There’s a renewed interest in urban farming or backyard gardening and Ilonggos can take part in this initiative. One SAHM, Sue Guadaña, rock the urban farming community to inspire, encourage, and help others start their urban edible garden.
While the world fights a communal battle with COVID-19, individuals need to do their part in practicing prevention protocols at home and in public spaces. But the quarantine life hasn’t been easy on the mind. Instead, it has been equally traumatizing, both physically and psychologically.
With millions of people losing their jobs and forced to staying indoors, it has become ever more important to vent through creative modes of expression. Staying indoors has been psychologically overwhelming. While people are getting accustomed to extra screen-time, it has become almost imperative to find alternative ways of self-expression and ways to keep ourselves busy.
One way to keep occupied and productive is by growing and furnishing a backyard garden. Turning oneself to urban farming has been a real venture to battle COVID-19 food supply disruption and to be equally sustainable efficient during this quarantine.
‘Growing a backyard garden can be fun, exciting, and very therapeutic’
Sue is a full-time SAHM (stay-at-home-mom) with four children and works as a part-time nurse-entrepreneur. Last year, she was diagnosed with severe anxiety disorder that led to her postpartum depression.
“I was prescribed with medications but I refused to take them and found other alternatives for coping,” she said. “With my physician’s approval and support, I kept myself busy doing a lot of things all at the same time, taking some hours off now and then, traveling and making handmade accessories,” she added.
When COVID-19 loomed, Sue mentioned that she was all good until the enhanced community quarantine happened. Her anxiety and depression attacks came back and worsened because her regular means of coping were hindered.
It was then she started her journey in urban farming through container gardening. At the moment, gardening has become her therapy and she’s proud to say she’s better than ever.
Photos by Sue Guadaña
‘This passion formed a big part of her life’
Ilonggos should all be rethinking of how their backyard or small space (Yes, even with apartments) converts to an edible space. Urban farming can improve food supply, health and nutrition, and lower stress.
Sue could say she started her gardening journey in December 2019. While she and her husband already had interests in urban food growing, everyone in the household got head-on with the initiative except for her. “My only contribution was posting it on my social media to inspire and encourage others to start growing their food. But there’s lacking,” she thought.
“There’s this emptiness in me that I needed to fill in,” Sue continued. “When the lockdown started, it gave me the break I needed to start immersing myself in gardening,” she said.
Afterward, she dove right in with a stack of egg trays, plastic, and milk cartons to grow seeds. Sue also gathered mineral water bottles when transplanting seedlings. But her materials and equipment weren’t enough.
“I wanted to plant more at the same time I want it to be sustainable,” she stated. This gave her a thought to tag the Iloilo Barter Community (IBaCo) as the ideal platform to share her vision.
“I just suddenly had this idea of starting ‘Basura Mo, Tamnan Ko’ project. So I thought of bartering my handmade earrings into egg trays, plastic bottles, ice cream containers, and even plastic cup noodles,” she shared.
Her husband thought it would be a disadvantage on her part in exchange for the value of her handmade earrings. However, Sue was determined to plant and grow more. After all, these were all trash, she thought.
“Not only I get what I need, but I also get to help clean the environment by reducing, reusing and recycling plastic wastes!” she exclaimed. “The support of IBaCo admins and members was overwhelming. For three straight days, my car was full of plastic containers.”
On February 11 to 14, Sue attended the Organic 4.0 National Conference Program. One of the key speakers stated, “If every Filipino household chooses to plant and grow vegetables and fruit in their backyard, there will be no food shortage at all especially during these trying times. Filipinos will be healthier.”
This thought tattooed on her mind, and since then, it was the perfect realization during ECQ when people can’t go out to buy food. She shared that a lot of vegetables and fruits sold in the supermarkets have GMOs (Genetically Modified Organism), fertilizers, and pesticides.
“Some even have formalin, giving me more reasons to grow more food,” Sue said. “Homegrown veggies and fruits also taste better. It’s sweeter, it’s crunchy! You can always harvest it at exactly the right time that you need it. It’s just not the same with what you can find in the market,” she added.
Because of COVID-19, restrictions on movement have disrupted transportations of food supplies, thus raising concerns on food shortages and probable price increases. Not to mention, to produce and consume healthy food, ensures the wellbeing of the person by boosting one’s immune system against diseases.
Photo by Sue Guadaña
‘The Global health crisis and how to manage an urban farm’
The global health crisis pushed Sue to grow more vegetables and fruits she now shares with family and friends. “More importantly, it created in me the drive to inspire, encourage and help others start their urban edible garden,” she said.
To start a vegetable garden, Sue said it depends on the space one has at home.
“You need garden stools like hand trowel, secateurs, hoe, spade, fork, shovel, rake, watering can, scissors, compost, seedbed (egg trays), and of course seeds,” she said. If one doesn’t have extra space, she suggests using pots or containers.
When managing her own ‘urban farm,’ Sue has no problems as she finds all members of her family, including her four little children (1-7 yo) and their relatives involved in urban farming. Every member of the family has their tasks.
“I pick up the containers. My tatay, along with my husband’s cousins, cleans and disinfects them, before cutting them into pieces and putting holes on them. My children help me in putting soil into each container and planting seeds, my husband, and all other members of the family then take turns in watering our plants,” she said.
This protracted health crisis put a strain on food distribution and affects everyone from farmers, production plants, shipping and distributors, retailers, and consumers. Growing one’s food is one way to empower residents to be sustainable and self-reliant.
