About Me

 A Farmer I Would Like To Be

I only had gardening experience in the elementary grades, when gardening was part
of the curriculum and so with horticulture lessons in first year high school with my teacher Mr. Angawa.  A property bought in Tala, Lengsad, Bontoc gave me this opportunity to really feel the earth again. The plots I dug, I put a net over and I had grown lettuce successfully.  The vegetable patch had to go when my kids needed a place to play, so I had it planted with lawn grass.  The next attempt to plant vegetables was in a wood frame house covered with protective ordinary garden net.  I planted herbs and lettuce in garden pots and all grew well.  It was a small space and was manageable.  I spent weekends at Tala and the sweat all over my body-from the physical activity gave me an immense feeling of oneness with nature.  Then the wood frame was attacked by termites and rot. That was the end of it.  I lost interest and did not bother to plant again.  That was in 2006.

I got interested to do gardening again in early 2009.  I needed to get away from it all and so I lingered at the garden section of a hardware store and bought some seeds. While setting up a greenhouse facility, I plunged into learning mode, getting to know as much as I can.  It is good that Auntie Berning-Paran, our gentle lady companion is a gardening enthusiast.  Having grown up in Buguias, Benguet, she helped turn parts of the garden into a highland vegetable haven.  After spending time in her preaching ministry as a Jehova’s Witness the
rest of the days of the week, she asked permission if she can do some gardening, reasoning that gardening was and would always be part of her life.  And so she proved that all the vegetables she can grow in Buguias can be had in warmer Bontoc.  I only had to make an agreement with Aunt Berning, no commercial fertilizers and pesticides in the garden.  The gardening lessons continue as I get insights from riding at the Maligcong-bound jitneys that pass by Tala.  Our conversations with the passengers are punctuated by nothing but experiences in
the garden.  I also tagged along to visits to farms in La Trinidad and the Eve’s garden at Tacay or request my driving companion Gilbert Sapla to pull over so I can have a look at a farmer’s garden.   Lately I wet to visit the La Trinidad Organic Producers Multi-Purpose Cooperative shop at the La Trinidad market.  I also lingered long at the organic specialty shops in HK and had conversations with the shop owner.  I ended up buying seeds to fill up my back pack-and I thought, HK was all about urban concrete jungle.  Another inspirational book I carry with me is one authored by Keith O. Mikkelson, an American missionary based in Palawan.  His book, “Sustainable Agriculture” chronicles the setting up and maintenance of a natural based farming system.  The use of effective
microorganisms as promoted by Mikkeslon made me realize the importance of taking care of the soil. 

I found an ally, retired Engr. Abraham Akilit. We visited him in his house at Bila, Bauko.  He was breathing, talking about organic gardening.  I ended up getting from the former NIA head, a gift- a rice hull carbonizer.  Of course the write ups of my neighbor columnist, Mr. Robert Domoguen are a part of my readings.  In between, the organic gardening sites I visit online (sadly not much information from the Philippine side) helped increase my learning curve to farming.  The positive feedback I get from visitors and “test” customers of the taste of our lettuce and other vegetable produce gives me a high. Even Russel Maier, my Canadian friend loves my parsley.  And so, information technology will not take a back seat, I will see how else one can integrate new technologies to
gardening, without harming the earth.  Yes, I farmer I would like to be.