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...
Here are some fruits that are at their peak in July. Calamansi ( Citrofortunella microcarpa ) Philippine lime, or calamansi, is a citrus fruit that is a staple in Filipino homes and is widely distributed in local markets. It is tasty and high in vitamin C, which is mainly why it’s...
Culture can be expressed in many ways, whether through language, traditions, fashion, or food. And when we say food, it’s not just about the cooked meal on the table, but it can also mean how the ingredients are grown. A good illustration of this is the story of a Pinay nurse in California, USA....
By JULIUS BARCELONA There are more than one thousand five hundred described species of the agricultural pest known as whiteflies. These are small flying insects which are usually white, for fairly obvious reasons, though some species are actually black. Most species of whitefly shown left are...
By JULIUS BARCELONA If you thought whiteflies were small, dear reader, thrips are usually one millimeter or less in length. They have cigar shaped bodies that taper towards their tail end, and this tail has a tendency to move in a whip-like motion. There are around six thousand described species of...
By JULIUS BARCELONA There are around one thousand two hundred species of spider mites scattered all over the world, of which the Philippines is home to around thirty species. Spider mites are tiny pests that infest a wide range of agricultural crops. Their fast reproduction rate means they often...
By DANIEL MACHES Marivic Dubria, an impassioned coffee farmer, is leading her fellow community members to produce award-winning coffee on the foothills of Mt. Apo. The coffee harvested here is now recognized internationally for its exceptional quality. Because of the coffee industry, what used to...
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) officially announced the onset of the rainy season last May 18, 2022. During this time, growers are either taking extra precautions to shield their plants from heavy rains or switching to crops that can...
By: Vic Thor Palarca Bukidnon-based Nick Jay Arr Engallado is making a name for himself in their hometown’s farming community as a next generation farmer. During the height of the pandemic, Nick Jay Arr was busy and preoccupied in attending online speaking engagements as resource person for...
Here are some crops that are abundant for the month of May and June. Duhat ( Syzygium cumini ) The Java plum, locally known as duhat or lomboy, is a tropical fruit native to several countries, including the Philippines. It has small, shiny, oblong fruits that grow in clusters. When fully mature,...
Communication and logistics are but two of the many challenges faced in the Philippine agriculture industry, and never has it been more apparent than during the early days of the pandemic. When the country shut down to necessarily contain COVID-19 in March 2020, borders were closed, making the...
By Julius Barcelona It would be reasonable to assume that you, dear reader, have encountered the telltale signs of a leaf miner infestation: the white scars snaking around the leaves of our crops. The tell-tale sign of a leaf miner infestation, the winding tunnel “mined” out by the leaf miner...
