The Master's Garden in La Trinidad was the first farm in Benguet to be certified organic by the Organic Certification Center of the Philippines (OCCP) in 2009. The 3000sqm. area was considered by its owner, Mr. Ambrosio "Pat" Acosta, as a God-given opportunity to develop raw land. He was awarded Natatanging Organic Farmer of 2009-2010 by the Department of Agriculture.

The farm was envisioned to be an area where salad greens and vegetables could be grown. In 1999, Mr. Acosta and his workers started to carefully and manually carve his land's rolling terrain. At the same time, they gathered wild vegetation around the area to make compost. He recalled that soil restoration was very difficult that their first harvested vegetables were small and sickly. "We had to augment nutrition to the soil by incorporating animal manure, sawdust, leaf moulds, organic fertilizer, sea vegetation, and the compost we produced in the area," he described.

After acquiring a shredding machine in 2003 to make compost faster and better, the farm's soil improved. In six months, the vegetable harvests became two to three times more in size and weight. Since then, Mr. Acosta's crops stayed healthy and robust.

When I toured the farm with fellow bloggers, we were impressed at how the minimal land space was maximized well while working harmoniously with nature. The farming techniques we were shown are simple, practical, and involve low technology. "In organic agriculture, we have to extend practices that are simple and will not require much from the farmer aside from his effort," explained Mr. Acosta. "So everything that we will need to make this system prosper has to be within his reach already."

The size of The Master's Garden is actually very manageable that a family of four can run it easily. "Anyone can put it together, operate it, and enjoy the many benefits of comfortable living in this lifetime." Mr. Acosta emphasizes that every guest's visit is very important because, through it, "We share information that good soil, wholesome food, a healthy you, and a safe environment, is how we can ensure the next generation's survival."

All crops in this farm are free from pesticides and are very resistant to pests. Why? Because good soil + good crops = good harvest. According to Mr. Acosta, crops are a reflection of soil health. Their cells are sturdy and hard to chew for pests unlike crops raised using chemical fertilizers that may look bulky but are actually just filled with water, which makes the cells brittle and easy to munch on by pests.

Non-organic vegetables also wilt easily. Those who buy organic or have home gardens and who do not use fertilizers know that veggies harvested from their own backyards last longer in the refrigerator than those normally bought from the supermarkets. I've proven that for myself many times.

Those interested to learn more about low input sustainable agriculture and how to start their own organic farms are encouraged to attend Mr. Acosta's workshops/seminars for 2, 7, or 14  days. Fees are at P1,000/person/day. Likewise, school children are very much welcome in the farm so they can learn topics on soil, decomposition, recycling, food production, and the food chain.  

When you do drop by, make sure you order a set meal at the multi-purpose hall. The Master's Garden serves tasty dishes made with organically-grown greens and cooked by Mr. Acosta's wife. Our lunch there was sumptuous and tummy-filling.

Personally, one of the things I value most from my visit was finding out that the longer a vegetable's roots dig deep into the soil, the more nutritious it is. Now I know what veggies to prioritize when blending food for my special child's tube-fed meals. I just hope I find organic sugar beets in Manila after the supply I bought from Benguet runs out.

The Master's Garden is located at ME-133 Lamtang-Pico Road, Barangay Puguis, La Trinidad, Benguet.  For inquiries, please call or text them at 0917-9258499 (Pat) or 0917-6468134 (Ana).

For more information on organic agriculture, log on to www.ati.da.gov.ph and www.e-extension.gov.ph.

* Note: You can read Part 1 of this Organic Farm Tour Series here and see more photos taken during our farm visits here.

I would bet that we all know someone who is suffering from a medical condition right now. I, for one, have friends and relatives who have various illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, and even cancer. 

Isn't it alarming that more and more people seem to get sick these days? According to researches I've read over the years, one culprit originates from the food we eat. And despite the vast information online about healthy food, many of us still don't know what's exactly in the stuff we eat and how they are produced before they get sold in supermarkets or grocery stores.

Last year, I got to visit the Costales Nature Farms in Majayjay, Laguna and had my eyes opened to the many benefits of organic agriculture not only for the farmers but, more so, for consumers like me. Because of the things I experienced there, I became more wary of fruits and vegetables grown using pesticides that could harm my family. 

