Are you one of those who discovered their green thumbs during the quarantine? Whether it’s a tiny herb planter or a blooming backyard garden, your masterpiece is something to be proud of.
The first sight of buds sprouting from the soil is enough to make any amateur cultivator thrilled with anticipation. If you think you’re ready to take your farming skills further, however, it might be time to consider getting an actual farm land.
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to leave your city life and resettle to own a farm. There is still available land for cultivation a few hours away from Metro Manila, in places like Cavite. It only needs dedication and a love for plants to start growing your own produce.
Check out some insights from Sonya Garcia, the agricultural artist behind Sonya’s Garden in Tagaytay, on why starting your own farm might be your best investment yet.
Owning a farmland provides you and your family a bright future ahead.
A property for life
Land has always been one of the most sought-after types of investment by conservative savers. It does not depreciate in value nor is it easily affected by the stock market. Buying a piece of land ensures that you and your family will always have a place to call your own, even if your house is a simple nipa hut in the fields. According to Garcia, “your children, grandchildren and so on will still benefit from your investment.”
Growing your own crops ensures that you will always have something to eat and share with others.
A scalable endeavor
If you enjoy planting your own food, imagine doing it at a scale that can benefit others as well. By investing in your own farm lot, you can enjoy your newfound hobby, escape the stress of the city and help feed people.
Given time and effort, your investment can also become a full-fledged business should you wish so. But if you only have the weekends to devote to your farm, you’ll be able to harvest enough to ensure your family will get to eat healthy and organic produce from the land.
There is much satisfaction to be found in growing your own food.
A means of leisure
There’s much joy to be found in growing your own produce. Planting something in the soil and seeing it thrive can bring much satisfaction and delight. It is also a way for you to break away from the demands of office life and unconsciously get your needed exercise outdoors. If you’re worried of failure, take to heart the words of Garcia: “Most of us have the innate talent of living off the fat of the land.” If you find difficulty in cultivating some crops, go for the less complicated ones first like beans, lettuce, and leafy greens.
A way to ensure food security
If there’s anything that we learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s that growing your own produce means you never have to worry about food. Several local farms, including the small ones owned by hobbyists, took the step of feeding Metro Manila when the imposed quarantines hampered the flow of goods. Having your own farm enables you to help more people by feeding others and giving jobs to the farmers who have no land of their own.
A chance to escape
Several parcels of land near Metro Manila are still waiting to be turned into farms, such as the Secret Garden lots in Alfonso, Cavite.
If you decide to make farming your primary means of income, there’s one benefit that you will get to appreciate in the pandemic era.
According to Garcia, “it’s a nice getaway to avoid the crowds and lead a normal life in the clean and fresh ambiance of a farm in the country.” If you own a sizeable piece of land, you rarely need to practice social distancing provided there is a high person-to-land area ratio. Not only will you be able to enjoy a clean and natural environment, you also get to escape the threat of pathogens and disease from crowded cities.
Overall, farming is an ancient livelihood that many urban dwellers are only starting to appreciate today. If you feel that cultivation is your calling in life, there is nothing that keeps you from heading out of the metro in search of a farmland to call your own. Unbeknown to many, there are still numerous parcels of unoccupied land that can cater to one’s farming fantasies.
Examples include the Secret Garden and Secret Haven lots located in Alfonso, Cavite. The nearby barangay of Palumlum also hosts several lots that are suitable for farming. With the costs of these lots ranging from only P3,500 to P8,000 per sqm, you can get a sprawling estate of rich earth for a fraction of the price it would usually cost here in the metro.
Go ahead and realize your dreams of owning a farmland. Plants may not grow overnight, but sowing seeds of change in your life will give you and your family a better and greener tomorrow.
For those looking to have their own farms, you may contact Christina Caimoy of Sonya’s Garden at 09175335140