AVANT GARDENER Last week, I wrote about how I went on vacation to Taiwan fully intending to detach from work, but ended up appreciating their agriculture industry and mulling over ours anyway. Now I’d like to focus on the star of my trip: the roasted sweetpotato sold in convenience stores across...
AVANT GARDENER I just returned from a trip to Taiwan. This was supposed to be a vacation, so I vowed not to think of work during my stay. Of course, this was impossible as I, as a human being, needed to eat, and of course, what we eat is grown, caught, or foraged by farmers and fishers. ...
AVANT GARDENER I visited Bukid Amara in Lucban, Quezon, a popular vegetable and flower farm among tourists and farmers. The 2.5-hectare farm is a sight to behold. The first thing that catches the eye is a field of different types of flowers that stretch out from the farm entrance toward a...
AVANT GARDENER Grace Pascual-Holganza, a corporate accountant by trade, is the owner of Mumshroom, a company that sells products such as chips, patties, and sisig made from white oyster mushrooms cultivated on her family farm in Nueva Ecija. Though she technically started Mumshroom in 2018, just...
AVANT GARDENER Looks like we may or may not have a rice shortage, depending on who you talk to. The Manila Bulletin reported in the beginning of the month (Aug. 1, 2023) that the country has “enough supply of rice that would last for a little more than one month,” specifically 39 days’ worth...
AVANT GARDENER What does it mean to work in agriculture? To most people, working in agriculture means farming or fishing, and then only specifically just the planting and harvesting part or just the fishing part. Folks who actually work in the agriculture industry know that this is not the case....
AVANT GARDENER I’m in the middle of writing a story about a young man who, for no reason other than he saw a need and found a possible solution, raised funds to build a flatbed dryer to service rice farmers in his girlfriend’s hometown of Lopez, Quezon. Jose Diego Roxas, 26, is the spokesperson...
Just as how Filipinos can be seen all over the world, Philippine agriculture isn’t just limited to our country's borders. The versatility and adaptability of Filipino farmers and vegetables are proven by an OFW gardener who has an abundant garden at the rooftop of his home in Doha, Qatar....
AVANT GARDENER Happy July! It’s the middle of the year already, even though it feels like 2023 has just begun. I hope you’ll take this opportunity to pick up a copy of the July issue of Agriculture magazine. We’ve got an exciting lineup, not to mention several tweaks in the cover and layout....
AVANT GARDENER I was invited to a roundtable with Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Maria Antonia “Toni” Yulo-Loyzaga to discuss the Department’s thrust regarding its policies and activities. A number of topics were brought up, including the issue of the effects...
Container gardening offers numerous benefits, such as flexibility, mobility, and the ability to grow plants in various environments. Choosing the right containers for your plants provides an optimal growth environment with control over soil quality, moisture levels, and drainage. Containers allow...
AVANT GARDENER Last week, I wrote about the Ortigas Market and its endeavor to create a community while supporting small and local businesses, including farms and farmers. I asked Marisa Dames, organizer of the Ortigas Market who also happens to be president of DTC Promos, Inc., a marketing...
