Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Sustainable Organic Agriculture - Apprenticeship

RATIONALE
  • Sustainable and organic agriculture is the ultimate answer to the worsening problems of environmental degradation, increasing health risks due to contaminated farm produce and unstable food production supply.
  • The Green Revolution farming technology which is chemical-based and input- intensive has been proven destructive to the environment and unsustainable in providing food security.
  • It is in response to these scenarios that the Villegas Organic and Hobby Farms in collaboration with the Kalipunan ng Sustenableng Agrikultura at Magsasakang Organiko (Kasama Ka Organik Koop) and the Sagip Environment Foundation, Inc. has designed this Apprenticeship Training program on Sustainable and Organic Agriculture.
  • Our training design caters three levels of manpower capacity building: namely; the labor force who are the front line implementors, the supervisors and the technicians.
  • The program provides maximum experiential learning on sustainableand organic farming under the natural farm environment where the concepts, principles and practices of sustainable organic agriculture and zero waste management is demonstrated and practiced with focus on hands-on practicum.
OBJECTIVE

  • To equip the participants the basic knowledge and positive attitudes on sustainable and organic agriculture and zero wastes management , and transfer the science-based and indigenous organic farming technologies including the production of organic farm inputs and practices, and their ultimate adoption by the participants.
  • To promote and propagate the sustainable and organic agriculture at all levels from the farm, community and the country.
IMMEDIATE OUTPUTS/OUTCOMES
  • Well informed, enlightened and hands-on trained participants who will serve as core promotors, trainors and adoptors of sustainable and organic agriculture.
METHODOLOGY

  • Lecture and experiential sharing on the concepts, principles and practices of Sustainable and Organic Agriculture and down-to-earth hands-on practicum of science-based and indigenous organic technologies and practices , production of organic farm inputs and their applications.
FOR MORE INFORMATION

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Organic Farm Complex at the Foothill of Mount Makiling


The titled 4.8 hectares adjacent farms in San Vicente and San Pedro, Sto. Tomas, Batangas will be developed into organic farm lots through the Kalipunan ng Sustenableng Agricultura at Magsasakang Organikong Kooperatiba (Kasama Ka Organik Koop) under the concept of sustainable, organic and ecological agriculture, environment, health and wellness, livelihood and food security program, and following the Nucleus and Satellite Organic Farm Cluster (NUSOFAC) strategy and value chain optimization.

Farm cut will have an area of about 2,500 square meters for both Farm Lot A (open area) and Farm Lot B (with coconuts and fruit bearing trees). Payment terms of 40% down payment. The remaining balance will be payable in equal monthly payments for one (1) year at 0% interest, two (2) years at 8% interest, and three (3) years at 10% interest.

The Kasama Ka Organik Koop, and the farm investors will put up and manage the following basic amenities and support system to farm lot buyers :
+ Water system that will supply the water requirements of the farm;
+ Seedling nursery and organic material and input house that will supply the organic farm inputs needed in organic farming;
+ Technology demonstration area that will serve as a technology show window and venue for hands-on training;
+ Organic technology transfer, technical advise and technical assistance;
+ Buy back/market outlet of organic farm produce;
+ Set up and manage the farm for the farm owner including provision of trained and dedicated workers

Simple Conditionalities:
+ Strictly practice sustainable, organic, and ecological agriculture (SOE) and comply with SOE agriculture standards and best practices in the farm lots;
+ Undergo free one day briefing/training on Sustainable Organic Agriculture at the Sustainable Agriculture and Entrepreneurship (SAGE) Learning Center, Villegas Organic & Hobby Farm Complex, Malvar Batangas;
+ Register membership with the Kasama Ka Organik Koop

Let's go ORGANIC! Farm Tour in Batangas, Click here for more information


Email activeculture@Ymail.com, if you are looking for:
1.Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity
2.Organic Cooperative movement
3.Camping or Tree-planting sites
4.Ecotour, Field trips
5.Organic Agriculture Act of 2010 (RA 10068) materials
6.Environmental Resource Speaker (Expert)
7.Farm training or apprenticeship programs (free-range poultry, vermiculture and vermicomposting, organic agriculture conversion ie rice, corn, sugarcane etc)

Sunday, January 16, 2011

RawVolution, The Living Food Cuisine

Organic * Fresh * Alive * Vegan Raw
The advocacy of raw food as part of your diet has already gained adherently throughout the world. Health buffs and nutritionists are now promoting raw food diet as essential in improving your health. Yes! More and more people are now going into raw food.

