Sanctuario Nature Farms in Indang Mendez Cavite - Practical Organic Farming Tips, Vegetarian Vermi, Fermented Plant Juice, FFJ and OHN Recipes!

If you have time to spare and want a ton of practical knowledge and tips, I suggest you visit this NGO operating Sanctuario Nature Farms near Manila! They're devoted to finding new technologies and economic ways of farming and teaching others (esp. future agriculturists) how to farm and earn money from it! They have a partnership with Cavite State University to send OJTs there where they let the students use a plot of land and water to grow what they want as their final entrepreneurial development project (EDP). Any produce is theirs to sell so they learn to grow, research, budget and market the produce at the same time so the younger are reminded that there is money in agriculture and it can actually be fun. We only spent 1.5 hours there and despite the rain, I was on farming info overload from Farm Operator Manager Michelle (Mitch) Razo haha. She is very generous when it comes to tips and recipes so I wanted to share some of the things I learned with you too - on vegetarian vermicompost, plant introductions, concoctions and practical farming! Aside from being an accredited Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) Learning Site, they are also TESDA accredited to conduct trainings and seminars for the public on organic farming.

Sebul Organic Farm in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato

I returned to the Land of Dreamweavers this week in Mindanao. Recently, Lake Sebu and the indigenous people of South Cotabato the Tboli was put in the spotlight again after Ms. Universe Catriona Gray's promotional video but still, people are apprehensive to go there. I remember being a novice blogger in 2011, I bravely went to Davao first then went back to GenSan for The Soccsksargen Experience Tour. We went to Gensan, South Cotabato and I even hopped on a bike to Sarangani. That time, it was always fish, as the highlights were the the tuna festival, the salmon tour and the fish port tour. This time around, I came back for the 10th season of the Organic Agriculture experience hosted by the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) of the Philippine Department of Agriculture! These experiences slowly endear me to this often feared southern part of the Philippines. We specifically went to SOX or SOCCSKSARGEN, which is part of Region 12 and comprises of South Cotabato, (North) Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos or Gensan. The region is rich in tradition, cultural assets, natural resources and farmers who are very passionate about organic farming like Mr. William Enriquez Sy and Ms. Mayette Sy of Sebul Farm in Lake Sebu! By visiting ATI-accredited organic farms, you get to see different farming methods and even get lots of tips and best practices from the owners ;)

Some of you may not know yet but the ATI is a very important branch of the Department of Agriculture. They reach out to farmers and equip them with technical know-how (farming, skills, marketing and even communication) so that these farmers may help out other struggling farmers in their community. ATI also helps in identifying and accrediting outstanding farms to Learning Sites, Extension Service Providers, Schools for Practical Agriculture and Farm Tourism Sites so that other people can go there and learn first hand. Like me, you can also tour around the Philippines and visit organic farms (read all the way to know how, check out my label Organic Journey to see where I've been since 2012)! Wouldn't you want to have this view?

Overnight Itinerary at the GK Enchanted Farm in Bulacan - a Farm Village University and a Disneyland for Social Tourism

If you're looking for a farm activity near Manila, why don't you head on over to the GK Enchanted Farm in Angat, Bulacan? Here's a sample overnight itinerary that includes a mix of experiences involving white cheese, chocolates, eggs, plushies, farm animals, veggies, bamboo, locally produced products and many more. The Social Business Summit will be held there on October 2 to 4 if you're interested =)

Meeting Pinoy Social Entrepreneurs at the Gawad Kalinga Enchanted Farm in Bulacan - a Silicon Valley for Social Entrepreneurship in the Philippines!

What do you do on your weekends? For some of us, we cherish this moment away from work and spend it on a getaway. For me, it is usually a day for blogging and more things to be done because I love scheduling my solo trips on weekdays ;) These young social entrepreneurs at the GK Enchanted Farm spend their days working on their dream projects and being with the community they now consider as family. 

It was a great overnight experience in a sense (except for the lodging...but you can just do a day tour) because I got to meet some of them (and we're more or less in the same age group) and they chose a career path that they are passionate about like me.

Farm near Manila Less Than 2 Hours Away - Activities at the Gawad Kalinga Enchanted Farm in Bulacan! - Part 2 of 2

These were the activities I had fun doing on our second day at the GK Enchanted Farm in Angat, Bulacan. This is already Part 2 so I suggest you read Part 1 first of my favorite spots at this Gawad Kalinga Farm Village University ;)

My Favorite Places and Things to Do at the GK Enchanted Farm Village University in Angat, Bulacan! - Part 1 of 2

I believe that when you're silent and you just take in what's around you, the place will speak for itself and unravel its uniqueness to you at its own time. I cherish these moments and have several conversations with myself while there's a tour going on ;) Let me take you through my favorite spots at the GK Enchanted Farm in Bulacan before I go into what this farm village university is all about. =) Given the chance and more time here, I would guiltlessly revisit these places and do the same things at my own pace. I've decided to make this into two posts and you can read Part 2 of my Gawad Kalinga Enchanted Farm picks in this link ;)

Philippine Raspberry Sapinit Picking, Lipote and BK Valley Natural Farm Tour with Mr. Dion Pullan in Dolores, Quezon!

