Specials NEWS

There’s a saying that goes, “the family that prays together stays together.” This can also be the same for the family who farms.

Free-range farming is a farming approach where poultry and livestock are free from cages and are allowed to roam free in a secure area that also has a foraging area where they can get food for additional nutrition. 

Pre-pandemic, there was already a slowly growing interest in farming, a movement which has partly been driven by the restaurant industry. The rise of food as a status symbol and chefs as modern rock stars helped put the spotlight on crops-of-the-moment, as well as ingredient provenance. 

Inspiration comes from everywhere. Whether it’s as small as a bee or as large as a picturesque landscape, something or someone around us can capture our imagination as well as encourage us to do something we enjoy and benefit from. 

Even though farming is perceived as a lowly job by many because of how meager the profit can be at times, it’s an honest vocation that has helped many augment their income and even pave the way to achieving their dreams. 

The Philippines is no stranger when it comes to typhoons. Recently, the country experienced the effects of super typhoon Ulysses, internationally known as Goni, which caused millions of pesos in damage and greatly affected the lives of many Filipinos. 

Editha Dacuycuy is the owner and manager of the REFMAD Farm in Paayas, Burgos, Ilocos Norte. She started the farm as a way to ease the condition of her special needs daughter, Kaye, but eventually, she promoted dragon fruit farming to the whole town of Burgos as well as other areas in Ilocos Norte.

As a parent, seeing your child in discomfort is one of the hardest things to bear. Parental instincts would kick in and emphasize the need to find a solution to ease the child’s condition, no matter what the cost. 

Oftentimes, people would venture out into new horizons to find greener pastures. Others do it for the thrill of the unknown and to gain new experiences. But even though the world has a lot to offer, oftentimes there’s gravitational pull inside that brings us home no matter how far we go. 

Candelaria Gallardo Adanza, or Larrie for short, used to do office work in the United States for about 30 years. When she came home to Anahawan, Southern Leyte, her life took a turn as she found herself growing coffee instead of facing the paperwork that she was accustomed to. 

Ed and Cecile Gabatan have been working in the corporate world for years. Like many other FIlipinos who have spent their work days dealing with paperwork and facing a computer, they too, dream of retiring on a farm someday where they can enjoy the fresh breeze and grow their own food. 

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte – The provincial government  of Ilocos Norte has started the construction of its three-story research and extension center to boost local farming practices in the province.

One value that Filipinos are known for is having close family ties that come from having extended family structures. Whether it’s spending time together or venturing into new experiences, family always comes to mind. 

Philippine agriculture has had its highs and lows over the years. Some examples of its low points include oversupply in farmers’ crops, and land grabbing. Meanwhile, it has also seen some success through the rise of farm tourism destinations, the establishment of farm to market roads, and programs aimed to help out the Filipino farmer. 

When we talk about urban farming what usually comes to mind is growing vegetables, fruits, and all sorts of edible plants which could be used for personal consumption. A couple decided to take a different approach and invested in chickens instead. 

Hapi Chickens Urban Farm, as its name implies, is a household-based urban chicken farm in Dagupan run by Christopher and Hapi Domingo. They started the farm in hopes of creating a self-sustainable chicken meat and egg production initially for their household consumption. 

Zennor Hydroponics Farm is a farm in Palauig, Zambales that practices the soilless way of farming. It is founded and owned by Rafael Lardizabal Pagaling, a Bachelor of Arts in Development Communication, who travelled to different countries to learn all he can about the different hydroponic systems that large-scale farms use. 

There are many techniques in farming that cater to the different growing conditions that farmers have to deal with. For example, there’s the use of natural inputs to produce healthy and chemical free food.