Gardening in a Barren Soil

Typhoon Frank that hit Panay Island in West Central Philippines in June 2008, left tons of silt which practically left many lands barren and compacted. The fine texture of silt leaves no space for air and even with constant pulverizing, the soil simply returns to its compact stae a few days after. Crops tend to grow poorly and weeds like the persistent cogon (Imperata spp.) inevitably takeover and render the already barren soil even more barren.

Farmers I have met complain that their farms and gardens have become more labor intensive because of constant weeding, pulverizing and watering.

A farmer came to me a few months back asking if I can help him find a solution to this problem and so I started a small garden where the soil is almost exactly the same as that of the farmer’s.

I first cleared the area of cogon (Imperata spp.) and paragrass, both weeds are prolific and had already depleted the nutrient deficient soil. I turned the soil with a spading fork so I can also get rid of the underground roots of cogon and the base of the paragrass which are difficult ot uproot and can regenerate very fast.

Instead of throwing the cogon and paragrass stalks on the side or burn them, I first spread them to dry then arranged them in straight rows 2 inches thick and about 12 inches wide, 12 inches apart. The purpose is not only to mulch but also as a deterrent for weed seeds to grow. The mulch also serves to conserve soil moisture. I did not elevate the pulverized open space so that moisture will not run off from the plot to the canal. The level ground made moisture retention uniform.

I planted sorghum seed (for my chickens) on the open bed while I planted cuttings of alugbati (Basella rubra) on the much row by simply pushing aside the thick matting and planting the stems on the soil. During the clearing of the noxious weeds, I saw some saluyot (Corchorus spp.) plants which I didn’t cut down and even placed some mulch at their base. These plants were thin and spindly at first and I thought they would also dry up but the mulch and organic fertilizer saved them. I was able to save two hills of purple camote (ipomea) which we eat as salad or as topping for the vegetable stew medley that my family is fond of eating. Like the other local vegetables I planted or saved, I also mulched these two hills of camote. My wife contributed by planting the roots of another purple camote which she bought from a local market. The roots were very sweet, although having a whitish skin, it had deep purple flesh. Again like the rest, I also mulched the plants.

FERTILIZATION: For fertilizers, I rely on the chicken manure produced by my few heads of caged chickens and the leaves I trimmed from the plants around particularly ipil-ipil or Leucaena and “Madre de Agua” (tricantera spp.), a nirogenrich non-leguminous tree. I opened a 22 liter plastic drum, filled it up to 1/2 with the ipil-ipil leaves, filled it up to 3/4 with finely chopped napier leaves and stalks and topped the rest with chicken manure. I then filled it to the brim with water. Then I top it with about one liter of concentrated Indigenous Microorganisms and overed it with plastic tied tightly with rubber cut from the interior of the car tire. I leave the mixture for about 2 weeks before starting to mix it. Chopped napier stalks and leaves provide starch and sugar needed by the micro-organisms to reproduce and consume other nutrients like phosphates in the manure. The resulting liquid after one month is rich in nutrients like Nitrogen, Phosphates and micronutrients. Just before using the liquid, I add 2 to 3 kilograms of wood ash from the cook stove I use to cook feeds for the dogs and pigs.

To use, I add about 2 liters of the concentrated liquid to 10 liters of water which I water the plants every 3 days.

RESULTS: I will be posting pictures of the garden in a multiply site soon. There we will see how healthy the plants are and how they have grown so well despite the dry season and despite the dryness of the soil around. I will also take pictures of the adjacent garden of my neighbor so we will see how dry the garden and how sickly the vegetables are. The farmer who asked me to provide solution to his problem hd dropped by twice already and commented that indeed the plants are healthy despite the dryness of the soil nearby and even without the use of chemical fertilizers. I hope to replicate the garden on a much wider scale. meanwhile, I have started to grow more napier and raise goats so I can use both to help me fertilize a bigger garden or farm.

RETIRED ENGINEER IMPROVES ON THE RICE HULL FURNACE FOR PALAY DRIERS

Engr. Nick Alojipan thought he can come home to retire and enjoy his senior years raising gamefowls. He was wrong. He found that his family and old friends in his hometown in Culasi, Antique still suffered from age old problem of drying their paddy rice in the peak of the rainy season. Thinking that government may have already found the solution, he visited all the agencies, groups and cooperatives that he have heard to have their own palay drying facilities.

