Learning natural farming naturally: Couple in Quezon devotes time and passion to organic agriculture

By BENJAMIN SARONDO

Angeli and Michael Bryan Pascual own Bukid Iluminada, an integrated farm located in Barangay Balubal, Sariaya, Quezon, where they naturally grow fruits and vegetables and raise livestock and poultry.

The integrated farm was inspired by Michael’s grandmother, Iluminada, who hoped her family could make a livelihood as farmers.

“I wanted to honor my grandmother, who dreamed of starting a farm and supporting her family,” Michael said. “Sadly, she was unable to see this come to fruition as she succumbed to cancer in 2020 during the height of the pandemic,” he added.

“I chose organic because it helps prevent illness and disease. It is a sustainable way of caring for the earth and contributing to food security,” Michael stated. The Pascuals see the correlation between conventional agriculture and increased health risks and have since devoted their energy toward organic agriculture.

Bukid Iluminada now produces over six dozen varieties of herbs, vegetables, and fruits in five planting areas on nearly 2 hectares of land.

The farm offers its produce in several local farmers markets in Quezon province, including at SM City Lucena, and delivers it to local restaurants and residential customers. Michael said that the farm aspires to partner with more institutional markets in Metro Manila.

Started from nothing

“I didn’t have a formal background in agriculture. It grew from passion, watching tutorials on Youtube, reading, and attending seminars. Eventually, I was able to acquire my Organic Agriculture Production National Certificate II from TESDA and participated in a training by Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) from the local government,” Michael stated.

Also, he attended various agribusiness trainings, joined farmer groups and became a member of the Sariaya Organic Producers Association and the Quezon Organic Agriculture Cooperative.

He also said that he learned some things about organic agriculture from local farmers. “I also learned by doing. I am willing to try out new things, adapting practices that worked and pivoting from those that didn’t work,” he added.

Some of the plants and crops that Bukid Iluminada grows are bananas, papayas, tomatoes, eggplants, pole beans, soybeans, and many more. Michael said that the farm is practicing multi cropping in the planting area to accommodate more crops at once.

“Best sellers are usually bananas and eggplants. Since selling our products at various farmers market’s and online, we have generated a growing customer base who follow us on social media for the latest updates and market days.”

Here are some steps

He said that for one to succeed in the industry, they must start small, participate in farmer markets, and take advantage of every opportunity for exposure.

“I started growing veggies in Lucena and selling them online, developing a small customer base. I soon realized the potential for online marketing and sales of organic fruits and veggies, and I decided to take it seriously and develop the farm in Sariaya,” Michael said.

Michael stated that prior to developing the farm in Sariaya, the soil lay dormant for several years with minimal harvests of coconuts and bananas since it was surrounded by neighboring houses.

“In 2019, development began with fencing the perimeter of the entire property. We started with one main planting area that was a little over 1,000 square meters and grew eggplants and peppers. We delivered our harvests to the wet market and started marketing online, eventually reaching out to possible buyers in Manila,” he said.

Michael said that Bukid Iluminada successfully partnered with an organic retailer in Manila who resold their products along with other organic products to various upscale neighborhoods in Metro Manila.

Tasks in the farm

He said that he manages a small team to maintain land preparation, planting, and harvesting of crops. “This was important in scaling up our production.” His wife helps manage the marketing, communications, and institutional partnerships of the business.

“My wife and I were very intentional about strengthening both the production and marketing side of the farm. Consistent volume of several varieties of fruits and vegetables helped us market our produce, as customers are more likely to buy from Bukid Iluminada when we have a larger variety of offerings for them. Meanwhile, marketing helps us have some control about how we price our produce, minimizing being at the mercy of traders and middlemen,” he said.

Also, Michael said that they have a monthly spray schedule as well as a cropping calendar to keep his team up to date on the required TLC for each plant. “Watering is determined by careful inspection of the soil conditions and the health of the plant. With adequate foliar fertilization and soil amendments, the plants thrive in most conditions,” Michael added.

“Other tasks may include special projects like setting up trellis systems, designing planting areas, and making continuous improvements—including building a simple post-harvest facility and installing a water filtration system at the farm.”

Challenges of organic agriculture

“In organic agriculture, not all produce is aesthetic,” Michael said. He admitted that they often have crops with holes and sometimes worms, and not all may be evenly sized, but he clarified that this does not mean they are unusable or inedible, just that they are not what customers who are accustomed to traditionally produced produce want.

“This is why we aspire toward value addition for our nonmarketable fruits and veggies. As organic practitioners, we are also able to reuse the rejects for other farm inputs, such as feed for our native pigs, ingredients for organic concoctions, and compost,” he said.

He also said that sometimes they are able to produce a good volume, but the supply in the market is so high that it drives the prices way down. “Locally, it’s challenging because if you have volume and you want to make any sort of profit, you would have to bring it to the wet market, and most of the time, middlemen and traders who control the prices will still give very low prices for them even if they are organically produced.”

“This is also due in part to the lack of awareness about the value of organic produce among the general public. We manage this by developing more farm-to-table customers, where we have better control of our pricing so they are still affordable to our end customers,” Michael stated.

Michael said that when they started in 2020, they learned that there is a little market in organic agriculture, which forces them and other organic practitioners to sell at normal market prices.

“However, by joining other organic growers and identifying new opportunities to sell products at farmers markets like the Tadhana Weekend Market in Lucena and Tayabas, the Sariaya Organic Tiangge, the Friday Farmers Market at the Lucena Capitol, and the SM City Lucena Farmers Market on Sundays, it has slowly gained momentum. There are more options now to promote organic produce and generate income,” he said.

“I love the feeling of knowing that I am part of the holistic process of feeding the soil that grows the plant that produces the fruit that feeds the mouths of my family and community.”

Agriculture is a business that keeps society thriving, Michael said. Without food, our economy would crumble simply because people need to eat.

More importantly, consuming organic and naturally grown food promotes health because it uses no harmful or synthetic chemicals or pesticides, and if you know which farms your food comes from, you can feel better about what you eat. Buying locally sourced foods also helps our farmers and our local economy. It’s an endeavor to be proud of.

Photos courtesy of Bukid Iluminda/Michael Bryan Pascual

Read more about farming and gardening at agriculture.com.ph