And, Sue is growing a lot.
She has grown over 30 okra plants (most are potted), same with eggplants, snap beans, tomatoes, pechay, two kinds of mint, two kinds of basil, lettuce, amarguso, three varieties of peppers, squash, carrots, radish, alugbati, garlic, onion, upo, dahon kamote, monggo, papaya, malunggay, lemon, mulberry, passion fruit, pomegranate, strawberries, grapes, langka, and cucumbers.
“I’m working on growing cabbages, cauliflowers, and other herbs,” she shared. The easiest I’ve grown from seeds are the okras,” she continued. “After 24H, you will already see the signs of germination. A hardened seedling is formed and can be transplanted.”
Sue said that within two months, one already has a harvest.
“Same goes with pechay, but since it’s the rainy season, there are a lot of pests that are eating it’s leaves such as grasshoppers, snails, leaf miners, and caterpillars,” she stated.
Sue has one weakness though, and that’s growing tomatoes!
“I’ve attempted growing the seeds, but, I can only grow them until it becomes a seedling. After transplanting, they often die,” she pointed out. “But I never stopped trying. Presently, I have more than 30 tomato seedling of two varieties that are due for transplanting.”
‘Her urban farming culture cultivates community engagement and empowerment to our farmers, family, and friends’
The government’s resources in providing food for everyone are not enough to sustain the city. To add, there are natural disasters that Ilonggos also need to be prepared of.
“For me, growing our food is the key to sustainable living,” Sue stressed. At present, she’s an active member of ESSA (Ecosystem of Stakeholders for Sustainable Agriculture).
“Most of our members are organic farmers. I, and the rest of my Iloilo City Cluster Group, am presently working on a project with a chosen barangay to bring my practices to the next level. That is – community urban gardening to provide sustainable food for the people in the said barangay,” Sue shared.
On a personal level, she continues to post tips and first-hand experiences on her social media account to inspire and encourage more people, especially families. “I also do online consultation for free and hands-on services for those who have questions and needs help on how to start their urban edible garden,” she said.
In IBaCo and other Facebook groups, she barters edible plants with groceries. “Through all these, I am happy that more and more people are reaching out to me and thanking for the simple and little things I do to inspire, encourage and help them,” Sue said.
Photo by Sue Guadaña
‘There’s no such thing as Green Thumb!’
According to many aspiring plantitos and plantitas, you need a ‘green thumb’ to start a garden – let alone an edible one.
“I don’t believe that only those with green thumbs can grow plants,” Sue started. “I have zero background in farming and back then,” she said.
Before, Sue believed in the same thing – that she couldn’t plant nor have the capacity to grow plants. “But based on my first- hand experience, it’s a matter of trial and error. It’s a choice you have to make and start soon,” she emphasized.
To those wanting to grow their edible garden, Sue said it’s better to start small.
“If it won’t grow, try again,” she nudged. “If it grows but dies soon, try again. Just keep on trying until you succeed. Because once you started seeing sprouts and seedlings, you won’t stop, because it’s addicting.”
But it’s not just about that. She pointed out that growing food is a learning experience by heart, and to value the nutrition of every crop one has.
“As for me and my family, we did the same,” Sue cheered. “It was a wonderful successful journey that was only possible because we made ourselves useful and productive during ECQ and GCQ or even before.”
Prose for the gardeners
Last May 12, Sue wrote a prose for those interested in starting their own urban farming experience. Let’s take a read, shall we?
Mahaba ‘to, pero sana ay mabigyan mo ako ng konting panahon.
Hindi ko na maalala kung kelan ito nagsimula.
Ang tanging pinanghahawakan ko ay ang aking hangad na masalba ang Inang Kalikasan para sa mga susunod na henerasyon.
Napakalaking hangad na inumpisahan ko sa aking sarili.
Mula sa pagtapon ng maayos, pagrecycle, pagreuse at pagreduce ng mga basura. Pagpapaalala sa mga kasama sa bahay at kapitbahay na itigil ang pagsiga nga mga basura lalo na ng mga plastik.
Pag iwas sa paggamit ng nga plastik at kung anu-anu pang makakatulong sa paghilom ng Inang Kalikasan.
Ngunit may kulang. Ito ang hangad kung magtanim sa aming bakuran.
Dati ay inaasa ko lang sa aming kasama sa bahay.
Ilang taong pinaasa ko ang aking sarili na wala akong kakayahang magpatubo ng halaman.
Masyado kung minaliit ang aking sarili.
Hindi pala sa hindi ko kaya.
Hindi ko lang talaga sinubukan ng maaga.
Pero hindi pa huli ang lahat.
Subukang magtanim ngayon. Kung di man tutubo ay subukang muli.
Tingnan mo ang aking okra, isang linggo palang ay sumibol na.
Ngayon, ang pagtatanim ay isa ng libangan para sa aming pamilya.
Isipin mo na lang na kung bawat pamilyang Filipino ang matututong magtanim at magpatubo sa kanilang bakuran ng gulay at prutas, walang Filipino na magugutom. Lahat, may makakain, may trabaho man o wala.
Hangad ko ang magbigay ng inspirasyon sa inyong lahat at mapalaganap ang aking adbokasiya.
Patapos na ang ECQ, ugaliing gamitin ang nalalabing araw na magtanim para may maaani sa mga agdating ng tamang panahon.
