Organic Farmers Practice Permaculture in Silang, Cavite

Aerial view of the vegetable garden. Photo by Jabez Flores

After spending a week in Visayas (Antique and Cebu), the team went to Silang, Cavite to visit an organic farm called Kai Farms. Hidden on top of the cool foggy mountains of Cavite, the farm is well-known to backyard gardeners and organic farming enthusiasts. By the way, the road going to the farm is quite challenging due to construction, we wouldn't suggest visiting on a rainy day! Upon our arrival, we were greeted by Thomas Caristea (or Kuya Thom), the farm's 'earth leader'--he supervises a team of around 13 farmers. He led us to his brother's house where we would stay for the next three days since the farm does not have accommodations...yet. After settling in, he brought us to the farm which was just a few minutes walk from the house. 

Kuya Thom being interviewed. Photo by Jabez Flores

Kuya Thom introduced us to the farmers and the two newly hired young agriculturists, Yancy and Camiel. It was only their third day in the farm. The group was offered some tea and we had a long chat in the gazebo before we started the tour.

Rolled 'saba' banana leaves to be used as seed packets. Photo by Jabez Flores

During the tour, we noticed that the farmers were rolling leaves of bananas into small seedling containers. They told us that they no longer use plastic in the farm that's why they came up with the banana packets. After visiting ten permaculture sites, this was the first time we saw this being practiced.

The farm was a textbook example of a permaculture design--small and compact, integrated and stacked, and zoned clearly according to use and function. As for gathering data, it was challenging for us because so many things are planted in very tight spaces. Which is thrilling, actually.

Young agriculturists, Camiel and Yancy, rolling banana leaves. Photo by Jabez Flores

On our last day, the owner, Karla Delgado, visited the farm to pick up vegetable deliveries together with her friends, Asha and Lourdes Villaraza. We had the chance to see how the vegetables were being packed using banana leaves. Then we all had a wonderful lunch together. 

We would like to say thank you to Amena Bal for connecting us with Karla and Kuya Thom. We hope you would be at the farm next time! Thank you also to Karla, Kuya Thom, and the rest of the staff for accommodating us for three days.

The vlog episode for Kai Farms will premier at 8 PM on YouTube and Facebook on February 14--Valentine's Day!

A garden salad harvested fresh from the farm. Photo by Jabez Flores

A Permaculture Design from Cebu City to Carcar

The main building at the Nature Sanctuary designed by Joel Lee. Photo by Jabez Flores

From Alpas Resort in Antique, the team took a flight to Cebu via Iloilo to check out a permaculture design on a scale that's unlike anything we have experienced from the past eight trips. Originally, our intention was to visit just one farm in Carcar City because we only had three days to do our data gathering. But our respondent, Edna Lee, insisted that we also take a look at their projects in Cebu City so that we can understand the full extent of their permaculture design. We agreed to the proposal knowing that permaculture design is more than just farming. We wanted to see the entire system--how things fit in and how each component works...plus we didn't pay for anything! Thank you! 

The West Gorordo Hotel frontage featuring various plants, vegetables, a pond, and a meandering driveway. Photo by Jabez Flores

We spent our first night at West Gorordo Hotel--the first of three permaculture-inspired hotels in Cebu City. In the morning, the staff gave us an orientation and a tour of the hotel and its permaculture design features (which we will feature on our YouTube channel soon!). It has a library and an art gallery called the Museum of Naive Art, featuring the works of artist, Paulina Constancia Lee, sister of Edna. Next, we went to the Mayflower Inn--one of the oldest buildings in the city and lastly, to Elicon House where we met Edna for the first time. We had a quick lunch and headed straight to Carcar City with her to visit The Justice German Lee Jr. Nature Sanctuary (or Nature Sanctuary for short. German Lee Jr. is the name of their father).

The front desk and the staff of the Mayflower Inn. Photo by Dada Mercado

The bicycle museum at the Elicon House. Photo by Dada Mercado

It was here where we met Joel Lee, Edna's older brother, a veteran permaculture designer and one of the very first students at Cabiokid along with his sister. The Nature Sanctuary is situated in a dense beach forest with half of the property dedicated to mangrove conservation. We would spend the next two days in this place gathering data and understanding the design philosophy behind the site and its relationship with the three hotels in Cebu City. Edna and Joel definitely shared a lot to us and we're now in the process of analyzing the data that we have. It's a huge project but we're happy to see a design that goes beyond the boundaries of a backyard farm. 

