Vegetable Basket of Bacolod City Negros Occidental

Tag : Basket Vegetable


Barangay Alangilan, located at the east part of Bacolod City,Negros Occidental in southern Philippines, is best known as thecity's water source. The place is higher than most of Bacolod andis conducive for farming, which is actually the reason why most ofthe people here thrive in growing vegetables.

The more famous vegetable growers in the area are Batchoy andPamela Henares, two corporate people who chose to spend theirretirement tilling the soil. For the last nine years, the Henarescouple has been providing the city with freshly harvested, organically grown vegetables. They reasonthat since the water source is found within their property, theyhave to be careful with what they do on the surface for it won't belong before they contaminate the entire city with harmful chemicals.

However, the other farmers in the area, which number to almost 400,are not too concerned about this. So much so that Batchoy roundedup six farmer-groups and offered to teach them vermicomposting technology through the leadership of their Barangay Captain Degie Tanista.

Batchoy also tapped the services of his friend Ramon Uy inproviding the services of an RU shredder to the farmers while theyare setting up their vermiculture farm beside Alangilan's barangyhall.

Henares, Uy, and Tanista signed a memorandum of agreement, whichstipulates that Henares will loan the barangay five kilos ofAfrican Nightcrawlers initially while Uy will lend them a unit ofRU Shredder so that the farmers can process their plant materialsbefore feeding in their worm beds. Henares plans to lend more wormsin order to speed up the vermiculture so that more farmers canavail of the worms in the soonest possible time. All theproponents, however, understand that the worms will eventually bepaid back in kind while the barangay will have to buy their own shredder. The equipment may be rented to the farmers sothat the barangay can earn income on side.