Whenever the Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival is being held each year, it is fun to go to the Provincial Capitol Grounds in Bacolod City and check out the many fresh and organic products of farmers in Negros Island and neighboring islands in the Philippines.
It was in 2014 when I was first exposed to the Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival. I had the opportunity to visit Penalosa Farms in Victorias and Fresh Start in Talisay. A week before the festival, I was at the Negros First-Army Wellness Farm in Murcia for a medical mission and was able to buy vegetables that were freshly picked from their farm.
The two provinces in this island have been propagating for organic farming and the local government are promoting programs to support this cause. Zero-waste farming, farm-to-table system, and vermiculture are some of the concepts that I have come to comprehend through my exposure to the organic festival.
This year, together with another blogger, Mea in Bacolod, we roamed the North Capitol Road and the driveway in front of the Provincial Capitol Building for the 10th Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival.
With the theme of “Farm to Table” (or “Halin Talamnan, Tubtub Kalan-an” in local language), we are literally going to eat fresh produce straight from those farms as we prepare them on our dining table. It ensures us that the food products are fresh and handled properly and it eliminates the middleman, providing more income to the farmers and producers.
There were many fruits, vegetables, skin products, live plants, and other organic food products at the festival. I purchased oyster mushrooms, pickled mushrooms, fresh lettuce, and a pesto sauce. My mother cooked the mushrooms and served it for lunch.
Since the Negros Island is heavily advocating for organic farming, it hopes to bring back the natural way of cultivating and preparing food. With so many chemicals used in most of our food products that often result in various illnesses and diseases, it is truly advisable to go natural when it comes to food consumption. Alongside organic farming is slow food cooking, which encourages households to use the natural methods in food preparation, and proper food handling, to ensure that food products are always safe to consume into our bodies.
It supports the livelihood of the farmers, allowing our agricultural sector to flourish, and allows consumers to patronize local products.
During the Organic Farmers Festival, you will find various food products and other organic commodities on display and for sale to the public. It is an event that I hope to continue for many more years. So, if you haven’t been to the Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival, make sure you go to one (which usually happens in November). Always check out the website http://www.organicfestival.negros-occ.gov.ph every now and then for updates and details. See more photos on my Facebook page album.
It is about time that we go back to basics. Let us support organic farming for the betterment of our farmers, our agriculture sector, our country, and, most of all, our health and future.
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