The vlog episode for Cebu City will premier on February 7 and Carcar City on February 12. 

Special thanks to Edna and Joel for being such gracious hosts! See you soon.

  

Developing a Transdiciplinary Research Methodology for Documenting and Studying Permaculture Designs*

*ongoing research

Jabez Joshua Flores

Ara Kathleen Bagunu

Criselda Dorothi Mercado

Permaculture is a holistic system of design that encompasses many disciplines in the natural and social sciences.  Originally intended by its founders, Mollison and Holmgren (1978), as an alternative to large-scale, monocropped agricultural systems, permaculture has evolved over the years into an international social movement and design philosophy for a sustainable and eco-centric way of life.

But because of the diversity of topics and complex nature of permaculture as a design discipline, formal research on the subject matter has been overlooked in the academe for many years. The current interest in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research by the fields of environmental science and agroecology has paved the way for researchers to have a more holistic scientific paradigm of systems-thinking. This paradigm can be used in the study of permaculture design. 

What exactly is being studied in a permaculture design? Biodiversity? Food systems? Socio-economic relations? Or socio-political structures? The research aims to give focus on what to look for in a permaculture site by providing a methodological framework on how to observe, document, and gather data on the dynamic multicomponent and multifunctional nature of a permaculture design.  

Mainstreaming Permaculture Practices using the Video Blog (vlog) Format *

Interviewing Edu Foronda at Jubileeville, Bay, Laguna. Photo by Criselda Dorothi Mercado

*ongoing research

Jabez Joshua Flores

Ara Kathleen Bagunu

Criselda Dorothi Mercado

Brian Sulicipan

Jim Leandro Cano

According to the ‘Digital in 2017 Global Overview’ (reported by ABS-CBN News), Filipinos average about 4.17 hours per day online. And around 60 million people or 58% of the total population are active social media users. Websites like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube has provided permaculture designers with an accessible platform to congregate, exchange ideas, and form communities. The video blog, or vlog, is a popular form of shareable online content in recent years. Vlogs are short, visually appealing, and offers a personal account of a specific experience.

At Glinoga Organic Farm. Photo by Brian Sulicipan

In this study, vlogs will be used to communicate permaculture as a concept for sustainable agriculture, food security, and an eco-friendly lifestyle. The content of the vlogs will address the following questions: Who practices permaculture?  Where are permaculture sites located? What are the objectives of the design? What are the key design components and how do they interact with each other? And how does design contribute to food security?

The research team is composed of five members: a lead vlog host equipped with a mobile phone and monopod; two secondary mobile phone cameras, GoPro, and digital camera; a drone operator; and a main cameraman. Sixteen (16) vlog episodes will be uploaded between January and February 2019. Audience feedback and engagement will be measured and analyzed.  

Presented our methodology on permaculture vlogging during the Environmental Communication parallel session at the 1st International Conference and 8th of Annual Scientific Meeting of the Association of Development Communication Educators and Practitioners (ADCEP). The theme for this year is "Devcom in borderless societies"
#ADCEP2018 Photo by Catherine Bucu-Flores

Successful "Permaculture in Sixty Minutes" Sessions @ Sierreza

The first session last October 27 had eight participants from Metro Manila and Laguna.

Last October 27 and November 24, the PRPH team conducted quick permaculture workshops for the casual backyard gardener called "Permaculture in Sixty Minutes." The objective of the workshop was to create interest in the practice of permaculture, especially to those who plan to take a full PDC course in the future. The workshop is a knowledge-sharing and fund-raising activity to support the work of the team and also promote the "zero-waste" store concept practiced by Sierreza. Thank you to all the participants who joined us, it was our pleasure to meet you all and engage in meaningful conversations. We hope you have already applied what you learned in your daily life!

We are planning to make "Sixty Minutes" a regular event but our schedule is full this month. We hope to resume by January 2019. We will keep you posted on our Facebook page.

The morning session last November 24 had three participants coming all the way from Taguig, Metro Manila and Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

The afternoon session last November 24 only had one participant but we met new friends from the other table!