The scientific basis for the contribution of raw food to improve your health is not to cook it. Elevated temperatures destroy certain properties in food and lead to the loss of nutritional benefits. One of these are the enzymes are best effective for the body when taken without subjecting them to destructive heat. Raw food may consist of fresh fruits and vegetables, sprouts, seeds, nuts, grains, beans, dried fruit, and seaweeds.

Thus, taking raw food eliminates certain illnesses, where prescription drugs have not been successful. It also helps in preventing the onset of potential health disorders.

Raw food can also be sourced from farm outputs which have not been subjected to synthetic fertilizers and/or pesticides. These are called organically grown produce. These products are also dairy/hormone-free, and contain no antibiotics, unlike certain meat and poultry produce grown on a commercial scale. Taking the raw food diet therefore, leads consumers to be free from accumulating toxins, hormones, and harmful chemicals in the body.


OWNER:
Cheloy Ignacio, Vegan Raw Food Chef and Health Coach

HOUSE SPECIAL:
Fettuccine Alfredo, Portobello Mushroom Steak with rosemary-garlic Mashed Potato and Cheloy's Asian Salad and Mock Salmon Pate

Green Smoothie:
Composed of green leafy vegetables like malunggay, saluyot, and talbos ng kamote mixed with almond milk to make it creamy.

LOCATION: 
15 Annapolis Street, GOLD Building, Greenhills, San Juan, Philippines

OPEN: Mondays to Saturdays, 10AM to 9PM.

EVENT:
The restaurant holds classes on raw food preparation. To inquire, EMAIL US!

HEAR IT FROM CHELOY:
At 19, I became pregnant and was diagnosed to have preeclampsia.  My sugar levels also shoot up from time to time.  As a result, my baby died two days before her due date.

Despite this sad experience, I still went on with the same lifestyle.  My blood pressure went up as high as 280/110 and was even confined several times.  At 23, I had a mild stroke.

I became a walking drugstore and regularly visited hospitals.  I took beta blockers for my blood pressure and medications for high cholesterol.  I even enderwent Lithotripsy to get rid of kidney stones and had occasional allergies with skin patches as big as one peso coin.  In addition to this, I had high liver enzymes, arthritis, pharyngitis, gastroentritis.  I also experienced hair loss and migraine attacks that would last for 3 days.  In most cases, I took headache medication only to suffer stomach side effects.  Having all these ailments eventually resulted to my application for health insurance.

Then one day, I told myself enough is enough. I wanted to wake up in the morning free of headaches and sickness.  I just wanted to wake feeling light, fresh and energetic..

I started reading more books and other materials about raw food.  I also read about medical and wellness practitioners' substantiated claims on the effectiveness of the raw food diet for the human body.  I was convinced and attended a raw food school to know more and see some evidence.

The rest, as they say, is history.  From a sickly person who always had bad mornings, I became healthy.  In just a matter of days, I was able to leave behind all those maintenance medications, early morning sickness, high sugar levels, dizziness and lack of sleep, high cholesterol readings, and everything that had made me feel always sick and tired.

The restaurant holds classes on raw food preparation, "Living On Live Food". To inquire, EMAIL US!

Looking for an ORGANIC FARM Lot / Tour / Training / Coop / CSR in the Philippines?   CONTACT US!!

Blog article courtesy of the RawVolution's Menu Cover

Friday, January 7, 2011

SQUATTERS: Stirring the Conscience of Society

Anonymous, Written on 12 May 1999
How is squatters in Manila after 10 years?

No job. No food. No decent house. Disease-stricken. Evicted by law. Source of crime. Cause of pollution. These are encapsulated in their name -- the Squatters of Manila.

