If you’re interested in farming and living off the land, here are some thoughts from Chit Juan:
1. If you’re talking about sustainability you have to think of both the environment and your business viability.
2. For the environment, ECHOFarms is an organic farm. They use vermicompost and natural interventions like planting Marigold, a natural repellant.
3. For viability, Chit suggests growing produce that there is a market for and putting in man-made interventions that manage El Nino and La Nina. They have metal arches with nets that cover the produce during stormy seasons and a water pump during dry seasons. In terms of trends though, Chit says that there is a growing demand for organic produce.
4. Part of this business and environmental sustainability is knowing what your soil will grow. Chit says you can have your soil tested by the Bureau of Soils or just see what your neighbors are growing.
5. Chit also suggests diversification – not just in where you invest your capital but also where you source some of your supplies.
Business aside though, there are many other personal reasons to start (or continue) growing organic produce. Chit says,
” You are actually helping yourself and you help your community and of course, you’re saving the planet in your own way. You learn to feel nature. And you learn to talk to nature. I would say it’s priceless. It’s a feeling you can’t buy. So I hope everyone takes to planting their own food like we did. “
