Gardening for Kids

in the tune of Magtanim Ay Di Biro, all together let's sing...

Magtanim ay di biro, maghapong nakayuko,
Di naman makatayo, di naman makaupo.
Sa umaga pagkagising, ay agad iisipin,
Kung saan may patanim, may masarap na pagkain.
Bisig ko'y namamanhid, baywang ko'y nangangawit,
Binti ko'y namimitig, sa pagkababad sa tubig.

Koro:
Halina, halina, mga kaliyag, tayo'y magsipag-unat-unat,
Magpanibago tayo ng lakas, para sa araw ng bukas.

Children's version | Rock version | Choral version | Instrumental with English lyrics

Magtanim Ay Di Biro (translated as "Planting is not a joke") is a Tagalog folk song played normally in school/community festivities for young kids to dance to (every kid had to go through that baptism of fire of rice planting dance, i did!).  It talks about the difficulty one experience in planting all day long.  After enduring all the pain, the benefit comes in a form of nutritious food and sustenance for tomorrow.

For a country such as the Philippines which is an agricultural country, each person is adept in the minutiae of planting and the value of growing one's own vegetables.  We have gardens in our backyard that yield fresh produce for our household needs.  Our community is surrounded with verdant fruit trees, blossoming flowers and luscious herbs.  This is our dream: for us Filipinos to reconnect to the origin of our food.  During an educational field trip or study tour (to the Organic farm in Batangas Philippines), a student drew Jollibee when asked to draw a chicken or a Dole can when asked to draw a pineapple.  We would like to believe that this is a thing of the past, over soon.

Earnestly, the tough work of re-educating the youth must start now.  I commend the leaders of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP), in taking charge on the nobility of the formation of the young scouts.  Without radical and effective leadership our youth will be left with gloomy future.  Their bright tomorrow rests heavily on our (us adults) directorship.  Just as the BSP theme pronounces, "Let's build tomorrow today!"

Realizing that while growing our own mini garden gives us healthy food within reach, more, we add extra savings to our pocket.  Further, there is a study that gardening is a good exercise beneficial to physical and mental health.  "Gardening is expected to influence whole body mineral density because it includes weight-bearing motions such as pushing a mover, digging holdes, pulling weeds carrying soil and other gardening items, and because it uses the whole body."  You are not locked with one activity every single day and these change according to the "season."  There is no dull moment with gardening!

As the English version of the song says, "Come, come, friends, let's stretch our muscles!  Let's renew our strength for tomorrow!"

Gardening 101 for Youth at the Villegas Organic Farms

Click here to schedule your students (or school) for Gardening 101 / Educational field trip or Study tour in an Organic Farm, Batangas Philippines
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