers,” he recalled. The young Pascual later made his way to San Francisco,...
“Our Land, Our Food, Our Rice! Reject Golden Rice!” is an outcry of countless farmers and concerned consumers over the recent approval of Golden Rice’s application for varietal registration by the National Seed Industry Council (NSIC) and DA’s issuance of a biosafety permit for Golden Rice...
It has been over a decade since Leonard Co, one of the Philippines’ most esteemed botanists, was fatally shot while conducting research and collecting seedlings of endangered trees in Kananga, Leyte. It was on November 15, 2010, when Co, along with forest ranger Sofronio Cortez and farmer Julius...
Many countries around the world continue to suffer from malnutrition, also known as “hidden hunger,” which causes massive human and economic costs. The most common nutrient deficiencies are zinc, vitamin A, and iron. Poverty is generally the root of this. As Covid-19 and climate change...
Marilyn “Marz” Hortinela-Grafane, 31, is no stranger to farm life. She has never lost sight of her roots and embraces the lessons and influence that her parents gave her. Being raised on a farm, for Grafane, meant following a healthy lifestyle and diet. It also meant learning the importance of...
It's difficult to imagine rabbits as food because they have always been nurtured as pets. In the Philippines, where rabbit farming is still unpopular, it may take time for the industry to develop and catch up to prevalent meat sources like chickens. Despite such setbacks, the local government...
Rabbits are loved and conventionally cared for as companion animals. Unknown to many Filipinos, these adorable mammals are also farmed for their meat and valued for the health benefits they can provide to humans. Despite rabbit farming being legal and practiced in different parts of the world, a...
It goes without saying that the core of every delectable Filipino meal are the ingredients that provide each dish with distinct twists, flavors, and aromas. From appetizer to dessert, Filipino cuisine reflects the nation’s general penchant for sweets. While almost every ingredient is readily...
John Sherwin S. Felix, a home cook and avid foodie, has always loved exploring places since college. Local dishes and delicacies are the things he looks forward to the most on every trip. He has a strong passion for Philippine food heritage, which is congruent with his skills in the kitchen. “It...
Family-owned lots are generally special to families for various reasons. Some prefer to keep their spaces private and personal, while others welcome visitors into them. The family that runs Anahaw Coconut Farm and Resort (ACFR) had initially kept their property for exclusive use before deciding to...