First he studied the recirculating drying system imported from China and Taiwan. The National Food Authority and several private rice milling operators have many of the said units. He computed the initial investment cost and the cost of operation per batch of 100 cavans or so. A unit of the said recirculating system will have an initial investment of at least P750,000.00. The operating cost per batch of 100 cavans (about 4,000 kgs.) is said to cost over P5,000.000 or about P1.25 per kilogram of fresh paddy. The furnace system uses kerosene which consumes an average of ten (1) liters per hour or about 100 liters per batch. At present, kerosene costs P38.00 per liter so each batch costs about P3,800.00 fr kerosene alone. And the most obvious defect of the said system is that it is controlled electronically and that the operator needs a reliable source of electricity. When the electronic control system gives out, the unit needs to be sent to Taiwan or China for repair or replacement.

The only advantage is that the operation is rather easy and convenient since only the loading and unloading is labor intensive and the needs just one or two technicians to monitor the drying operation.

Then he studied all the batch type drier units being promoted by PhilRice, IRRI and the Bureau of Post-harvest Research and Extension (BPRE). He found that the system to work well if the burner used kerosene as fuel for the furnace but like the imported recirculating driers, but the rice hull fed furnaces he saw were all laborious and the heat generated intermittent.

This led him to conduct intensive research on the various furnaces used in rice drying operations worldwide, particularly those assisted by the International Rice Research Institute. He incessantly wrote letters and emails to the agencies said to be engaged in the research of post harvest systems for rice and other crops. He was exceedingly frustrated when no one among the agencies responded to his letters. Then he accidentally stumbled on the manuscript of Dr. Martin Gomert is presently connected with several international research agencies. Communicating directly, Dr. Gomert furnished Engr. Nick with manuscript and other research inputs on the furnace, particularly the Vietnamese furnace that is said to have solved the problem of consistent feeding of rice hull to the furnace. Studying the manuscripts and at the same time visiting existing rice hull fired furnaces, Engr. Nick and his brothers Zal and Errol made their own designs and innovations primarily with the objective of solving the erratic supply of rice hull to the burner area and deliver consistent heat to the blower.

They found that the down draft system used by the Vietnamese delivered heat effectively especially when the heat was produced consistently. However the Vietnamese model lacked a mechanism to consistently deliver the right amount of rice hulls to the burner area to allow for continuous and consistent burning.

They solved the problem by improving the ram feeder of the Vietnamese. Using a set of pulleys driven by a diesel engine to drive the ram feeder, they then have weaned themselves from the need for electricity which is unreliable in rural areas due to frequent brown outs. The result is the delivery of a constant supply of rice to the burner area which enables the furnace to produce consistent heat needed by the furnace to heat the the air driven by the blower to the underside of the flat bed which is then driven upward to dry the wet paddy.

The furnace delivers a heat range of 66 to 70 degrees centigrade while the blown hot air on the flat bed has a range of 48-52 degrees centigrade. This range of temperature makes the drier ideal to dry palay intended for seeds.

Brothers Alojipan had been operating the drier for about two months now. Engr. Nick had already registered the venture with DTI so that they can accept commercial drying which is now in demand due to the unreliable weather systems at present. Actual records show that A batch of 100 cavans (4,000 kgs.) will cost about P1,600.00, broken down as follows: Diesel Fuel for two engines-20 liters (P35.00/liter), 2 laborers (P200.00/laborer), 1 operator/technician (P300.00),Miscellaneous (P200.00). This means that the cost of operation is just about P0.40 per kilogram of fresh paddy rice., way below the cost of a recirculating drier and even lower than that of the PhilRice model which needs 2 technicians to monitor and operate the rice hull furnace.

The initial investment for the rice drier invented by Engr. Nick Alojipan is about P300,000, without the two engines- one to drive the blower (12hp water-cooled diesel) and the other to drive the ram feeder mechanism (6hp air-cooled diesel). The shed may cost another P70,000.00 so all in all, the farmer and his group may have to invest about P400,000.00.

For more information, please call Engr. Nick Alojipan 0929 520 4613 or the author at 0929 779 1996.

SHIP ENGINEER RETIRES TO BECOME A NATURAL FARMER

Ship Engineer Teoducio Melliza had a satisfying career as a marine engineer on a ship plying the European route. He was earning an above average salary in Euro and as a native of Igbaras, Iloilo, he spent his furloughs with his family and on his spare time, enjoyed developing a small farm in the outskirts of the town. Then in 2002 disaster struck. While his ship was loading cargo in a port in France, benzene leaked from another ship and hit him on the arms.

He didn’t feel the effects asap and went about his work and routine while the ship was enroute to Greece, one of them is to drink plenty of tea popularly called Pito-pito, made of seven herbs known to have therapeutic effects. Somehow getting dizzy, he proceeded to the kitchen and as the cook told him later, he drank at least three liters of water. He slept but woke up later feeling dizzy and drank about a liter of Pito-pito again before passing out. He was airlifted to the nearest hospital and went into coma for more than one day. When he woke up, he was surprised to be asked by the doctor why he was still alive! The tests indicated that the poison in his blood was more than eight times (8x) the lethal dose. The European doctor must have been surprised that Ducio still alive!