They migrated from different provinces to Manila with a vision of *a better life lies beyond*. But it only remains as much as a dream to be kept in their minds and hearts. Keeping their hopes that "the life" is yet to come. Many others though, bury their faith, blame the government for thie fate, resulting to various crimes.

Life in "the gold city" is harder than they thought of and even imagined. They gullibled to lies such as trade & commerce is promising, multitude of opportunities await job hunters with huge paycheck, all in a bed of roses.

Sure there is trade & cmmerce and much commercialized than towns & provinces. But its not at all easy to be in. It's not for the faint of heart. It takes personal character, work experience and guts to be employed. And each centavo is to be earned in toil.

In effect, with people of no education, which most squatters are, they resolve to illegal activities. Drug pushing is one (they themselve get hooked with drug), robbery of all degrees and even become syndicates to their fellow squatters. It has been an activity for some squatters to search for vacant lots and solicit tenants for a fee. Squatter versus squatter just to earn a living. Holding on to whatever they can no matter how sinister. Survival of the fittest. That is the competition.

The gold city transformed to slum city, a land of tyrannies. There is no stop to the influx of rural people vis-a-vis crime events. The dailies each day display crime of all sorts showing a disgrace of people's morality. The only Catholic country in the globe.

Since the American rule, the government has concentrated in developing Manila to be the center of trade in the Orient. Another reason for the large influx of people from the countryside. There is no job opportunities in their hometowns they can rightfully claim.

Squatting started, making it one of the worst in the world. Uprising the problem it can be, the government has put it into the least priority, alloting only a meager 1-2% of the budget.

In addition, some government agencies, in their neglect to fight for squatting, have withdrawn their responsibility they are called for. They succumb to their wealth, claiming full ownership to lands, which could have been a way to augment the lives of farmers.

Still some local government officials tolerate the squatters keeping them safe in their bosom, making them untouchable for the fulfillment of their continous power, through vote buying.

On the other hand, the government over the years has been unsuccessful in relocating the squatters to Manila outskirts arising to counter-problems. Squatters find the places too far (too costly to commute to work) so they return to the capital and squat again, in a different location. The government has failed to look into the focal point of the situation. Dont squatters need a permanent community where they can belong, stand on their own, be productive and generate income?

While private organizations and some local officials are on the continuous fight for government's full attention on the matter and unceasingly seek for means to resolve the problem, there are concerned individuals and groups soliciting aid from industries which can invest in the Philippines. Venturing business on the countryside that will help in resettlement, income generation, morale boost, hence, increasing financial independence, empowerment, generating jobs, healthier lifestyle. This will greatly reduce the country's problems on traffic congestion, peace & order, pollution, housing and crime.

"We need you"... For us who have prospered in life, would you think a bigger responsibility rest on our shoulders? Aren't we blessed with so much as to share it with people who are less fortunate? Are the poor all over the world no right to live a brighter future? ... "Will you help us get there?"

Will you help them change their lives through sustainable means? Email Us!!

Looking for an ORGANIC FARM Lot / Tour / Training / Coop / CSR in the Philippines?  CONTACT US!!


Sunday, January 2, 2011

A New Year Blessing

I wish for you in this new year...



That the single, most significant dimension of life is your relationship with the Source of Goodness who never ceases to sing love songs to your soul;

That you find meaning, purpose, and vitality in what you do daily;

That you treasure your loved ones and let them know how dear they are to you;

That you keep your sense of humor when things don’t go the way you want; 

That you look in the mirror at least once a day and smile in happy amazement;

That you remember relationships are what count above all else - more than work or money, or all the material things we spend so much time tending;

That you make choices and decisions that reflect your truest self;

That you draw on your inner strength and resiliency when you are in need;

That you never give up on yourself when others turn away or do not understand;

That you are attentive to the health of your body, mind and spirit;

That you take risks and accept the growth-full challenges that come to you;


That you find adventure in each new day and marvel at the wonders of creation which constantly present themselves to you;

That you carry peace within yourself, allowing it to slip into the hearts of others so our planet becomes a place where violence, division, and war are no more...  [poem by Joyce Rupp]



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