PinoyEcoFarmer

The chief of the Bureau of Fisheries and aquatic Resources (BFAR) is encouraging fish Dagupan farmers to adopt the Isda’t Gabi (Fish and Taro) Culture, an agro-aqua integrated farming technology found to be technically practical and profitable for household-backyard food production. Dr. Westly Rosario, BFAR-National Integrated Fisheries Technology Development Center chief in Dagupan City, said they are implementing this project in Sto. Tomas, La Union and in the BFAR compound in Bgy. Bonuan Binloc.

Gabi-fish culture can provide a net profit of about P362,000 per hectare in five months, Rosario said. He said the integrated culture of isda and gabi results in increased soil fertility, reduction of weeding cost and optimization of soil use and farm space. He said there are fish species that are suitable for farming together with gabi like tilapia, African catfish (locally known as hito) and freshwater prawn (or ulang to local folks).

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A 10-hectare organic farm in Galicia in Pidigan, Abra, has been drawing Cordillera farmers who want to learn about its sustainable and environmental farming practices.

Galicia Farms has served as a model to agriculture experts who advocate a shift back to traditional farming in this age of expensive chemical-based agriculture, said Pura Sumangil, director of Social Development Center (Sodec) of the Diocese of Bangued, which runs the farms. Sumangil said the farm has been promoting environment-friendly technology and has helped various groups in producing and marketing their products. The farm has a demonstration field and offers training on seed banking of traditional seeds, organic farming and organizational development. Sodec has been running the farm since the late 1990s after its former director, Sister Celerina Zabala, introduced organic farming in Bangued communities, Sumangil said.

“Even before the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010 (Republic Act 10068) came into the picture, the Department of Agriculture has been coming here to conduct training and lectures among farmers interested in organic farming. This farm has become their show window for the rest of the Cordillera,” she said.

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Throughout the tropics people grow fruit and vegetables in their own vegetable gardens. Why do they keep a garden?

• It assures them good food at low cost. Fruit and vegetables are necessary for the good health of children and adults. They make their diet more balanced and tastier. By keeping a garden people are less dependent on shops and markets, where supplies are often irregular and prices are high. You Want More? Continue Reading……..

We had our vermicomposting bin setup with the help of two friends (Xavier and Malou Peña) over the weekend. They brought a kilo of African Night Crawlers (ANC) worms and showed us how to properly prepare the bed.

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Compost: The Natural Way to Make Food for Your Garden by Ken Thompson is another reference that will be very useful for gardeners and farmers alike. A straightforward and easy reading that will serve as a composting blueprint.

Our backyard garden may be small but nothing compares to the simple joys of harvesting something from it. We gathered the first fruits of our pipinitos (mini cucumbers) after just barely two months after we first sowed the seeds.

For breakfast, we  sliced the pipinitos into thin pieces as salad and it was great with rice, sardines and scrambled eggs. We also prepared a blended pipinito smoothie out of our harvest. All we did was mix some calamansi juice, add honey to sweeten and some crushed ice. The result was a refreshing and delicious drink.

Growing pipinitos is easy. Sow the seeds directly and put a trellis near it (a tree branch will do), water regularly and wait for nature to run its course. We did not put any fertilizers nor applied pesticides but we got good results. Imagine doing this in your own yards.

My son often teases me that if I really want to be a farmer then I should start farming.  A recent meet with fellow farming practitioners and enthusiasts further inspired me to go for it. So I hatched a little plan and I am taking the challenge. I know that this will pale in comparison to what my farmer friends have but it is a start.

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