PIA Press Release
Thursday, January 05, 2012 Feature:This natural farm supplies life-giving foodby Rebecca Grace S. DavidOrganically grown red and green romaine lettuce, cabbage, arugula, coriander, mustasa, and pechay abound in the Charisma Natural Farm in San Roque, Magalang town. There are also plots of organically grown herbs such as tarragon, gotu cola, mint, basil, stevia, citronella, lemongrass, and chocolate mint. Even edible flowers used in salads are propagated in the natural farm. Likewise, no pesticides or chemical fertilizers were used in the vegetables abundantly growing in the farm. There are ampalaya, talong, upo, patola, kalabasa, kamatis, sigarilyas, okra, and many more. Two years ago, Cynthia Tizon established Charisma Natural Farm, a 7,600 square meters integrated farm in San Roque. The illnesses which afflict a person may be attributed to the consumption of food laden with pesticides and chemicals, she claims. Having worked for a pharmaceutical company for 25 years, she was witness to the fact that in spite of the many medicine in the market, many still continue to be sick. She retired to fulfill her dream of engaging in organic farming. She attended courses and seminars in organic agriculture. Among the organic fertilizer she applies to her veggies are the Fermented Fruit Juice, Fermented Plant Juice, Fish Amino Acid, Indigenous Microorganisms, shell calcium, and calcium phosphate. She also grows native chicken and pigs. The animals are never given antibiotics and growth hormones. They are instead fed with concoctions of fruits and veggies. The farm also has a small fishpond ready to be seeded with tilapia. Rice is also growing in the small palayan. Students who come for an educational tour are given lectures on how to plant organic fruits and veggies, learn vermiculture, get to taste naturally grown chicken, drink herbal teas, and more importantly, realize the value of agriculture to sustain food production. Proponents of a healthy lifestyle who wish to avail of life-giving food may visit the farm and purchase the various products organically grown there. (RGSD PIA- 3) |
