LAMUT, Ifugao – Organic farming practitioners from the municipality of Hingyon and technicians from the provincial government went on an expository and study tour to learn more about organic gardening and greenhouse projects.
The group first visited the Integrated Organic Farm of Villafuerte Camat Jr. here, who is the regional awardee on organic farming. Camat explained to them how he prepares fermented organic feeds for his swine farm using the plant Azola which is found in his fish pond which he also manages using organic farming methods.
Azola is the main plant ingredient in his organic feeds. This is mixed with rice bran and other concoctions such as sugar.
The group also went to Rancho Domingo in Barangay Namillangan, Alfonso Lista owned by Jesus Domingo, a regional organic farming awardee in the cattle farming category.
Rancho Domingo is an integrated farm where organic vegetables, swine, chicken and catfish are produced using organic farming methods. It makes use of readily available farm materials which are fermented and used as feeds for the animals and are also fed to worms called “African Night Crawlers” that produce vermicast, an organic fertilizer.
The farm also features the container gardening strategy that uses sacks and trellises which is observed to be more effective and less expensive than the conventional garden plots.
Rancho Domingo is currently serving as the hands-on training facility for on-the-job agriculture students from the Ifugao State University and other nearby schools.
The group also visited the Green House managed by Faustino Gamutan also in Alfonso Lista that produces organic pechay and other green vegetables. Gamutan said he is trying to grow carrots to see if it is possible to produce them inside the green house.
They also went to the green house farm of Ferdinand Buscas located nearby that features banana mushroom production.
According to the farmers and technicians, they were inspired and determined to also try to venture into these kinds of organic farming activities.