He recovered and was given a compensation that enabled him to retire and maybe recover fully. However his doctors told him that normally the contamination will lead to a more serious disease like cancer. Undeterred, he shifted to a more natural lifestyle, opting for more vegetables and took to drinking more tea made out of herbs and plants noted to have detoxifying effect. He had attributed his survival from the benzene attack to his regular drinking of Pito-pito tea which he had always brought with him in his assignments.
In the mid 1990s he had acquired a 1.4 hectares bare land. As in most abandoned hilly farms in his hometown, Igbaras, Iloilo the land was laid bare by incessant corn and dry land rice. From the start, he had a dream of transforming the farm and having limited ideas, he just planted fruit trees while continuing rice in the terraced paddies. Since the soil had been much abused by non-stop rice planting, he never harvested a profitable crop and used the harvest for food.
So when he got home after his hospital stint, he started to seriously develop the farm. He went around to fish for ideas and read a lot. He also visited schools like UPLB to gain knowledge on how farm projects are started and made profitable. Meanwhile, he planted as many trees as he can in the upper portions of the area and never burned anything. All the leaves, twigs and branches were cut to manageable sizes and left to rot on the ground. Some of the branches however were used as firewood but the ashes were returned to the soil, either in the immediate area or hauled to the rice field.
As he plodded on he gained technology like the natural farming system developed by Dr. Teruo Higa and advocated by the technicians of the agriculture office both at the municipal and provincial levels. He also decided to invest in good goat breeds like the Nubian and Saanen. Copying the goat management technology found in most modern farms, he also built an elevated house where he can house the goats and bring in cut forage. He also adopted mixed feeding using cut forage with compounded feeds like lactating mash and salt supplementation.
General Practices Adopted:
Ducio or Siok as he is called by friends and family has developed simple procedures for his farm. He does not burn the hay, leaves, twigs and other organic waste unless necessary like cooking. He simple piles the organic matter in strategic areas so that they will decompose in time. Twigs and branches left on the ground become food for the termites which in turn become feed for the chickens and ducks on free range. The decayed organic matter are regularly harvested and distributed evenly on the rice paddies before the land preparation to serve as organic matter and fertilizer for the rice plants.

Trees were established on the highest portion of the property just below the highway and has become a forest in just five or six years. The trees have helped reestablish the shallow water table that now provides moisture even during the driest part of the year.

Leaves and twigs gathered are poured over with the wet manure from the goat houses and sprayed with the probiotics to hasten decomposition. Instead of the usual two to three months of waiting for the leaves to fully decompose, Ducio can already use the organic fertilizer in about 45 days.
The farm does not use chemical poisons to control insect pests. The mixed planting of various species including the forage grasses has established an ecosystem that is somehow stable and which makes the plants less prone to insect pest and disease attacks. Instead of treating pests as such, they can be turned into allies. The natural system in the farm has encouraged insect predators to reestablish. Dragonflies now populate in droves and are found almost anywhere. So are the spiders which now found everywhere in the farm especially on napier and wild red cane stands, natural deterrents against the upsurge of plant hoppers, the deadly host of the dreaded Tungro disease.
Snails like the African Giant Snail and the Golden Apple Snail (kuhol) are a rich source of protein for the farm animals. African Giant Snails love to hide among the moist decaying leaves, especially bananas and napier grasses which are rich in carbohydrates. Ducio and the farm help simply turn the leaves over and gather the snails and chop or crush them for feeding directly to the ducks, geese and chickens.
The chickens are on free range from hatching to maturity. They are left to forage among the trees and grasses and after the rice harvest, in the paddies so they can clean up the left over grains. Since the farm has become forested and cool, Ducio said that even snakes have repopulated and have attributed the loss of some chicks to having been eaten by snakes. The good thing about snakes however is that they have kept down the rat population and thus the damage to the rice crop is almost nil.

Goat Raising:

Ducio has invested in two purebred bucks, one Saanen and the other Nubian. He used this to cross with the native does he had acquired years before. The resulting F1 are prolific milkers and he found a good way to make money on the goats. He sells pregnant native does for P1,500.00 and there are many buyers because they can recover their investment fast and some said that their does gave birth to twins in just 3 months.

He raises them both on free range and housed, bringing in cut forage and feeding concentrates regularly. The kids are healthy due to balanced nutrition and their access to salt anytime. He had planted some areas and the borders with all kinds of forage grass and legumes like ipil-ipil, centrosema, rhinzonii, flemingia, napier, red wild cane and other succulent grasses and plants. These are cut regularly and fertilized with the decomposed leaves and manures.

Natural Rice Farming.

