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Locally-sourced planting materials: beans from the market that sprouted on their own, tiesa given by a neighbor, ice cream bean plant volunteer.

Alugbati, equivalent to spinach in taste, is a hardy plant and drought tolerant when established. It's easy to propagate the cuttings. These roots grew out after 2 weeks.

Beans:
- store well for a long time
- are easy to grow
- are hardy plants
- can be eaten as seeds or sprouts
- enrich the soil

Free gardening resources from the neighborhood:
- garden soil enhanced with pig manure from a neighbor's backyard
- rice hull from the neighbor's thresher
- discarded containers
- eggshells from daily consumption

Others: wood shavings and leftover sand when there's construction going on.

Saving narra seeds for planting and sharing. 😊🌱

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.

- Edward Abbey

Years ago, I volunteered in this remote place in Mt. Province, training health workers and doing medical missions. After 20 years, I was still welcomed warmly by the people here. Sadly, some of the farms haven't been tended and very few go out to the forest to hunt or harvest fruits. Some of the challenges they face:
⚡migration of able-bodied men and women to the cities
⚡old age or debility of seasoned farmers
⚡border conflicts with other tribes
⚡reliance on government assistance, programs, including rice subsidies

This time around, I aim to learn their traditional ways of planting before these practices fade away and homestead alongside them using permaculture principles. I'm looking forward to meaningful exchanges in knowledge and practices in farming. 🌱

This is the Cinnamomum nanophylum, one of the endangered cinnamon kaningag species, and it only grows at high elevation of around 1000 MASL.

In partnership with Plantsville Health and the Provincial Environment Management Office (PEMO), farmers are now planting the kaningag in this area.

Happy Day of the Forests!

Feature of the Day

Meet November Canieso-Yeo of Plantsville Health Products from Brgy. Estefania, Bacolod City — one of our empowered Negrense women entrepreneurs assisted by DTI.

She encourages fellow Negrense women entrepreneurs to support one another and find joy in their business journey.

Together, let’s celebrate women’s strength and success in shaping a brighter tomorrow.