A Farmer's Heart: Exploring My Lolo's Abundant Garden

 A day in my life as a blogger staying in the Philippines. Hey hey my dear Hive friends, it's me again, your cutie blogger @itsmejustine. How are you guys? I hope you're all doing well.  For today's blog guys, join me as I survey my Lolo's (grandfather's) little garden. The last time I visited, the plants were still small, really tiny. They were just seeds. It felt like ages since I'd last seen my Lolo's plants—were they even thriving? I'd helped him plant them, remember? But it had been pouring that day, so no pics—my phone was a precious cargo I couldn't risk getting soaked. Besides, I wanted to be fully present, to get the planting done quickly and efficiently. I was really looking forward to seeing how everything had grown. And I also wanted to fully enjoy planting at that time so we could finish quickly. So today, join me on an adventure to my Lolo's little farm. So what are you waiting for??? Let's go!!!... Let's gooo Hive friends…  Okay, so here's my beach-ready head wrap—totally rocking the baby-hat look, even though I'm headed to my Lolo's farm, not the beach! It's ridiculously cute, I know.  Self is ready for the adventure to Lolo's little farm. Lolo laughed at me because I wouldn't go to his little farm without asking, right? So, I asked for permission. During our little conversation, he said, "Lolo: Where are you going?" While I was being extra cute to him, just to get permission to survey his farm, because he said some of his plants were still small. While I replied, "Me: hehehe Lolo, I'm going to your farm, ha??? hehehe" (with matching cute eyes). Hehe. Fast forward, so I got a yes because in the end, he allowed me to survey his farm...hehehe. Lolo can't really say no; I'm his favorite grandchild, hehe.  Lolo has lagundi plants at the back of his house. Well, this is the national remedy for coughs here. Lagundi has many benefits. I can't list them all, but it's really effective.  This is also what we're given when we have a cough because it's really effective. Lolo really placed it at the back of the house so it would be easy to find, because it's also his cough medicine, and so he doesn't need to go to his little farm to get it since it's quite far.  While on my way to the little farm, I was really excited. And the first thing that caught my attention was this cute bantiyong.  Looks kinda like a white squash, right? No clue what the English word for "bantiyong" is, it's just what we call it. Anyway, it's adorable! I was tempted to pick it, but it's not ripe yet—total waste to pick it now. It's really delicious once harvested. It can be cooked as a stir-fry or made into a Bisaya dish called “utan”. But the best way for me is to stir-fry it with shrimp paste and sardines. You'll really get full from it. It's also very budget-friendly.  Hehe, I thought the dogs were only at the house, but Lolo's little farm isn't to be outdone either, because it has guard dogs! So no one will dare steal anything because there are dogs on guard.  Lolo also has banana plants. These are almost ready for harvest. Just a little longer, and we'll have bananas to cook again, like banana cue, turon, or banana chips. Then if we sell them, the profit will be significant. Some don't have fruit yet, but others are almost ready for harvest.  Check out that reddish bit at the bottom of the banana bunch? OMG, that's the puso ng saging—banana heart—and it's amazing! I'm totally addicted. It's amazing in utan or just stir-fried. Ugh, just thinking about it is making me hungry—so good!  Oops, Lolo's chili plants aren't lagging behind either; they have so many fruits.  They're ready to harvest; many are ripe and can be preserved in vinegar. Whoa! It'll be so spicy once it's in vinegar. Chili has many uses; it can be used in various dishes. Lolo has a lot of chili because he loves it; he even eats some raw.  He also has a lot of gabi (taro). You can add it if you want to cook utan. It's one of my favorites when added to utan. Mom's utan is the best! Man, Seriously, I'm always stuffed after eating that! We've got a ton of taro, but it's not ready yet – those corms need more time to grow.  See those? Those are little eggplants. They don't have fruits yet. Lolo just recently planted them, so they're still small. They haven't flowered yet.  You'll know they're about to bear fruit when they have flowers, because once they flower, you can't pick them because the fruit grows inside the flower.  Whoa... surveying is tiring but amazing, haha! I look like a landowner, just kidding aside.   Lolo also has papaya plants; some already have fruits. Some are still small, but others are large and ready for harvest and consumption. They can also be sold. Lolo sold papayas last month; he already has regular customers who buy from him. That's why he has many papaya plants.  Lolo's lemongrass isn't lagging behind, guys... Hmmm, you know what it's used for, right? Of course, you do, guys. We call it the magical chicken smell because once you add lemongrass to your cooked utan, it's amazing because it's like you added chicken, one of the reasons is its smell. It smells like chicken, so it's used in dishes for those who want the taste of chicken broth.  Lolo's moringa tree isn't to be outdone either; it's so healthy. It also has many benefits and is delicious in chicken or fish soup. It's Lolo's daily dish because he likes moringa soup every morning to keep him active for his work.  Lolo's got guava trees, too! It's amazing with a little salt. Ugh, I'm craving some now, but they're not ripe yet. 😭 Maybe I can snag some next month... I'll be back!.  Okay, so this fruit is insane! Lolo almost cut down the tree thinking it was a weed, but phew, he didn't! It's fruiting for the first time, and the fruit is seriously gorgeous—like, unreal. It looks incredible, even though it's unripe. The color change is wild—green to pink/red/purple, then finally black when ripe! Never seen anything like it.  It's a Karonda (Carissa carandas), some kind of berry.  And lastly, he also planted corn. This corn is their daily rice. Grandpa prefers corn to rice, so that's what he grew. Hehehe. I love corn too! Grandpa planted so much. Harvest time is coming soon. I want to help with the roasting, but school is starting soon, so Mom and my siblings will be helping Grandpa instead. And get this: during the pandemic lockdown, he fed the family and made a profit from his veggies! Farmers are seriously amazing. They work so hard, no matter the weather, to feed everyone. I'm so incredibly proud of my Lolo, a farmer through and through. 100%, no doubt! It's backbreaking work, so huge respect to all the farmer dads and grandpas out there—you're the real MVPs! You definitely reap what you sow.  Lolo's farm is his retirement plan, his family's lifeline. He's technically a senior citizen, but don't tell him that—he insists he's still young! 😂 After harvest, he shares the bounty with us, selling the rest to make ends meet.  Long drive to Lolo's farm, totally worth it! Got home to the most amazing surprise – fresh buko juice! Seriously, it was amazing. Sweet coconut water with creamy condensed milk... I polished off two glasses, no regrets. You absolutely HAVE to try this if you get the chance. Best. Treat. Ever. Wow, I even finished two glasses.