Another innovation that Ducio developed is his culture of his rice crop the natural way. He prepares the land by adding generous amounts of organic matter coming from the goat house and the compost piles spread around the farm. Then the land is tilled well so that the organic matter is plowed under. Rice is planted in straight rows and water is controlled to keep the damage of kuhol to a minimum. Once the rice plants are more than a month old, he introduces water up to 6 inches deep to encourage the kuhol to populate and feed on the succulent weeds growing between the hills of the rice plant.

Passing farmers once commented negatively when they saw the snail eggs lodged midway the rice plants but Ducio simply dismissed their fears by telling them that the snails are harvested regularly to keep damage to a minimum. Harvesting is very easy says Ducio. He simply places bundles of hagonoy, Chromolaena odorata (L.), on the deep portions of the field or near the dike where most of the water passes through before spreading throughout the paddies. He then visits just before sunrise to harvest the snails which by then has congregated on the pile of hagonoy to feed on its sweet smelling leaves and stems. In an average day, he can get 20-25 kilograms until the population had been reduced greatly.

The regular addition of decomposed manure, leaves and twigs from the compost piles he had made among the trees has made the soil in the rice paddies more absorbent. Even during the driest part of the year when all the other farmers had stopped planting rice, Ducio can still harvest betweeen 60 to 80 cavans in the 6,000 sq. meters of planted area. Since 2005, he had been able to plant 5 croppings every two years, or 2.5 croppings per year, not bad for a rainfed rice farm.

Learning Area for Other Farmers:

Ducio’s farm has become a learning area for other farmers not only in his municipality but from other places as well. Farm technicians and agricultural officers had recommended to other farmers to visit Ducio’s farm so that they can learn the basics of natural farming. Visitors learn many things from Ducio’s farm, mostly simple technologies on how to make their farms more productive on less inputs. They also learn how to make their own probiotics, herbal pesticides which are more simplified and based on indigenous and common weeds like hagonoy (Chromolaena odorata (L.)) which are pungent and can serve as deterrent and repellent at the same time.

Making the Agribusiness Full Circle:

Ducio realized early that a farmer needs to complete the agricultural cycle if he is to make himself economically independent. Thus, late in 2007, he struck a deal with the local parish to put up a building on a Build Operate and Transfer scheme where he will provide a lease rental for the lot and turnover the said building after 25 years. He built a 5 door store and occupiedtwo of them while leasing the three others. On the two spaces, he is now selling agricultural products and inputs as well as basic materials needed in a boom town like Igbaras.

A NATURAL FARMER IN GUIMARAS ISLAND PHILIPPINES

A NATURAL FARMER IN GUIMARAS PROVINCE
A First Person Account By Elias Sustituido
as told to Lorenzo P. Locara

When I retired from teaching in 1985, I immediately put to work the farming plans that I have worked out both in my head and in my notes. Years before, my wife and I had bought a four (4.0) hectare tract of land in Nueva Valencia, Guimaras Island, now a full-fledged province across Iloilo City.

We were not able to buy the land in Guimaras outright. To come up with the money we had a round about way of generating it. We first invested some savings in a subdivision lot which appreciated in value in a few years. We sold it when the price was attractive enough and this enabled us to come up with the money for the farm lot in Guimaras.

I grew up a farmer and my father and his father before him were all farmers, feeding their families and providing for basic necessities through their farming efforts, mostly planting cash crops like rice in the wetlands and corn in the drylands and hilly farms of Sta. Barbara, Iloilo.

As I started farming, I put to work, the many ideas that was formed in my head based on my readings, experiences especially when I first worked in Fabrica, Sagay, Negros Occ. where I experienced first hand the floods that reached 30 meters high. My years as a farm broadcaster for DYLL in Iloilo also gave me stock knowledge that helped me during those starting years.

In the early years, I planted corn in the hilly portion and rice in the terraced fields. However the returns from these crops were low and we oftentimes lost instead of gaining. Since cashew were growing well even if unattended in the island, I thought of planting cashew in the dry portions. The nuts sell well in the public markets of Jordan and can fetch an even higher price if sold processed.

As I farmed, I studied various concepts and learned various approaches to farming. I have already focused on dry land agriculture since my farm is hilly and water requirements for traditional crops is high. Besides, Guimaras island is known for its harsh dry season where short term cereal yields are low or even total failures when planted after November.

As I farmed, I also studied other farming methods. First, there is the multi-storey integrated farming system advocated by the Department of Agriculture. There was also the Natural Farming System of Japanese farmer Masanobu Fukuoka. Then there is the Perma-culture System of Bill Mollison of Australia. All these pointed to tree-based permanent farming systems where after a certain period when the fertility of the soil had been restored, and the trees with various maturity and productive periods had been established, the farmer can simply settle to routine maintenance work and regularly earn from his farm.

