If you want to learn more about natural farming, better get hold of the April issue of Agriculture Magazine published by the Manila Bulletin and edited by yours truly.

The cover story is about how Andry Lim, an avid natural farming advocate, transformed the 30-hectare run-down farm of his family in Calinan, Davao City into a most productive property. The cacao trees that were already 20 years old when he took over management of the farm in 2001 were sickly. They had very few small leaves and produced few fruits, most of them damaged by pod borers.

The farm had been ruined by the continuous use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The soil had become acidic and virtually dead because the beneficial microorganisms had been killed by the chemicals.

To rehabilitate the sickly cacao trees, he had to produce his own fermented fruit and plant juices, fish amino acid and oriental herbal nutrient. These he learned to prepare from a Korean natural farming expert who conducted a seminar on the subject a few years earlier.

He sprayed the old trees with his fermented juices, and after just two weeks of doing so, new leaves that were bigger emerged. Not long after, flowers came out and the trees became fruitful. To date, the trees have become very productive. The trees are virtually fruiting throughout the year, with two peak periods in November to December and April to May.

Of course, there are many other interesting and informative stories that cater to other interests such as tilapia production, improved salted eggs, corn and rice production, and many more.