Costales Nature Farms

Want to know which color are insects most attracted to, eat the most nutritious variety of lettuce, or see black gold for real? Why not try the Life at the Farm or Lakbay Aral tour of Costales Nature Farms, and experience the little but great wonders of nature in an idyllic farm setting.

Established in 2005 in the quiet and rustic town of Majayjay in Laguna, Costales is considered the first agri-tourism destination in the Philippines accredited by the Department of Tourism. It is a six-hectare integrated, sustainable, and certified organic farm, owned and managed by the family of Ronald C. Costales, a former Executive Vice President of a telecommunication company who opted to retire early from the stressful Makati corporate life to become a low-key organic farm entrepreneur.

The farm was initially developed as a family weekend getaway and a source of healthy and steady supply of organic vegetables and livestock for the family. But it was destined for something bigger. In 2009, it went commercial in growing organic produce and became the country’s biggest single producer of high-value vegetables and culinary herbs. In 2012, it was recognized as the Most Outstanding Organic Farm in the country by no less than Philippine President Benigno Aquino III.

Now, the farm is a favorite haven for wellness and nature advocates, as well as agri-tourists who want to know more about the importance of natural farming, the harmful effects of adding chemicals and preservatives in food, and the benefits of eating organic food for a healthy lifestyle. I think this is among the best actual Farmvilles I’ve seen that is not too far from Metro Manila. 

Costales is one big, unlimited green salad bowl. There are several greenhouses around the farm, mainly planted with different varieties of lettuce. Open field and greenhouse production ensure year-round supply of these healthy, high value crops.

They also have a variety of plants, fruits and herbs, which include papaya, suha, guava, dragon fruit, thyme, Swiss mint, cat whiskers, spring onion, lemongrass, and mushroom, among others.

Their animal farm is also impressive.  They have organic livestock - wild boars, free range chickens and ducks, and cute and adorable rabbits.

The farm is known for promoting zero-waste policy and imposing the loop system of agriculture. It is a process where livestock are raised organically with their manure being fed to worms. Eventually, the worms’ droppings or vermicast become the primary fertilizer for the crops. And to complete the cycle, excess and reject vegetable harvest are fed back to the livestock.

Their in-house restaurant serves, as expected, only healthy food sourced from the farm.

Nipa hut accommodations are provided to those who want to detoxify and immerse in farm life.

Regular workshops and seminars on Integrated Organic Agriculture Best Practices, Effective Microorganism Technology and Organic Hog Production, are also being offered in the farm to interested people who want to learn and practice organic agriculture. The Costales family hopes that organically grown food will become the mainstream in the next couple of years in the country.

And just for the trivia, which I learned during my tour at Costales, insects are highly drawn to yellow plants or flowers, Romaine offers the most nutritional advantage over other types of lettuce, and the black gold, well it’s just shit.   

Costales Nature Farms

Brgy. Gagalot, Majayjay

Laguna

Tel. No.: 640-6864

Go for whatever makes you happy

Hacienda Maria, Buruanga

Ever since the kawa hot bath became an it thing in Antique, I’ve always wanted to try it. So imagine my surprise and excitement when I found out that these kawa has finally reached my home province, Aklan. Kawa has been associated with witchcraft and black magic, which has been notorious in all the provinces of Panay once upon a time. Well, according to folklore and urban legend.

Anyway, I should thank the lady I met in Tuburan Baybay who recommended to me that I should visit Hacienda Maria, a 14-hectare eco-tourist spot hiding in between mountains in Tigum, Buruanga. Though she hasn’t personally been to the place yet, she said that the photos she had seen from her Facebook feed look enticing. I trusted her.

An hour later, after taking a 30-minute habal-habal ride from the town proper of Buruanga, passing by portions of very rough unpaved road, I arrived in one piece at Hacienda Maria.

Since I was already hungry, I decided to have lunch first. Set lunch costs only P100, but the caretakers upon seeing how famished I am served me with large serving of chicken adobo, pork sinigang, inihaw na maya-maya, and fresh coconut juice. They were such kind angels.

The hacienda offers fun physical and leisurely activities for quite the adventurous – spelunking, falls trekking, and kawa hot bath. After my power lunch, I was assigned a local tour guide, Tatay Juning, to accompany me explore the spots within the hacienda.