Thus, I settled for a mix of these technologies and also strove to participate in the programs of the Department of Agriculture and the Provincial Government of Guimaras. I developed the slopes into a series of water catchments that will trap rainwater and force it to percolate into the underground aquifers beneath my farm and in the neighboring areas. Where soil was clayey and dense, I was able to harvest rain water and reserve it for the dry months for as long as I can. So after two decades, I was able to develop a sustainable farm we lovingly call ELI’S FARM:

Terraced Farm:

All the slope areas had been terraced 5 meters apart. The dikes were planted with cashew and langka to help hold and strengthen them as well as make them productive. The paddies of low lying areas were first planted to rice then later some portions were planted to napier, other grasses and legumes like centrosema, desmodium, rhinzonii, etc. to provide fodder for the livestock like goats and cattle. During the rainy season, the paddies also acted as ponds that held water for use during the summer months as well as help replenish the fast dwindling underground water supply of the island as a result of massive extraction for household, irrigation and commercial use.

Maximal Use of the Land:

We have four hectares of land but we jokingly tell people that we have 4 hectares of cashew, 4 hectares of langka, 4 hectares of coconut and 4 hectares of forage for animals. This is possible because of the maximal use of the land and by planning how we planted the crops we established. All our trees were planted in an East to West direction and where possible, in quincunx. By establishing terraces, we ensured that even during the hottest periods of the year, water is available so our trees grew fast and produced more fruits.

Base Crop: Cashew and Langka.

I realized early the potentials of casoy or cashew and langka (jackfruit). Cashew is a major small farm product in Guimaras Island. Mostly growing wild, they are gathered by families and sold in the public markets of Alibhon, Jordan and Buenavista. Langka both green and ripe are also sold in bulk both ex-farm and brought by small farmers to these local markets. Green langka is a favorite vegetable of Ilonggos and cooked as salad, added to pork legs and cadios (pigeon peas). Guimaras ripe langka is as popular as the mangoes produced in the island.

So I established more than 400 casoy trees and about 100 langka trees as my base crop and major income source. The other assorted fruit trees like chico, star apple, tambis and other minor fruits were intended for our family’s consumption. Cashew green beans sell well in the public market of Alibhon, Jordan, the major farmers’ exchange point in the Island. But processed, the value is even greater so our family started processing these into various forms like roasted, buttered and honeyed and personally sold these in various outlets and in fairs and exhibitions promoted by national and local governments.

We also made money on our jackfruit or langka. The fruits which came out of the branches were harvested early and sold green as this is a favorite vegetable among Ilonggos. Those that grew on main stems or trunks were wrapped with sacks to prevent insect damage and allowed to ripen. Either green or ripe, langka fetched good price in both the local market and the markets of Iloilo City.

Integration with Other Crops and Livestock:

Between the cashew trees planted 5 x 5 meters I established napier grasses and leguminous bushes because from the start, my family raised goats and a few heads cattle. I also built a small hog house so that we can sell fattened/ finished hogs which can provide us with periodic sources of income for much needed expenses like tuition fees for the children, etc.

Napier grass is a rich source of energy and coupled with leguminous leaves like ipil-ipil (Leucaena spp.), madre de cacao glyricidia sepium), rhinzonii, arachis, pigeon pea or cadios and other legumes, they provide perfect nutrition for the ruminants. We only need to sparingly add rice bran and other concentrates to speed up growth especially to catch good market prices. We practiced cut and carry and seldom ranged or pastured the animals so that the trees will not be disturbed and the forage crops will not be damaged by trampling by the animals.

By planting these forage plants, we solved the problem of weed control and at the same time earned through the sale of the animals. The green cover also prevented excessive moisture removal from the soil and kept our farm greener throughout the year. The leaves of the leguminous trees and shrubs which cannot be consumed by the animals were periodically cut and used as mulch around the base of the trees and other crops to preserve soil moisture and as they decompose, they provide added nutrients.

Innovative Technologies:

No Wash Pigs. We are always on constant look out for new technologies which can be adopted by our farm. We immediately adopted the NO WASH PIG TECHNOLOGY published in this magazine a year or so ago. We mixed our own bedding made of carbonized rice hull, river sand and added a few kilos of sea rock salt per 20 kilos of bedding mix. After each cycle of fatteners grown for 120-150 days, the beddings are removed, dried and mixed into the vegetable beds as organic fertilizer and material. We feed our pigs with both commercial ration and cooked and raw rations made from farm by products such as vegetable trimmings, leguminous and high protein leaves of madre de agua, ipil ipil, cadios and flemengia. Our starch or carbohydrates sources come from cassava and camote which we also grow in the vacant spaces and along the fence line of the farm.