Just this past weekend, thanks to the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) of the Department of Agriculture (DA), I joined a group of bloggers on an unforgettable journey up north towards wellness. I didn't realize that there was more to be learned about organic farming and I was very glad to be given the opportunity to expand my knowledge.  

Our first stop was Lily of the Valley (LOV), a farm owned by Mr. Jefferson and Mrs. Eliza Laruan. We were toured around the nursery and greenhouses and I was very impressed at how healthy the vegetables are, which are grown without the use of synthetically compounded fertilizer and pesticides. 

Mr. Laruan, a fourth generation farmer, told us that he started thinking about shifting from conventional to an alternative way of farming after he was badly affected by plant spray in 1977. He lost consciousness for a day and a half when his pores got clogged with the pesticide's mist. 

From 1981-1998, he chose to plant sayote but, due to the heavy sacks of vegetables he regularly carried, he had to undergo an hernia operation. By 2005, Mr. Laruan decided to go into organic farming full time. It took him 8 months of trial and error but he eventually got things right. For the past 7 years, he has been harvesting 50 kilos worth of crops every week compared to conventional farming which takes months before produce mature. He is grateful for having greenhouses that enable him to plant even during the rainy seasons.

Mr. and Mrs. Laruan grow fruits, leafy vegetables, and legumes in 6000sqm of the total two-hectare land area. They practice root crop rotation and multi-cropping and employ six full time workers. 

I was delighted to find out that the farm offers lodging amenities to guests who would like to get away from city life for a while. Their Homestay and Coffee Shop is a beautiful place where visitors could have a meal and stay for a night or two. They have rooms for rent and common areas where friends can stay up late and chat the night away. One can have the option to build a bonfire outside or stay cozy beside the fireplace inside. Out on the balcony, one can even pick mulberry fruits directly from a tree!

As I was wondering how people could go there if they have no private vehicle, Mrs. Laruan said they can bring guests to and from the bus station in Baguio City. Someday, when I feel the need to unwind and find a serene place to stay in without the trappings of modernity, I would love to come back to Lily of the Valley and simply enjoy healthy food and fresh air in a soothing environment. 

Know more about Lily of the Valley Organic Farms. Visit http://lilyofthevalley-organicfarms.webs.com, email lilyofthevalley.benguet@gmail.com and jclaruan@gmail.com, or contact 0949-3997126. 

For more information on organic agriculture, log on to www.ati.da.gov.ph and www.e-extension.gov.ph.

When the opportunity to visit Sagada in Mountain Province presented itself about a month ago, I immediately agreed to go. I knew it would be a great adventure and it was! The trip happened after  we've visited several organic farms in Benguet. 

Last week, our group of bloggers traveled to Sagada to visit several sites. We left La Trinidad around 4:30 am for the 5 -hour travel. The van stopped in Atok at around 5:30am so we can take pictures of the sunrise.

Unfortunately, I have a weakness for cold weather and scrambled back to the warm comfort of the van after just a few shots. I couldn't stand the freezing cold wind that suddenly greeted us along the highway.

Juicing is very popular these days and many advocates say it's best to use raw fruits and vegetables for optimum health. But, did you know that food is ONLY best eaten raw if it's organic or grown using natural methods of farming?

According to Mr. Felix Tan, owner of the Garden of Life Farm in Benguet, chemically-grown food may be more harmful if eaten raw!

Mr. Tan, who practices alternative medicine, utilizes 1500 sqm. of his 1.7 hectare-land to grow crops that can help heal people. He has been farming for 11 years and applies learnings from Mr. Pat Acosta, the owner of The Master's Garden, who willingly teaches why organic farming should be the way to go to preserve the environment for the next generations.

The Garden of Life grows anti-cancer veggies such as bokchoy, sugar beets, carrots, French beans, herbs, and more. There, we were offered to taste some leaves directly plucked from the plants. Since they're organically grown, they are safe to be eaten raw.

From Mr. Tan, I learned that an ounce of freshly-squeezed wheat grass juice a day can help flush out toxins from the body. He also told us that Ashitaba leaves (or what some call Leaves of Tomorrow), which originated in Japan, are good for people with diabetes, hypertension, and even cancer because it contains powerful antioxidants and nutrients.

