A few years ago, Tesoro sold her house in San Juan City, Metro Manila and moved to a three hectare property in San Pablo, Laguna where she maintains her work shop, as well as a small BnB (bed and breakfast), and restaurant called Patis Tito Garden Cafe. “I moved here 40 years ago but I never lived here. I was always working as a dressmaker in Manila but now that my husband is gone and I’m 68, turning 69, and this is the life I have,” she says.
She tells her story as she gives a tour of her garden, which is composed of pathways that wind around different plants, some of them ornamental, most of them edible. She knows each and every one. “This is talinum. There is no pesticide here. It’s like spinach,” she says, plucking a leaf and offering it to taste. “I grow plants that I like to eat or I like to use.”
The designer is known for championing Philippine fabrics, most notably piňa, and taking inspiration from traditional Filipino design elements. Her designs are colorful, flamboyant, and unmistakably Filipino. This is reflected in her home and garden, and in the BnB that also sits on the property.
WORKING WITH NATURE
She practices permaculture, which revolves around the design philosophy of working with nature and treating plants and animals as a whole system instead of separate parts. “I always seek for what’s the best. In permaculture, it’s so rich,” she says. “The way I work is I work with plants first before I even building anything. I work around the plants.”
The list of plants in her garden is extensive. A partial list includes okra, oregano, curry, Meyer lemon, balimbing, lime, labuyo, papaya, atsuete, and sambong. There are plots dedicated to lemongrass and Philippine cotton.
Esta historia es de la edición September 2019 de Agriculture.
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Esta historia es de la edición September 2019 de Agriculture.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
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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.