Water Harvesting. Guimaras Island Province has a Type II climate and is a fairly dry area. Where water is available underground, residents and investors massively undertake uncontrolled water extraction which depletes to a large extent the water resources of the island. Such wanton activity will sooner turn our island into a desert and even now, where farmers do not practice water water harvesting and recharging, they are limited to just one cropping per year for rice especially in rain fed areas with no available irrigation facilities.

This situation had encouraged me to develop the slopes of my property to a series of terraces which serve as mini fishponds/ricefields and water catchments. While the pond bottom is fairly dense allowing me to store water for as long as six (6) months, there is also limited percolation that enables me to recharge the underground aquifers located underground. By this system, I am able to retain the shallow water table for the past 20 years. Even now, I can extract water in certain parts of my farm in shallow wells just about 12 feet deep.

Organic Vegetables for the Family: The goat and pig projects have enabled me to produce enough rich organic matter for vegetable production. Every year, we choose some spaces in between the cashew trees to clear and pile rich organic matter and spade it under 2 or 3 times and create garden beds. Once we have prepared the beds, we sow the seeds. In the case of Chinese mustard, pechay and early maturing crucifers, we weed a few times and in 40 to 45 days, we can already harvest. The richness of the soil allow us to harvest better than average sized vegetables that our friends and neighbors often wonder how we grew them.

Carbonized Rice Hulls: Carbonized Rice Hulls (CRH) is one mainstay of our farming system. This invaluable waste product is very useful in many aspects of farm operations. CRH is good for odor control for the pig and goat houses. It also binds nutrients from the manure so that it won’t be leached and thus lost. CRH is also useful as a soil enhancer. It can hold up to 10 times the amount of water and is an ideal medium for growth of beneficial microorganisms. That contribute to the total health of the soil media. CRH is easy to produce using a simple contraption that allows the hulls to be burned totally.

The Future of my Natural Farm:

I believe that natural farming is the wave of the future. We may call it by many names like Integrated Farming, Permaculture, Multistorey Farming, Masanobu Fukuoka Model, etc. Whatever it is called, the fact remains that we are farming for permanence and to preserve the land for the future generations. I am happy to have contributed in a small way to helping the environment by way of taking care of my family through my farming endeavor!

TOWN’S DEMO FARM TEACHES APPROPRIATE FARMING TECHNOLOGY TO FARMERS

As soon as you entered a side road from the National Highway going to an interior town about seven kilometers from the municipality of Barotac Viejo, one can feel a slight change in the ambient temperature. The air has become a bit cooler and humidity seems to be a bit high. In contrast to the landscape from the town center which are basically bare due to past and present farming practices, the landscape is filled with more trees and shrubs.

Going up the hill to the small training hall (Photo No. 1), one sees a row of Ylang-ylang trees which have started to bear sweet smelling fragrant flowers. There are also scattered fruit trees particularly jack fruit or langka. As one tops the hill at the training hall one can view the whole spread of the four (4) hectares demonstration farm.

Through trial, evaluation and re-alignment in the last five (5) years, the demonstration farm has slowly taken shape and has perfected technologies where farmers in the municipality and nearby areas can learn from.

The four hectares demonstration farm is basically hilly with some low portions and very limited flatland. When the municipal government bought the land, it was thickly populated with noxious weeds like cogon (Imperata cylindrica) and hagonoy (Chromolaena odorata). There were a few stands of banana and native trees some of them native guavas seeded by the birds from their feeding and gathering activities.

The land was once thickly forested but the sugar boom of the 1970s, the lure of marginal cash crop farming and the incessant tree cutting for charcoal has left the land barren and untenable for profitable farming. Even the low portions cannot support a decent crop of rainfed rice due mainly to severe soil nutrient depletion and the incessant erosion of barren top soil from the hillsides for lack of ground cover.

The municipality first organized a team or task force composed of technical people and the academe to design a suitable model that can develop the area and become a profitable model so that farmers can visit, learn from and replicate in their respective farms. As the models were tested, those that did not work were discarded to avoid unnecessary expenses. The management team led by Municipal Agriculturist Jesus Balila also studied available technologies and adopted those that were appropriate, low cost and have high chances of success.

Technologies for Dry Land Farming:

Since the terrain was hilly, ranging from slight to steep, applicable technologies were tested, among them the popular Sloping Agricultural Land Technology developed in Mindanao. For small areas up to one-fourth hectare and simulating a family holding, the said technology has a good chance of succeeding. However, it was found that SALT is labor intensive and that the type of climate, soil and vegetation in the municipality makes the technology inappropriate. To realize a SALT project, one has to work hard without considering time or labor spent just to develop basic features like the contours, legume bands to provide organic matter and fertilizer, etc. The demo farm is staffed by the LGU employees and thus, their activities are mostly confined to an eight-hour work day. In a year or so, the management team submitted their findings and recommendations as to how to further improve the IFS Demo Farm and to make it a viable/income generating endeavor for the municipality.