Visiting the Garden of Life has once more ingrained in me the importance of prioritizing genuinely healthy food over the cheaper but potentially dangerous ones. Learn more about organic organic agriculture by logging on to www.ati.da.gov.ph and www.e-extension.gov.ph.

Many of us have days when we feel like we can't take the body aches anymore. I suffer from chronic back and shoulder pains most of the time and I attribute that to lugging around a big bag every time I need to go out on for media duty. 

Much as I'd like not to bring a lot of stuff, I still end up doing so because, as may females will tell you, it's better to have the things you might need later than regretting it big time when you didn't bring something that will turn out you really needed after all. 

This particular past week, my usual aches and pains were quite magnified after I came back from traveling to Benguet and Sagada. Oh, it was a fun, fun trip full of new learnings and camaraderie with friends, but I guess my not-so-young body anymore was stretched a bit than it was supposed to when I gamely joined a three-hour trek inside the Sumaguing Cave.

Expectedly, my body was craving for a massage for days but it was difficult to find time. Until I found out that Big Apple Express Spa (read my massage experience at their Market! Market! branch here) has already opened a branch in Festival Mall, Alabang which is very accessible from our place! So I went there last Thursday to check out the new place.    

I like having massages at BAES because their therapists give really good treatments at affordable prices. I was further delighted to find out that they are now offering what they call a Make Your Own Manhattan Massage that enables personalized relaxation for their clients.

Of course, I opted for that one with special instructions to concentrate on my back and shoulders. A significant amount of time on those painful body areas eased a lot of muscle tightness and I was so thankful for the light feeling after 60 minutes.

I had the massage done a couple of hours before the mall closed. That night, since my knotted muscles finally got to relax, I was able to sleep soundly for the first time in days. 

If you also live in the Muntinlupa or Las Pinas areas, make sure you pay Big Apple Express Spa a visit and try their services for yourself. If you're in other parts of Metro Manila, Luzon, or Iloilo, see if there's a BAES near you here. Prices start from as low as P49 for a 5-minute massage. Mine cost P399. 

For more info and to be updated of new promos, visit their website at http://bigappleexpressspa.com and Like their official Facebook page.

Coffee is a staple in most people's daily lives. I have friends who say they can't function well without this beverage and I also know people who really spend a lot for their coffee fixes.

Me? I'm not much of a coffee drinker as I prefer to simply have a mug of Milo every morning for breakfast. But I do drink coffee every now and then when I meet with friends in coffee shops or simply feel I could use a cup at home whenever I need to stay up all night to finish my writing deadlines.

During a recent trip up North, our group of bloggers stayed in the Agricultural Training Institute dormitory located inside Benguet State University where we could grab a cup of organic coffee several times a day. Surprisingly, many of us really did like this kind of coffee because it is not too bitter and tastes really good!

When we went to Sagada, we did a courtesy call at the Mayor's office where the agricultural extension representatives there had us try their organic coffee. Again, we enjoyed the smooth blend that is a pleasure to drink especially during that very cold morning.

Later, we saw for ourselves how organic coffee is grown in the farm of Mr. Osenio Lay-os. His coffee plantation is interspersed with other crops such as passion fruits and pears. He generously offered us to try them and we had fun munching on these healthy produce.

The coffee grown in this farm is the Arabica variety, which is very apt for the cool climate. Mr. Lay-os belongs to a cooperative that has acquired machines that help them process coffee beans for roasting and grinding. 

They house the machines in a small structure where we had a really nice lunch of a traditional Sagada dish that has Pinikpikang Manok (native chicken), Etag (smoked pork), and vegetables. The flavorful hot soup was perfect for the weather.

Please read more about our Sagada adventures in other posts coming up in the next few days :)

You can view more Sagada photos here and here. 

For more information on organic agriculture, log on to www.ati.da.gov.ph and www.e-extension.gov.ph.

I've read in some articles that people go to coffee shops not really for the coffee but for the ambiance and a place to hangout with friends. But I believe how the coffee tastes is also a big factor why patrons frequent certain establishments.

Me? I prefer coffee shops that not only serve good coffee but also prepare good food. Right now, Cafe Laya tops my list of favorite coffee shops because, aside from the delicious food and flavorful coffee, the place likewise inspires creativity while also helping local artisans.  