Given that there are too many coconut trees in the hacienda, lambanog demo production, as well as free taste of the coco spirit, has become one of its attractions. Lambanog is a native Philippine wine made from coconut sap.

I got to interact with some of the tamed animals. I find it astonishing to see a family of goat, all three of them with different colors.

I enjoyed swimming in the two-basin falls, which has clear blue-green waters. The falls is a 15-minute trek from the base camp. 

I was amazed by the beautiful stalactites and stalagmites formation in their caves. There are also bats and balinsasayaws inhabiting the caves. 

And lastly, I had a relaxing spa-like experience by soaking in their kawa hot pot Jacuzzi, filled with aromatic leaves and herbs. It was soothing to my very tired body. And whenever I feel too much heat from the pot, they would immediately put out the fire. They would light it from time to time, especially for photo-op.

The owner of the hacienda is actually the one who pioneered the kawa hot bath in Antique. And I’m glad he was able to finally bring the same concept in Aklan. Originally, I only intend to avail the kawa hot pot package but upon seeing myself enjoying the experience, I decided to try them all. And I truly enjoyed each and every one of them.

Happiness may be the hardest thing to find. But quite honestly, it is only hiding in a place between having too much and possessing too little. All we need to do to find it is soak in simple pleasures in life.

Hacienda Maria

Sitio Sapsapon, Tigum

Buruanga, Aklan

Tel. No.: (036) 288-1669, 0920-9692788

My Mother’s Garden, Pasay

In the city jungle of Pasay, it is still a wonder to discover places which seem untouched and unexploited by rapid modernization.

Ask any regular passerby in Zamora St. (which is just perpendicular to MRT Taft Station), if there is any extraordinary place along the street to be curious about, and I bet you you’ll get a nada. But what almost everybody doesn’t know about is this beautiful secret just hiding behind an unassuming dark brown gate painted with number 2650.  

To artists and historians, the place is known as the residence of the late national artist Pablo S. Antonio, Sr., considered the foremost modern architect in the Philippines and the man behind the art deco structures of FEU, Manila Polo Club, Orchid Garden Suites, White Cross and some now-defunct theaters and railway stations. To foodies, it is known as My Mother’s Garden.

I’m happy to step into the home of the national artist and be welcomed by his only daughter, Malu Veloso, the brain behind Mother’s Garden. The idea of converting their home into a private dining place was actually her way of maintaining the place, at the same time keeping the memory of both her parents - her father for designing an enduring model of a Filipino stylized tropical house and her mother Doña Marina for creating the lovely garden around and inside their home.  

Built in 1948, the residence of the Antonio’s is recognized for epitomizing Filipino architecture that is adaptive to the changing climate. Its massive adobe walls and structured wooden ceiling are balanced by panoramic screen windows that provide natural lighting and ventilation and soothing views of greenery. Accented with rattan living room furniture and window daybeds, its ambiance is cool and refreshing.  

My Mother’s Garden offers intimate buffet lunch and dinner. Diners are treated by Malu as if they were friends or family members. I was quite satisfied with her delicious home-cooked food, particularly the salad with mango and basil dressing, pasta with three sauces, shrimp sautéed in olive oil and garlic, and lemon-butter chicken.

   

Green salad

Pasta sauces of chorizo, black olive and pomodoro

Lemon butter chicken

Steamed clams

Garlic shrimps

Strawberry cream cupcake and chocolate cake

Fresh fruits

Malu is also a fashion designer like her mother. There are display rooms for their bridal gown and jewelry creations, some of which were made by her daughter Letlet (who also followed in her footstep) and some marginalized mothers from Navotas, whom they are able to provide with livelihood.

The outdoor garden has numerous trees, exotic plants, and flowers, ponds with gold fish and some cats, making the residence truly an enchanting jungle within the city.

A Filipino architect once said that the Antonio heritage home is a shy man’s house. But even if I don’t have the license, I beg to disagree. Because I can simply tell how this house bares its heart and soul to its visitors and dwellers. And how rays of happiness often sneak in through the windows they have for decades, deliberately left open. 

My Mother’s Garden

#2650 Zamora St.

Pasay City

Tel. No: 831-8407