“The idea of the Community Shared Agriculture (CSA) program is to invite you to become more than a consumer, to share in the risk that the farmers take on behalf of our food system,” says Charlene Tan, CEO of Good Food Community (GFC), a social enterprise that connects consumers with the farmers that grow their food. “It’s a program by which members can be part of farm operations by paying upfront for a share of the harvest and the farmer basically plants for this market in mind, these CSA members who share in the risk of farming. As a customer, you get a box of fresh organic vegetables every week, whatever’s in season, and of course, it’s organically grown and the farmer is assured of a stable demand because when they started planting, they already had the customers in mind.”
GFC clients “subscribe to a weekly basket of vegetables, and this in turn, enables the farmer to grow without worrying about having a market or not, and it allows the farmer to focus on what matters in farming which is your nutrition and the health of the soil and the system that feeds us.”
Tan shares that though GCF was formally registered in 2011, they had started talking to farmers as early as the year before. Right now, they work with several communities. They mainly work with the Chico River Organic Producers Cooperative from Bauko, Mountain Province, as well as farmers from Capas, Tarlac, and a small Dumagat community in Daraitan, Rizal. Here are some lessons she’s learned while on the journey:
FIND A GOOD TEAM
It is important to know from the start that it will be very difficult to go about an endeavor like this alone. A team made up of similar-minded people can help you set up your business and achieve your goals faster.
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Esta historia es de la edición October 2019 de Agriculture.
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TAKING THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED PROMPTED A COUPLE TO BUY A LOT AND START THEIR OWN FILIPINO DREAM OF FARMING
ED AND CECILE GABATAN have been working in the corporate world for years. Like many other Fllipinos who have spent their work days dealing with paperwork and facing a computer, they too, dream of retiring on a farm someday where they can enjoy the fresh breeze and grow their own food.
URBAN GARDENER GROWS FOOD IN PLASTIC DRUMS AMID THE QUARANTINE FOR THEIR FAMILY'S FOOD SECURITY
IN QUEZON CITY, Daisy Cu, 46, began growing vegetables in their residence as an attempt at food security and self-sufficiency. Cu has been tending ornamental plants and fruit-bearing trees for years now. Her free time during the quarantine allowed her not only to focus on cultivating her existing plants, but also to produce vegetables at home using plastic drums. Cu's goal to provide food for their family is what urged her to establish a decorative, yet an edible garden incorporating ornamental and food crops. "With the use of the blue drums, I was able to achieve my intention of creating an edible but decorative garden plus I was able to repurpose the drums as well,” Cu explained.
YOUNG SEAFARER GROWS GRAPES TO GET BACK ON HIS FEET
BEING A SEAFARER is one of the most arduous jobs that one can engage in. Not only does it require a good amount of physical strength and endurance, but it also calls for a sound mental and emotional capacity. These qualities help them survive for months on end at sea, far from their family and the usual comforts they are accustomed to.
SOFTWARE ENGINEERS ESTABLISH FARM TO EARN PROFIT AND FOSTER FOOD SECURITY
PHILIPPINE AGRICULTURE has had its highs and lows over the years. Some examples of its low points include oversupply in farmers' crops, and land grabbing. Meanwhile, it has also seen some success through the rise of farm tourism destinations, the establishment of farm to market roads, and programs aimed to help out the Filipino farmer.
SENIOR CITIZEN'S QUEZON FARM IS THE PRODUCT OF HARD WORK
ROMULO B. AYAG , or Ka Mulong as he is fondly called, owner of Ka Mulong’s Farm, had to go through a tough life to obtain the hard-earned achievements that he and his family now savor.
RETIRED CORPORATE EMPLOYEE IS NOW A FULL-TIME FARMER
A LOT OF PEOPLE become farmers in retirement. One of them is Thelma Murillo, a retiree who is now a full-time farmer after working in the corporate world for more than 30 years.
MANILENO FAMILY WHO MOVED TO ALBAY FINDS SUCCESS IN FARMING AND EARNS OVER P60,000 A MONTH
LIVING IN THE CITY means convenience and other benefits, but it also entails bearing with traffic, noise, and pollution. For this reason, others may find urban life exhausting, making them yearn for a peaceful and healthy environment.
REMOTE FOREST FARM IN RIZAL BOASTS AN ALL-NATURAL FARM EXPERIENCE
IN HINDUISM, Vaikuntha is the name of the celestial abode of Vishnu, one of the three main gods of the religion who is responsible for protecting and maintaining life on earth.
FORMER OFW RUNS INTEGRATED NATURAL FARM IN ORIENTAL MINDORO, DONATES FARM PRODUCTS AMID PANDEMIC
LOVE AND PASSION are the two things that spurred Ramona M. Pastor, owner of HN Organic Farm, to fully devote her time to farming after working in various fields abroad for over 10 years.
FARMERS' DAUGHTER DEVELOPS A FARM RESORT THAT EARNS PROFIT AND PRESERVES THE ENVIRONMENT
PEOPLE sometimes have the false notion that farmers would not wish for their children to follow in their footsteps, or that the youth have no interest in farming like their ancestors.
