Environment-friendly edible landscape

NOT all edible landscapes are environment-friendly. I am a witness to this reality as a field agriculturist for almost five years and even if when I was already in the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA).

In 2006, the provincial government took the lead. With the cooperation of the private sector, NGOs, and LGUs, organic agriculture made its way forward. Thus the start of edible landscape that is environment-friendly, sustainable and replicable.

Actually, even before this, I have been bringing people to some organic farms who were ahead already, like that of Campo Verde of BIND at Moises Padilla, Buro-buro Farm, and that of Ariel de la Cruzs at the mountains of Talisay City, Fresh Start Organics and of course, Pealosa Farm in Manapla and Victorias City, which is my focus for today.

When I went to his farm to interview MS Ramon Pealosa, I wanted to hear and see more of his dynamism in the farm.

Besides the transformation in the landscape, I have seen the 8-bedroom new building for the in-house visitors. The construction is ongoing and maybe the next time I bring some visitors there it will be finished already.

The motto of MS Mon is that No Filipino should go hungry in his native land. This is the very essence why he has managed to create an agricultural landscape using indigenous technology that is doable, sustainable and replicable. This is the reason why many wanted to go to his farm and learn because he does not withhold anything as far as what makes the farm dynamic is concerned.

For a farmer to create such kind of edible landscape, he must have a revolution of mindset. From being a farmer-producer to being an entrepreneursuch is the advocacy of MS Mon. This is what the farmer-scientist who calls himself an agri-preneur wanted to impart to the learners who visit his farm.

So what do you see now when you visit his farm in Victorias is an integrated micro-model edible landscape that became an agro-tourism destination where you can learn the opportunities for sustainable agriculture, integrated farming system, zero-waste management and many more.

You will taste what they produce in the farm if you book for lunch. The welcome tea from lemon grass with mint has always been my favorite. Among the different types of sauce for the green salad that is always present in the lunch is the honey mustard.

Not only is the Pealosa Farm pro-organic, it is also market- driven. That is what he wanted to convey to the farmers who come to learn from him and even in his lectures across the country when he is invited to speak.

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Environment-friendly edible landscape