When I hear "Quezon Province", I think about the colorful Pahiyas Festival and the Pancit Lucban (to which you pour one of my favorite condiments - vinegar haha). Now, my head is filled with ice-cold Organic Raspberry Shake... partly because I could probably never forget my first time in Quezon just last month! :D We had a wonderful time walking around an isolated valley, checking out oyster mushrooms and picking raspberries (then putting 'em directly into our mouths) at the Bangkong Kahoy Nature Retreat & Field Study Center in Dolores, Quezon with environmentalist Mr. Dion Pullan. I've never had fresh raspberries before and I never knew there are local raspberries called sapinit - which were tested to have higher anti-oxidants than their foreign counterparts.

Mountain Farm Retreat near Manila, Visiting The BK Mountain Lodge and Finding Oyster Mushrooms at the Bangkong Kahoy Valley in Dolores,Quezon!

I'm having an unbelievable streak this year of going to places (in the Philippines) that I've never been to and heard of before! Haha. Folks, this is about a protected area, an isolated valley, a retreat place and mountain lodge at the BK Valley in Barangay Kinabuhayan, Dolores, Quezon! As we are nearing Holy Week, would you want to consider an alternative to climbing Mt. Banahaw or Mt. Cristobal - like sitting on a wooden bench with the view of the holy mountains, getting close to nature and learning about the sustainable efforts of the community who live around it? Say hi to environmentalist Dionisio Pullan - a descendant of Agripino Lontok (known as the first hermit of Mt. Banahaw) who found his way back to the Bangkong Kahoy Valley and pushed for eco-tourism. Spend some time in this 21-hectare private property (also bird-watching haven) and don't forget to eat organic food (think raspberries and mushrooms...) to your heart's content! More importantly, this is a field study center and a big classroom - where we can immerse ourselves fully and learn about the land, the community, the environment, our ecosystem and the important role that certain species play.

Penalosa Farms in Negros Occidental - Organic Lunch, Very Educational Workshop and Tour near Bacolod!

When I go to the provinces in the Philippines, I see endless farmland and I'm reminded that if no one wants to go into farming, then we'd all starve. Transforming the farmers' mindset from barely surviving into thriving agripreneurs - this is one of the goals of MS Penalosa. I think it includes encouraging a city-bred person like me to not discount farming as a viable business idea. I learned a little bit more about the language of the soil, the language of plants, the language of the animal and the art of war against pests and diseases at Peñalosa Farms in Negros Occidental (read about Part 1 of this visit here). I was constantly reminded of the 4 Ls of Mr. Penalosa while we're there - Live (you're alive and there is life around you), Learn (that farming is constantly a work in progress), Love (love what nature is giving us, love pigs, there is income in sh*t) and Laugh (to have fun, smile and never take yourself seriously). Haha. ;P

The Real Farmville Adventure at Costales Nature Farms!

Get ready for The Real Farmville Adventure at the Costales Nature Farms in Majayjay, Laguna! If you ever decide to spend a few nights here, you get to pick your own organic veggies or catch your own organic fish, eat lots of fresh and chemical-free food, know more about organic agriculture and bond over their not-so-ordinary pulutan, hours of karaoke and homemade lambanog! More importantly, you get to breathe in fresh cold air, hear only crickets in the night and effortlessly do some detox (physically and mentally). If you want to know more about organic agriculture and what this trip is all about, I suggest you read my previous Costales Nature Farms post first.

Costales Nature Farms, an Organic Retreat near Manila!

I'm thankful for travel blogging because it has opened the doors for me to experience many things, things that I would normally take for granted or would need a lot of convincing for me to go. For this trip, it was about the path to a healthier lifestyle and food choices. During this 2-day adventure, I had fully embraced this organic agriculture experience with the help of other blogger friends and the generous invitation of the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) of the Philippine Department of Agriculture and Costales Nature Farms in Majayjay, Laguna. No one could never take the city out of a Manila girl like me but they can sure try in short bursts and surprises like this! I welcomed a detoxifying retreat outside of Manila and I would like to tell you that it is also an available alternative to those looking for a short and meaningful getaway. Costales Nature Farms is around 3 hours away from Manila (south-bound).