Hon. Mayor Raul C. Tupas, acting on the findings of the management team, approved the recommendation to plant the major portions especially the steep hilly areas with selected high quality grafted mangoes. These varieties were taken from the clonal center of the Bureau of Plant Industry at Sta. Barbara, Iloilo. The recommendation called for the establishment of about 400 grafted mangoes in a more or less 12m x 12m planting distance wherever possible. Their estimate is that after 5 years or so, these grafted mangoes will start bearing fruits. They can either be leased to any interested fruit vendor at P2,500.00 per tree or the IFS management will induce them to bear flowers and manage fruit maturation for sale to wholesale fruit vendors or sell them directly to the townspeople at wholesale prices so that they will be able to savor the sweet high quality mangoes produced out of their taxes. On the latter, the good mayor foresees that the IFS project will get more than just leasing out the trees.

When Mayor Raul Tupas ordered the management to develop the forest cover simultaneously as the mangoes get established, the team resorted to Assisted natural Regeneration technology where native and exotic leguminous ground cover and trees were established above the vegetable areas. The legumes have slowly but surely crept on top of the cogon stands. Behind their heels come the ipil-ipil and other fast growing trees.

Periodic brushing is also undertaken to suppress competition for sunlight and allow the mango seedlings a good head start. Jess Balila says that Assisted Natural Regeneration is the least cost approach to recovering barren areas taken over by cogon and hagonoy. (Photo No. 2).

Meanwhile, where applicable especially those reached by the water system of the farm, the hillsides were turned into vegetable farms using organic methods. About 3,000 sq. meters of the area were continuously cropped between the growing mango seedlings. Using the bio-active carbonized rice hull (Bio-active CRH) technology, 30 cm x 30 cm x 30 cm holes are dug along the contours and planted to various vegetables in rotation. Usually the rotation pattern is pole beans, ampalaya, pole beans and squash. In a permanent area, an eggplant patch using the same technology is established. The farms ratoons the eggplants so that they can be productive for four years or so, thus eliminating the need to establish new plants every year. The use of manures and the bio-active CHR has practically managed root knot nematode infestation, a prevalent pest among eggplants in continuous cropping. (Photos Nos 3,4).

Early in 2008, the municipality has signed a memorandum of agreement with a private entrepreneur and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for the development of about 2,000 hectares of Ylang-ylang for essential oil production. To date, the said company has already planted more than 500 hectares. For its part, the LGU is also promoting the said industry by planting mother trees and developed a nursery for patchouli, another source of essential oil which is even more expensive than the essential oil from Ylang-ylang. Ylang-ylang had been found to grow fast and bear flowers in the municipality. It grows well under the canopy of taller trees and prefers high moisture but well drained areas. The demonstration farm has developed a clonal garden for both Ylang-ylang and patchouli. (Photo No. 5).

Technologies for Wetland Farming:

With more than 2,000 hectares planted to rice in the municipality, the IFS is also keen on developing alternative and appropriate technologies for wetland farming. Its initial activities to improve rice yield has focused on producing low cost organic fertilizers and soil ameliorants. “The bio-active CRH technology has already helped countless farmers who used this soil ameliorant and saved about 40% in fertilizer cost”, said Mr. Jesus Balila, Municipal Agriculturist.

This year, the IFS thru its technician, Mr. Vicente Batic-batic developed the enhanced Bio-active CRH where critical micronutrients such as Boron and Magnesium were added. After its introduction, the farm was swamped with requests for more supplies because of the dramatic increase in yields of rice farms. Many farmers enjoyed up to 40% increase in yield due mainly to the effect of the microorganisms and the micronutrients. (Photo No. 6).

We have also introduced the farming of “abalong” a type of gabi (colocasia esculentum) which produces runners called “takway”, a favorite vegetable of Ilonggos. A waterlogged farm can be converted to this crop and a 1,000 sq. meter lot can be more productive as a ½ hectare rainfed or severely flooded rice farm. If the said farm is located below a pig or cattle manure pond, it can be twice productive. The farm’s abalong 1,000 sq. meters project yielded about P12,000 this year.

Ornamentals:

The demo farm also established an ornamental garden basically to attract housewives on the prospects of ornamental plants as a money earner and additional source of income for the household. Farm wastes such as decomposed rice hulls and corn cobs are used as medium for growing anthuriums, a high value ornamental much in demand for its flowers and leaves. Rice hulls and corn cobs can be decomposed fast and still retain its shape for porosity by exposing it to Indigenous Microorganisms (IMO), a technology being taught by the Department of Agriculture and discovered by Japanese scientist Teruo Higa in the 1930s.

