In our recent trip to Sta. Juliana to visit the Aeta, we took a shortcut across the volcanic lahar fields, so it "only" took us four hours to go each way from Manila. The river that runs east from Mt. Pinatubo had shifted channels and eroded a huge 300 foot wide gully that we had to cross, but the water was less than a foot deep.
The people are now busy planting their rice at the beginning of the monsoon season. We were able to work with Larry Ramos and his family and made three raised beds of Big-Faith (Bio-Intensive Garden for Food Always In The Home). We planted Chinese cabbage and mustard greens. We buried carabao (water buffalo) dung a foot below the mound of soil as a "time release" organic fertilizer.
So much of the animal manure is wasted as it is washed away by the rain. We finally got a group of farmers to accept the practice of Big Faith and we hope the seeds grow well so that others will marvel at the luxuriant growth and follow suit. Apo Melio from remote Mnibukyot came down to Sta. Juliana town and told how he needed to buy area fertilizer for his rice. One sack cost him $15.00 or a week's wages for farm laborers. And urea isn't as well balanced in plant nutrients as the natural stuff that is free for those who want to scoop it up. How do we get across the idea that the answer to a problem is often near-by and free?
We also demonstrated how to revitalize the coconut and cashew seedlings that they had planted but now had yellowing leaves. Then too, the grafted citrus trees that we distributed to the people and helped them plant was another chance to show the proper placement of organic fertilizer. Another van load of garden tools is making farming more feasible and enjoyable. It is amazing the simple things one can do that promise to improve lives through better nutrition and a more healthy outlook.
Richard and Caring Schwenk are United Methodist missionaries in Manila, Philippines.
(This story is part of a longer article appearing in theSeptember/October
New World Outlook.)
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