AANI TOUR PARTICIPANTS IN MAJAYJAY — Photo shows the AANI tour participants viewing a video presentation at the Costales Nature Farms in Majayjay, Laguna last January 27. At right is Ronald Costales who put up the organic farm in 2005 after giving up ...

It is always a rewarding experience to visit farms that are unique in their own way. Just like the Costales Nature Farms in Majayjay, Laguna,which we visited together with the AANI farm tourists last January 27.

It happened that it was also the harvest festival earlier scheduled by the owners. Thus, when we arrived there, we found that so many other people had arrived ahead of us. Many of them were carrying “bayongs” filled with their purchases of leafy greens for salad as well as organic fruits like papaya, saba banana and others.

Oh yes, the organic farm has become a tourist destination. No less than 2,000 visitors go there every month, according to Ronald Costales, who with his wife Josephine, started the farm in 2005. The farm is the only agri-tourism destination accredited so far by the Department of Tourism.

Being an agri-tourism destination can be doubly rewarding. Why? Because one can also charge an entrance fee. So the owner makes money from growing and selling the harvests as well as from the entrance fee.

In the case of the Costales Nature Farms, each tourist is charged P200 entrance fee. But of course, that is practically nothing compared to the experience gained. After all, the visitors who are charged P200 also partake of an organic salad prepared for them. We particularly enjoyed the salad served us.

And would you believe, there are now 80 on-the-job trainees (OJTs) who come from colleges and universities in the provinces. Some are enrolled in agriculture while others are pursuing other courses such as HRM or Hotel and Restaurant Management. They work there for a few months to acquire the necessary experience and orientation they need in their particular courses. Many of them are ladies.

During the harvest festival, the OJTs served as tour guides. They have become proficient in explaining the farming techniques being implemented in the organic farm. They have become familiar with the herbs and vegetables, their uses and their cultural requirements. They will tell you, for instance, that the arugula is a favorite of a well known pizza house in the city.

If one is curious, he will be able to discover a lot of things at the Costales farm. Different teas that are easy to prepare are there. For instance, they served us spearmint tea that was very refreshing. It was prepared by simply boiling the leaves of the spearmint plant. If you want another that is different but refreshing just the same, you can put a few leaves of tarragon in a cup of boiling water and presto! You have a tarragon tea.

You might be wondering what plant is that one growing in a long bed with small cylindrical leaves that look like grass. If you ask the owner, he will tell you that it is Pearl onion. It produces small bulbs that are very pungent and is said to be a favorite of Korean restaurants.

If you ever happen to visit the place, be inquisitive. Ask about the plants you have not seen before. Ask what they are good for. You will be surprised, you can learn a lot of things.