Father's farm

As part of our ministry here in Camiguin, we enjoy helping Fr. Joe with his “livelihood projects.” The goal of all these endeavors is to provide for those in need and to supply people with the resources and knowledge necessary for them to provide for themselves.

The first of the watermelon crop -- freshly picked and warmed by the sun!

In addition to fish ponds and a salt plantation, Fr. Joe and his maintenance team have established a fully functioning farm on the side of a mountain. The land is generously lent to Father by a church parishioner, and the crops harvested are sold at a very low price to parishioners and townspeople. The farm itself also provides jobs for men who might otherwise be unemployed.

Planting a highland, low-moisture variety of rice: take a step forward,
measuring 8 inches with your foot, drop rice grains, use your toes to cover them with dirt, repeat.

When Fr. Joe was first assigned as a priest on Camiguin, he asked the local people why, if they were lacking in food, did they not grow food for themselves. He was told that the island is too wet and rainy for some crops but too dry for others. Never one to take no for an answer, Father set out to prove that farming is not only possible but a very practical solution to the problem of hunger.

The caribou used to plow the fields -- yeehaw!

So far we've helped to plant rice and to harvest melons and string beans (each about 2 feet in length!). Even with successful harvests, there are still some losses and obstacles along the way. Many melons still on the vine split open after an unusually hot morning due to the drastic temperature change. Currently, we are facing a drought, which has already caused rice fields on other farms to dry up. The maintenance team is working with Fr. Joe to devise a new irrigation system for several of our crops, and in particular for the rice.

My brother Paul enjoying his first coconut at the farm.

A visit to the farm wouldn't be complete without our favorite treat: buko! Our friends help us cut open the young coconuts with their machetes so we can drink the sweet water inside.  Once it is empty, we eat the gelatinous meat of the coconut using a makeshift spoon carved from the coconut itself.

Please pray for the continued success of Fr. Joe's farm, for rain for the fields, and for God to pour out His abundant blessings on the farmers who work so tirelessly in service of the greater church!