HOUSE OF BAMBOO IN LAGUNA 2009

Bamboo house

This is the ancestral house of Mr. Carlos Valeriano C. Lazaro of Laguna located near University of the Philippines .

This house is almost entirely made of local bamboo treated in sea beaches using the centuries -old technique which required bamboo poles to be buried into the beach sand for several months in order to treat the bamboo.

This house was built in early 1950’s and had withstood several calamities like typhoons and even termite infestations.garden with orchids, ferns and ornamental plants

garden with orchids, ferns and ornamental plants

The house , garden and dormitory compound is always a favorite stopover for members of plants and orchid societies which always made it to a point to visit the area whenever there is a field trip within Laguna area.

The house is an ideal location set -up for shooting in some of television series and movies . The garden also boast of various Philippine native orchids, hoyas , ferns , tillandsias, exotic plants and even had a koi pond .

The family also had a fine collections of old family photos, ceramic jars, old memorabilia and even orchid shows trophies .

For those who wanted to visit this magnificent house and garden you can contact Mr. Carlos Valeriano C. Lazaro who conducts local tour around UPLB with food trip . He also an award 

winning landscaper and florist.

Mr. Carlos Valeriano C. Lazaro contact information :

SMART (0918) 520-9795 Sun ( 0922)895-9545

Land line # (049) 536-2463

(September 16, 2009)

EARTH KEEPERS ORGANIC FARM & RESTAURANT 2009

Earth Keepers Garden and Restaurant is located on Kilometer 101, Brgy Talisay in Tiaong , Quezon

Last March 29, 2008, I was very excited to visit the restaurant and organic farm. The jam packed 50 seater tourist bus hired by the Philippine Orchid Society went to this place. The crowd was eager to see this wonderful place which promotes healthy lifestyles and living. Some parts of the property had small relaxation area which could be instantly be converted into a spa or an informal meeting place.

Pesticides, which is concentrated on the vegetables and foods that we usually buy from the market, had traces or laced harmful chemicals .

A lot of the people in this world is already facing with serious dilemma.

Ms. Teresa Perez Saniano conducting a short lecture

According to Ms. Teresa Saniano or simply Ms. Tere the owner of the demo farm said that urea, which is the primary source of fertilizer in farms is already increasing in price, the main component of which is made from petroleum based, the soaring world market of petroleum had caused increase in the prices of these fertilizer which also increases the farm gate prices of these foods.

We all know what is happening all over the world in the quest to have higher yield in food production.

Ms. Tere had warmly welcomed the group and had a short power point presentation in which her advocacy group want to spread not only within the province of Quezon But also all over the country.

native chicken fed with termites

Her demo farm is very productive; She had organically grown vegetables, papaya fruits, organic rice, free-range chickens is fed naturally with organically grown vegetables and termites which is high in protein unlike the usual poultry grown chicken that had to be fed with feeds .

She even had formulated an organic feeds for the pigs which are grown in the farm, she had also vermicomposing which used African night crawlers and their vermin –waste is transformed vermiculite into organic fertilizers and organic spray.

Even kitchen waste such as fish gills, fish innards and leftover bones are also transformed into organic fertilizers.

The fish gills and innards is then prepared with a ratio of 1kilo fish gills and innards to 1 kilo of molasses then fermented for 20 days, after which the organic waste is then filtered into a loin cloth then the fish emulsion is already ready substitute for a high nitrogen based organic foliar fertilizer . The fertilizer is then mixed with 155 grams of ordinary sardine can.

Congressman Prospero Alcala -second district of Quezon

While enjoying the sumptuous organic buffet lunch Congressman Prospero Alcala dropped by and joined the group. He is happy that the group had toured his district and ecstatically shared some of his insights on agriculture and organic farming. he also gladly posed for a souvenir shot with the group .

His involvement in agriculture is deepened and was convinced there is a big market for their crops. However, to be competitive they should get into organic farming.

According to Mr. Alcala , If the farmers, if motivated, could indeed maximize their produce. They were given the seeds and necessary farm inputs—from fertilizers to pesticides, and after their produce were sold in the market, they managed to pay for the inputs provided them. The rest of the profit goes to them.

he recent surge in prices of farm inputs—nearly doubling the cost of fertilizers—deepened their conviction of the need to go organic.

She had also collection of native handicrafts, jars , ornamental plants, native orchids, water lilies and wood work. Tere also accepts guided tour to her demo farm and restaurant but prior appointment must be made several weeks or even months before coming to the farm.