Cafe Laya is a coffee shop in an art gallery (or vice versa). There, you'll find beverages and food made from local ingredients and homemade sauces. The coffee beans are 100% Arabica sourced from the Benguet Province and used as base for hot and cold, classic and exciting mixes such as Salted Caramel Latte and Mocha, Dark Chocolate, Cookies and Cream, and more.

If you're planning to visit Ventiane, Laos any time soon, here's sharing my experience of staying at Mixay Paradise when I taught a week-long academic writing course there early this month. It's a good place to go to for several reasons:

1. Mixay Paradise is located at the Centerpoint area which means a lot of nice places are very accessible by foot. From there, I could just walk to the end of the block and reach the Mekong River in a few minutes. It is surrounded by a lot of restaurants serving different cuisines so it is easy to grab a bite to eat. There are also nearby shops around the block where you can buy souvenirs to take home.

For snacks, the local 7-Eleven there, called M Point, is also walking distance to Mixay. If you are craving for pastries, there's the popular JoMa Bakery just beyond the next block. Whenever I needed to exchange money, I just walk to the bank around the corner, just a few steps away from the hotel entrance.

2. This hotel offers reasonable rates at various price points depending on guests' needs. Since I was sure I won't be able to watch TV (as what often happens when I'm traveling) I just opted to stay at an air conditioned room that includes breakfast. The room cost me 120,000 Laotian Kip a night, which is roughly around US$16-17.00 depending on the current exchange rate.

3. Mixay Paradise has comfortable and clean rooms. My room was not as big as the other hotel rooms I've occupied in the past, but it was alright with me. Since my room doesn't have a closet, I just made use of the coat rack to hang my clothes on and used the desk as a tiny dining table. Before I retire for the night, I'd turn on the bedside lamp and sleep with dimmed lighting. The electric sockets are within reach of the bed, which made it easy to charge all my gadgets at night. 

I like the spacious bathroom that has a huge roll of tissue paper. There was no need during my whole stay to request for new ones. Oh, and the bathroom has a water heater, too! The door has a working chain lock which made me feel secure.

4. The staff are very friendly and always smiling even if we don't understand each other verbally most of the time. The ladies who clean my room everyday do a good job because I didn't feel that they are the types to go through guests' stuff (unlike in one hotel in another Asian country I stayed in before).

5. The public areas are okay to hang around in. Whenever I am waiting for my ride to take me to our training center, I would stay in the lobby or dining area and go people-watching. It's interesting to see a lot of foreigners with different nationalities passing by inside and outside. 

At night, I see some of the guests hang out along the spacious balcony that overlooks the Mixay temple across the street. Since the temperature remains quite hot even at nighttime, I just prefer to stay in my room to work or catch up with news back home. 

6. Free Wifi is available although there are moments when the speed becomes really slow. Still. I while I was there, I got to chat with my family back home using Skype or Viber and was able to update my social networking sites at least once or twice a day. Supposedly, WiFi is only available from 9AM to 11:30PM but my phone keeps on updating my emails even in the wee hours of the night so I am not complaining. 

7. There's free coffee all day for registered guests that you can get from the lobby. Unfortunately, since I am often out during the daytime, I didn't get to avail of that except when I eat breakfast. Their Lao coffee is good! It reminded me of the delicious organic coffee that my friends and I had in Benguet and Sagada last July.

As to downsides, I just find the numerous warnings/reminders/signs posted all over the hotel (in the lobby, inside the elevator, inside the rooms, even on the room key!) too much. The breakfast choices were also limited to scrambled eggs, fried egg, or omelette. They serve at least one Lao dish on the buffet table but they are always too spicy for my taste. By the third morning, I was ready to go out and find breakfast elsewhere. 

I discovered JoMa Bakery too late. I only got to taste their wonderful mulberry pie the last night I was in Laos thanks to my newfound friends Sodachanh and Phou. If I knew that I could buy pastries that good, I would have opted not to avail of the hotel's breakfast every day.

Anyhow, I'd still say I had a good overall experience staying in Mixay Paradise. If I do get to visit Vientiane again sometime in the future, there's a chance that I would book there again because of its location, price, cleanliness, and security.

*For more photos of Laos, please check out my Facebook albums here and here.