There is no such thing as a flawless experience when it comes to growing food, especially if one opts for the natural route. One gardener who agrees with this is Joanne C. De Guzman, a cultivator of leafy greens, among other crops. She says, “In gardening, it is almost impossible to...
The Rotary Club of Makati, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Bay, Rotaract Club of Makati, and the Analytics Association of the Philippines (AAP), launched their first online hackathon titled Hack4Food: Agriculture and Food Innovation Challenge 2022. The organization invites everyone,...
Somewhere in Bacolod, a backyard that was once barren is turned into a flourishing food forest mostly filled with perennials. It is spearheaded by Jo Anne V. Coruña, a writer, visual artist, permaculture practitioner and educator, and a podcast co-host. If you haven’t read Coruña's...
Jo Anne V. Coruña is a writer and visual artist who juggles her career and family life while also cultivating a food forest within their 1,000 sqm residence. She was raised in Metro Manila and one of her earliest memories linked to gardening is of her mother tending to purple orchids. Her...
It's difficult to unlearn traditional farming methods, especially since they have been practiced by many farmers for so long. However, it’s never too late to switch or start with a better system like natural farming that will benefit both the environment and the health of the growers and...
Despite the aging agricultural workforce, there are still young individuals who have been showing interest in farming. Ysabel Ortega, an actress, is one of them. Ortega, who is in her early 20s, engages in the operations of their family farm in Barangay Ortega, Bacnotan, La Union. She...
The audience of the reality TV show Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) gets to witness what the housemates do or talk about inside the house almost 24/7. However, the public sees very little of their lives outside the PBB house. Off-camera, Yamyam Gucong, the big winner of Pinoy Big Brother: Otso, is a proud...
Growing plants isn’t limited to spacious gardens and fields because green spaces are sometimes formed in the tiniest of spaces such as glass bottles and containers that are also called terrariums. Terrariums are miniature gardens that are similar to an aquarium, but instead of fish, they hold...
Hardin sa Parang is a one-hectare bee yard sitting in forested land in Barangay San Juan, Antipolo City. It is owned by Lonadel Jade Bolongaita, 35, a former OFW who also works as a freelance makeup artist. Prior to becoming a full-time beekeeper, she raised chickens and hogs on the same site...
Filipinos who are familiar with local indigenous veggies are becoming increasingly rare. Two native crops that shouldn’t be overlooked and should be given more attention are erwad and lagiwey. While these two veggies are resilient and well-suited to the local growing conditions, only a few are...
If there's one food that Filipinos can’t live without, it's probably rice. Locals incorporate rice in various dishes–from full meals to light snacks. Rice is the most important agricultural crop in the country and is consumed by 90 percent of the total population, according to a journal...
It is not every day that Filipinos living abroad get to see or eat vegetables that they are accustomed to having in the Philippines. However, some still manage to grow and even earn a profit from the veggies mentioned in the Filipino folk song ‘Bahay Kubo.’ This is also true for Rolando Sison,...
