RAINY SEASON HAS BEGUN: PLANTING RICE IN PILA, LAGUNA

Farm caretaker, Willy,testing the harrowing machine at the farm

The rainy season has begun and farmers are preparing the land for planting. In our farm in Pila, Laguna, the farm caretaker,Willy, is seen testing the newly overhauled harrowing machine. The site is near Laguna de Bay where  conservative farmers like me, are not inclined to plant rice`aggressively. Though it is now the "El Nino" season where we expect less rain, we are still wary about the floods wrecking havoc in our farms.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is giving assistance to farmers by way of subsidized seeds from the local government. The certified seeds are bought at 50 percent off the usual price, with the municipal government shouldering the other 50 percent. They also farm out 5 cavans of organic fertilizer per hectare. With the high costs of planting (being an unirrigated land), I can only afford to plant in two hectares. Work has started in the farm, and the pumps were repaired prior to being reinstalled and use.

Willy and the mechanic, Aldrin, are testing the harrowing machine

The harrowing machine is used twice prior to planting. It comes after the "kuliglig" which is use to plow the field. It will then be harrowed after a week, and leveled after another week. We have to call the mechanic since there were problems in starting the engine. He found  grease in the fuel tank. My guess is that, the caretaker must have erroneously put in the "toti oil" in the fuel tank --- so,it had trouble starting. 

Sidekick, Manang Belen with farm worker Lando at Barrio Mohon, to get the grasscutter

We have to go to the nearby barrio of Mojon,to get the grasscutter from Lando,a  vegetable farmer from the area. He is  an Igorot from the Mountain province, who married a local lass from the region. Talking to him, is my 70 year old sidekick, Manang Belen. She is an Ilocana, but is now a resident of Pila, Laguna.

Young mothers, Jomalyn and Maple, both infanticipating

Young ladies in the barrio tend to marry early and have one or two kids before they are  20. These two girls with their tiny tots in tow are always around whenever I am in the farm. Jomalyn (left) married a Bisayan from Dumanguete named Teteng, and Maple (right) married an Igorot from the Mountain Province named Tommy. Both are happy seeing their growing family with two more babies expected this year.

Cleaning the dikes using the grasscutter

The dikes need to be clean so rats don't dwell on them. The grasscuter, cuts down the costs of cleaning by as much as 70 percent. When the rains come, the fields will be plowed and the dikes  repaired to cover the holes in the innermost pockets. Cleaning will include the canals  so as not to hamper the flow of water during the rainy months.

Cleaning the dikes is important so farm rats don't burrow on it

The dikes are cleaned up at both sides to ensure that we don't get infested by rats. Cutting the grass would cover the outlying areas that needs trimming and cutting (shrubs and cogon). Again, this ensures that there will be no habitation for farm rats in the field.

Barangay Road at Barrio Mojon

The town of Mojon have concrete barangay roads that makes it easier to transport farm produce. Tricyles, as shown, ply the area. Children are seen with their mother, as they go to the nearby public school.

Freshly picked guavas from the farm

Life in the farm is simple and the perks include having a snack of ripe and semi-ripe guavas, straight from the tree. I better plant other fruit trees so I will have my fill of snack foods when I am on the site.

The church is always  the center of any locality.

The catholic faith is ingrained in the Filipino that you can find churches /or chapels in the smallest towns and barrios. This small church in Mojon is one of the bigger churches in the locality.

Kamoteng kahoy are used as perimeter fence and food

Vegetables like eggsplants are planted alongside the other vegetatable crops like okra, kalabasa, dahong sili, and kamote

One year old baby enjoys being rocked in the hammock

This one year old tot never fails to visit his grandma on weekdays. His father works as stone mason in the next town. He is adorable and friendly with all the people around him.

Bananas ready for picking in a month's time

Another perk of being in the farm is having fruits that are in season. These bananas are ready for eating in the next few weeks.  I look forward to that!

BOTTOMLINE

Life in the farm is never easy.You are faced with myriad of problems everyday -  spark plug giving in, fan belt breaking, farm hand not showing up, and all the teeny weeny problems that confront harried and tired farmers. However,the little perks--- fresh air, simple lifesyle, fresh fruits, and the company of barrio folks, still far outweigh the difficult side of running a farm.

writer_csm

Other Articles from the Author:

The Nostalgic Town of Pila, Laguna

Start of the Planting Season at Pila, Laguna

Iconic Sites and Places in Pila,Laguna

The Women of Pila, Laguna

Philippine News: A Shot from the Hip
Copyright © csmiravite™. All Rights Reserved

The Nostalgic Town of Pila, Laguna

Main thoroughfare facing the Plaza of Pila, Laguna

The town of Pila, Laguna is a historic site that is known for its archaic houses and turn of the century architecture.  The town consists of houses that have been preserved all through the years by families who are long-time residents. You don’t see building structures that are more than a few stories high. Most houses are typical of the era during the Spanish times --- high ceilings, big windows, and the used of wooden furniture and artifacts from bygone years.

Liceo de Pila

The church is the center of the town where alongside it, is a parochial school (Liceo de Pila) run by the clergy. The church is situated in the town plaza where you find the town hall and other commercial centers. The local government has disallowed the construction of mega-commercial entities like McDonalds and Jollibee so as not to destroy the little town ambiance of the place.

Many local celebrities have visited the place and used it as venue for historical films.  A number of television shows have also tackled the archaic  age-old charisma of this heritage site.  The town boast of many local eating places where you can savor the local delights like shrimps in coco milk, among many others. The vendors used to sell this delicacy  in front of Plaza Delight, now named  Patio Sophia, but have now transferred to the nearby market area. 

Menu at Patio Sophia

Other local food places have sprouted up like the Evelyn’s Food Place along the national

road. It comes highly recommended by local people due to its numerous food choices. The dining area is of typical Filipino architecture and can accommodate several groups at any given time. If you don’t mind eating barrio-style, then   you can opt to try this place. For the picky eater, the Patio Sophia is a better option and serves the best pancit palabok in the locality. 

Town Church

Pila consists of several barrios that are still agricultural. Most of the farms are planted to rice and vegetables.  Some residents go into hog, goat, duck, and chicken raising for additional income. However, these are mostly done on a small scale basis and only ventured as an added endeavor by farmers. Like other provincial area in the Philippine, many sons and daughter of the residents have gone abroad as OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers). Hence, many big houses have been constructed in modern European fashion in the barrios and nearby subdivisions.

Municial Town Center

The town is near Metro Manila, and can be reached in less than two hours on good roads. There are air-conditioned buses that ply the site every hour, on the way to the provincial capital of  Sta. Cruz. Non-air conditioned buses are also available and would cost a few pesos lesser than the former. The trip to this nostalgic place is worth every peso that you spend on it and  this is one local travel that comes highly recommended. One more thing…don’t forget your camera!  

What else can I say, it is more fun in the Philippines!

writer_csm

Philippine News: A Shot from the Hip

Copyright © csmiravite™. All Rights Reserved