Caba, La Union – Organic Vegetable Garden Makes Saving Possible – 15 Apr 2015

Farming has always been a way of life for the CB family and their predecessors. This young family of three reside in Caba, La Union, Philippines. CB is 25 years old, and his wife JB is 20 years of age. They have an energetic 1 year old toddler daughter CJB who is a delight for all her relatives.

The local government has been aiding the family by providing them seeds for planting. In return, the family sells them their harvest at a very low price. Since they are obligated to sell their harvest at a discount, the family is not able to earn much income.

Upon learning of the Food Always In The Home (FAITH) garden program led by the HSGS team, CB and JB immediately joined the team to learn of new ways to improve their harvest. Not long after, they were able to double their monthly income from 2,000 Pesos ($45 USD) to 4,000 Peson ($90 USD). They are so grateful for the opportunity because they can now start saving some of their earnings.

Aside from the increase in income, the family is able to plant additional vegetables for their own consumption. More importantly, they no longer have to rely on the government to provide them seeds, since they can now afford to get them on their own. They have reduced their expenses because the HSGS team taught them how to make their own compost, and they have substituted organic spray for the commercial fertilizer they used to purchase.

Although they love farming and enjoy tending to their garden, CB and JB would like to give their daughter the opportunity to go to college or have other career choices, and not feel predestined to follow in her parents’ footsteps. They have therefore started saving for her education at an early age. CB and JB would also like to repair and improve their home. Their first priority is to install a concrete floor because during rainy season their dirt floor becomes muddy.

Extreme weather can sometimes wreak havoc on the family’s harvest. The occasional typhoons and very hot weather ruin harvests. This is why they feel the need to save especially when they earn money from selling their surplus vegetables.

The faith garden is able to income for the family, so they are very eager and excited to learn the latest technology and enhancement ideas for their garden. This means that they will continue to participate in projects conducted by HSGS.  They believe in continuous improvement and feel that they have started on a path that will help them move towards achieving their goals and dreams.