PERMACULTURE IN CABIOKID

Ang mundo ay nilikha ng Diyos para pamahalaan ng tao. Ang pangangalaga sa ating kalikasan ay mahalaga sapagkat ito ang nagsisilbing tirahan natin habang tayo ay nabubuhay sa ating pisikal na anyo dito sa lupa.

Sa permaculture, merong 3 ethics na sinusunod.
1. Care for the Earth
2. Care for the people
3. Careful consumption of resources in relation to population.

Paubos na ang ating natural resources, this is because of degradation, our immense consumption, and environmental issues such as climate change. We make use of these, but we do not replace.

Permaculture is a design system for creating sustainable human habitats (houses, livelihood opportunities) based on natural system.

What makes permaculture different?

• Permaculture uses the least amount of energy for the greatest possible effect.

• Permaculture framework is based on principles.

1. Relative placement or how we put things together in a certain place.
e.g. Dapat ang aking garden ay malapit sa bahay para hindi na ako mapapagod ng maglakad ng malayo kapag pupunta ako, kasi lagi akong nagpupunta dun. Dapat malapit din ito sa source of water or irrigation para madali akong makapagdilig.

2. Each element performs many functions.
e.g. A bamboo has many uses. Maari itong gawing furniture, Bangka, bahay, handicrafts at marami pang iba bukod sa ito ay nakaka-control ng erosion, nagsisilbing windbreak, carbon sink at aesthetics.

3. Every function is supported by many elements. If there are more alternatives, it is more sustainable.

4. Efficient energy planning o ang matalinong pagtuklas ng lakas. Ito ay ginagawa sa pamamagitan ng zoning. Those that need more energy requirements (marami kang ginagawa) are in the lower zone while those with less energy requirement will be put in higher zones. So your house and its surroundings will be classified as Zone 1 as you have many activities in that zone.

5. Emphasis on the use of biological resources over fossil fuel resources.

6. Energy recycling on site. A very good example of this is gray and black water treatment.

7. Small-scale and effective systems.

8. Using and accelerating natural plant succession to establish favorable sites and soils.

9. Polyculture and diversity of beneficial species for a productive, interactive system.

10. Use of edge and natural patterns for best effect.

PERMACULTURE IN CABIOKID

Cabiokid sign board

Dito sa Cabiokid, maraming kakaiba. Noong dumating ako as a volunteer, hindi ako makapaniwala sa lugar na titirhan ko. Siyempre, I expect na ito ay bahay. At hindi ko inaasahan na kubo na walang wall ang magiging bahay ko. Well, may wall pala, net nga lang. The house is made up of indigenous materials, bamboo, cogon, and ilang ilang. At ang ilalim ay parte ng hugis kamay na pond. Here is the house which was used then as dining hall na siyang naging tirahan ko sa loob ng isang buwan. Isang rason kung bakit itinayo ang bahay sa lugar na ito ay para ihuhulog na lang doon ay mga pagkain ng tilapia. Whew!

At sa bandang likuran naman ito..

Ito ang multi-purpose house, maganda ang design. Ito ang harap..

At sa bandang likuran naman ito.

Dito may meeting area at the same time TV area. May office din at CR and bathroom. At sa second floor ay tulugan. Nice house, di ba? Malamig during summer lalo na at napapalibutan ito ng mga puno ng mangga at iba pang puno.

This is part of being a permaculture farm of Cabiokid. Marami akong natutunang praktikal na bagay sa lugar na ito. I-share ko sa inyo ang ilan sa mga ito.

1. They promote the use of indigenous materials in building houses, training centers, stalls etc. Ang mga materials na ito, hindi mainit kapag tag-araw kaya hindi na mangangailangan ng aircon.

2. The use of pugon instead of electric or gas stove. They got fuel wood from Zone 4 or forest area.

Pugon

3. One of this is the use of ash (from the pugon used in cooking) instead of water in flushing human waste. Ash facilitates faster composting. Compost human waste is used as a fertilizer for trees in Zone 4 of the farm (forest area). The bowl and tank is designed for this purpose. Iwasang mabasa ang bowl para hindi ito babaho. May part ng bowl na para lang talaga sa urine, separate ang destinasyon ng urine sa jebs. Ang urine ay ginagamit na fertilizer (urea) sa mga halaman doon. Naglalagay sa CR ng Citronella para ma-neutralize ang amoy.

So walang nasasayang sa paraan na ito. Ang paggamit sa CR, sanayan lang yan.

At dito naiipon ang urine..

This is the bathroom with pebbles.

4. Trapping free energies such as sunlight, wind, and rain water to be stored and utilized before it deteriorates.

a. Plastic roof which Cabiokid called “skylight” is used in some part of the roof so that sunlight can penetrate inside the house, so you will not use electric    light during daytime anymore.

Just make sure na tama ang positioning ng plastic roof na ito para makapasok ang sinag ng araw.

b. The use of windmill to generate electricity is another one.

c. And rainwater catchment is set up to collect water during rainy days.

5. Curve lines favor more organisms to thrive than straight lines. The more curves, the longer the line (ex. Seashore of the Philippines), the more organisms can live/stay.

6. Organic farming. In their vegetable garden, they plant insect repellant plants as companion of the crop to drive away the insects. They use rice straw as mulch and pesticides from plant extracts as spray. Composted animal manure and rice straw, and Carbonized Rice Hull (CRH) are used as fertilizers. The ricefield is planted with kakawate along the bunds. Kakawate serves as source of Nitrogen and other elements for the rice plant. During land preparation, they cut kakawate twigs and incorporate it to the field.

Permaculture garden

The benefits of gardening based on permaculture is that it needs low input and it is sustainable.

Cabiokid rice field

Sa lapad ng pilapil, pwede na itong tamnan ng sitaw at magiging balag nito ang mga kakawate.

This is creating wealth without buying from outside the farm. It improves the soil. It is creating a system by channeling water to provide energy, adding biomass and uses everything coming from the ecosystem. Creating an environment that will last for a long time.

Marami pang magagandang bagay na pwede niyong matuklasan sa Cabiokid. Dumalaw sa kanilang website www.cabiokid.org o bumisita mismo sa Cabiokid farm sa Guapito st., Sta. Rita, Cabiao, Nueva Ecija. Just email Cabiokid Farm manager Mr. Angelito Agustin at cabiokid@yahoo.com or text/call him at 09285513935.