For reservations:

Contact Person : Ms. Teresa Perez Saniano

Km. 101, Brgy. Talisay, Tiaong Quezon Province

Tel: (042) 545-7112

(September 16,2009)

PACEM ECO-PARK 2009

PACEM is a short acronym for Peace And Care For Earth Ministry . The PACEM Eco-Park was established in 1994 inside Assumption College in Antipolo City as a place for retreat and a rescue center of both animals and plants.

Assumption College – Antipolo entrance arch

There was an aviary and eagles were on the ground not in a cage! There was even a big bird,the Cassowary, monkeys,deers , bantam chicken , silky chicken, native chickens, Kabir chicken, parrots, parakeets, snake , pigeon, bear cats a walk through butterfly garden.There’s also an herb garden, a big fountain and fish pond with kois in it.

It has a trail that you have to go to in order for you to check the whole place and the animals can be pet like the snakes , rabbits and exotic birds. It was a breath of fresh air in the city after a nights work in an enclosed work place confined to a cubicle, talking to people half way accross the globe….

collection of preserved beetles

There is also a fine collection of mounted butterflies from different parts of the globe , shell collection, insect collection like mounted walking sticks, beetle, moths , flies , dragon flies etc… According to the guide this was mostly donated by private individuals, DENR Region IV rescued animals, who donated their collections to the center. The center served as a rescue center for all the live plants and animals.

collection of butterflies from Asia

There is also an audio visual center where a short film regarding nature was shown to the group.

stick insect

The staffs and the crew were very friendly and had given the members of the Philippine Orchid Society tour group a special discount when the group visited the place last September 19, 2009

a gaggle of geese

In return the organization through POS president Mr. Carlos Valeriano C. Lazaro donated a healthy Aerides quinquivulnera to the manager of the center.

The center had a small Orchidarium area where various orchids like Dendrobium anosum, Dendrobium aphyllum , Hoyas , native ferns , Cattleya hybrids, Dendrobium hybrids , Vanda Hybrids are gown and nurtured by the staffs. The center accepts donated plants and orchids.

Various components of PACEM Eco-Park, such as the Eco-Center, the Wildlife Sanctuary, the Butterfly Garden, are open for visits as follows :

From Monday to Friday, from 8.00am to 3.30pm

On Saturdays from 8.30am to 12.00noon.

For inquiries pls write or call:

********PACEM*********

Center for Peace and Ecology

Assumption Antipolo

Sumulong Highway, Antipolo City

Tel.(+63-2)696-3274 or 697-2354

(original publish date on WP @september 23,2009)

JARDIN DE MIRAMAR 2009

Jardin de Miramar is situated on a three-hectare property in San Jose Extension in hilly Antipolo, a quiet, genteel area. Little used now by the family, the property was converted into a garden-like venue for parties, and welcomed its first visitors this Christmas season- There is a special house called Casa Santa Clause which housed the vast collections of the owner Ms. Edna Del Rosario accumulated since the late 1990’s . Their were over 1,500 pieces of Santa collections from different parts of the world.

The family decided to convert the place into a party, event, venue place . The property was divided into different themed areas. The family decided to open the place to the public in 2006 and various movie outfit, television stations, morning shows , magazine , travel channels and BLOG sites had already featured the place.

Jardin de Miramar—as the place is called—hosts parties, receptions and other functions in its lush multi-level gardens landscaped by Tony Leano with stately royal palms and serenity waterfalls. Hammocks strung between tall trees tempt visitors to laze an afternoon away with a good book or a nap, lulled by the soothing sounds of water and the wind rustling through the trees.

Galleon replica

A unique feature is a 30-foot boat, reconstructed from an actual 50-year-old fishing boat used by the owner’s family in their deep sea fishing business- The Angelica was retired and some of its wood was used to build the “Noah’s Ark” in the Galera section of the garden, which also features a lighthouse, totem poles and a marine-themed metal sculpture by Eduardo  Castrillo. Dramatic lighting was done by renowned lighting designer Shoko Matsumoto, who also designed the Santa House.

House of Santa

The rest of the wood from the boat Angelica was used for the trellises, benches and other accents throughout the garden.

Behind the Santa house is an area called Intramuros, a mini version of Manila’s old walled city. Featuring adobe walls with an aged look, it is reminiscent of turn-of-the-century Spanish architecture.

This season—and anytime of the year—visit Santa and all his relatives at this very special venue, and put some ho-ho-ho into your life. Likewise enjoy the rest of the place and you’ll surely have a memorable day of your life!

(September 25,2009)