Medicinal plants are also planted especially the pink periwinkle, local name- rosas sa baybayon (Catharantus roseus) which is processed into capsules and sold as a food supplement to help mitigate various lifestyle diseases. Technician Junior Gonzales and his family earns by processing the said plant and several others into different kinds of supplements and ointments.

Livestock Integration:

From the start, the demo farm has incorporated livestock into the concept because of the multifold instructional function as added income, source of organic fertilizer and as an integrative factor. The No Wash Pig technology developed by the farm (previously featured in this magazine) has gained many acceptors in the locality especially among the poor fishing villages which received soft loans for backyard pig raising as added income when fishing is not allowed or when tidal shifts make it dangerous for the small fishermen to venture to the sea.

Murrah buffalo had also been acquired but the farm has yet to perfect the technology for production. Goats are also planned but these had to be confined in a specific area to avoid damage to the young mango trees.

Prospects and Future Plans:

The demo farm is bent on developing appropriate technologies for various types of farming landscapes and conditions. Its technology to produce carbonized rice hull is still crude, being mainly dependent on a small rice hull stove which can produce about 3 bags per hour. Its rice hull pyrolizer model is also basic. “Wee need new cheap technologies to produce rice hull carbon for use in our various operations”, says Vicente Batc-batic.

A self-contained ½ hectare model where a family can live profitable and comfortably is also being developed. A butterfly range is being studied. This is to attract more students to get interested in farming and the butterfly range will be one of the attractions so that they will be interested to visit.

Mayor Raul Tupas is optimistic and enthusiastic about the future of the demo farm. “So far we have developed appropriate low cost technologies easily applicable for the farmers of our town. We hope that with the publication of this article, farmers from other areas will be interested to visit. We welcome them. We also welcome new ideas especially coming from technical people who have a long track record of successful agribusiness and farming background. We hope that as our demo farm evolves, the municipality will realize substantial revenues from its operation and at the same time attract more farmers who will adopt and multiply the technologies developed her”, said Mayor Tupas. Photo No. 10).

Mayor Tupas added: “we firmly believe that our model is easily replicable and that farmers can copy them by just visiting and learning hands-on from our technicians. We also project that in four years, the farm will be self-sustaining and will recover all its investments in 4 more years!”

MAKE YOGURT AT HOME

Yogurt is widely regarded as a health food mainly due to the beneficial bacteria that it contains. There are both local and imported brands available in the refrigerated shelves in grocery stores and supermarkets in the Philippines. The lowest priced yogurt is a local brand priced at about P31.00 while imported brands range from P45.00 to 65.00, all of them in 123 to 150 ml. serving sizes.

Taking probiotic yogurt regularly can now be affordable. One can easily make it at home with basic kitchen equipment, thick wad of newspaper and store-bought unflavored yogurt. This writer had been making yogurt for the last three years using styrofoam ice boxes as heat retainer, but recently, he experimented with newspaper and it also proved successful. This experience enabled him to transfer this low technology to those who can afford milk but find commercial yogurt too expensive.

Here’s how:

Materials:

You will need fresh milk (if you own a dairy cow) or ordinary generic instant powdered whole milk and unflavored yogurt made by the leading local dairy company. Buy the yogurt (about P31.00) which has the longest expiry date, about six months from the time of purchase.

Equipment:

You will need a stove, a small stainless pot that will hold about a liter of milk, a thick wad of newspaper, a string and if available, a thermometer.

Process:

1. Heat 1 liter of water (purified so you will not need to boil) to about 60 degrees Celsius. If you do not have a thermometer, the gauge stick is when the water is about as hot as the direct sunlight at mid day.

1. Dissolve about three-fourths cup of instant milk in the heated water and stir until well blended;

1. If you are using pasteurized fresh milk follow the same procedure of heating to about 60 degrees;

1. Stir in yogurt into the blended milk and immediately transfer the pot in the middle of the thick newspaper and gather all sides of the newspaper and tie at the middle. This is to retain the heat for at least three hours;

1. After four hours, check milk mixture. If it has curdled, then it is successful. If not, the yogurt starter may have expired or that the milk blend may have been too hot and killed the good bacteria that curdle the milk, or the milk is not hot enough to provide a good environment for bacteria to grow;

1. Immediately transfer yogurt into 125 ml cups, cover and refrigerate. One cup is the normal serving portion. The finished product will make about 8 cups.

Costing:

One liter of yogurt using this process will cost about P43.00 in all if you will not factor the initial starter which is P31.00. since you can reserve one cup as starter for the next batch and you can do this for up to 10 times until the microorganism potency has weakened, so the investment cost of the yogurt starter can be as low as P3.10. By making yogurt at home, one can enjoy this probiotic for as low as P5.00 per serving!