PinoyEcoFarmer

The trail going to the river below was eventually completed. It felt like blazing through a new territory. Now the river beckons to everyone who wishes to enjoy its cool waters. The farm-helpers have carved steps along the steep slopes and reinforced them with bamboo to stabilize the soil. We also incorporated handrails made of bamboo for extra safety. They serve as a barrier and as something to hold on to for balance. The work was quite fast owing partly to the necessity of having an easy access to a water source which we can use for irrigation and household use. So after just three months of development, we finally relished the enchanting Catmon river 40 meters down below.

The trail is not for the faint of heart though. Descending is the easier part but the tricky and challenging part is the way back up. With the nearly 130 steps to negotiate, pausing every 10 steps or so is the wise thing to do. It feels like working out in a gym every time but for me it is well worth the effort.

Some local kids who knew the easier way through our property have even designated the river as their new playground. News spread like wildfire that some other locals in the community have frequented the river for their picnics as well. This was to our disadvantage though because our property has become a public “right of way”. Although we value our connection to the community, we had to politely inform them that we are not comfortable granting them access through our property lest we sacrifice our privacy and security.

The rainy weather almost the entire month did not dampen our enthusiasm for a weekly sojourn in the farm. We did the usual clearing and more planting. We had a river cleanup as well which proved to be a challenging task with all the thick vegetation. At times, our kids just played under the heavy downpour with their umbrellas while waddling in the puddles of water like ducks.

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