Living here in the Philippines for 14 years, I’ve seen so many changes now compared to when we first arrived. At that time I hardly see different kinds of veggies that’s really good to make a salad. The only thing that’s good at that time I think here would be an iceberg lettuce. There could be some other kind but you had to fly to Manila & shop at the grocery stores there. Thank goodness for so many changes nowadays, living in the provinces of the Philippines gets way better now everyday.
I think early this year Bob mentioned to me that one of our foreigner friends told him about a nice and good organic garden that he knew that can be found here in Bajada, Davao City. When Bob said that I was thinking a big place for a garden in the middle of the city? So finally a couple of week or so ago Bob & I together with Jean went to the organic garden that a friend of ours mentioned to Bob. It’s quite a ways for us because we lived in the other side of city. But it’s worth going there. When we got there the garden was surprisingly small but it’s packed with the plants that the owner knows were good to grow in that environment and the land.
The owner his name is Rodelio. He is a doctor I think in profession. Studied here in the Philippines, but continued his college days in the States. Stayed there and worked hard, then came back here after his retirement. He loved the outdoors so much after coming back to the PI, he then decided to do farming especially planting different kinds of herbs.
I was so surprised seeing different kinds of good veggies for a good salad. He grows romaine lettuce, iceberg, purple lettuce, arugula, I think he had oak leaf lettuce, watercress, and other vegetable like eggplant (Japanese & local), carrots (regular & baby), cherry tomatoes and the big tomatoes, different kind of chili peppers (different variety), spinach, squash, radish, onions, cucumber (local & foreign kinds), I think he had asparagus there too and many others.
He also has different kinds of herb spices like basil (different kinds), cilantro, parsley, dill, sage, chives, mint (different kinds), lemon grass, oregano, turmeric, rosemary, thyme and many more. Rodelio also makes sun-dried tomato. Saying that you have to reserve because it will be gone in an instant. We will order that next time. We still have some sun-dried tomatoes, next time we’re out we’ll definitely order from there to try them out. They also made this coconut wine vinegar with turmeric, ginger, garlic and other herbs inside. I bought one bottle like a liter inside. We didn’t use it right away co’z I know that they just newly put the vinegar inside and the spices. When we get home I told Jean & my niece to try to put some small chili (siling labuyo) inside the bottle and let it close for a few days. I could just taste that it’s not that strong of the flavor yet. Now, the longer it stays in the cupboards not open for almost 2 weeks the taste gets better and stronger. We like the flavor of the vinegar now.
One thing also that’s good with the owner. If you happen to have a seedling that you bought from the States or any place abroad, he will try to plant the seeds for you. If the seeds grows good here, you will get to harvest with him too. We like onions, we are thinking of getting him a vidalia onion seeds or some other sweet onions. Thinking of some other seeds that we want that he didn’t have there yet. I forgot to mentioned above that he also owned a land in Cabantian area. He said its almost a hectare, he planted lots of veggies there and some sweet corn. Wednesdays & Saturdays are the harvest days both farms the one near Abreeza and in Cabantian. They will also bring the veggies that were harvested from the Cabantian farm to the one near Abreeza. You can also do the harvesting yourself of what veggies you want.
SOURCE: http://liveinthephilippines.com/content/good-growing-organic-vegetables-in-davao-city/
Organic Farming in Davao 