Goducate’s farm in Laguna, Philippines is adjacent to a grassy plain. The farm started to produce organic fertilizer using earthworms. When this simple method of production was “perfected,” we moved on to plant garden vegetables. The farm is now beginning to produce nice juicy vegetables.
The purpose of all this is to train Goducate workers who can help needy families to produce vegetables in their unused backyards. Goducate hopes to put abundant “organic vegetables” on even the poorest families’ table and start a Veg@table movement in rural Asia.
Presently, four young Filipinos are being trained on the farm. To provide for their daily needs, a simple scheme using cows and goats has been started. Some kind sponsors have donated 2 cows and 2 goats to these students. Their job is to fatten the males and to use the females to reproduce. The abundant grass around the farm provides all the food for these animals.
A large cow cost about US$470 and the small one about US$300. After a year of fattening, a cow will easily double its market value. Cows also can produce a calf a year.
A goat cost about USD$40. Goat reproduce rapidly and grow to market weight quickly.
Barring unforeseen circumstances (eg. theft, disease, accidents) these animals, will soon provide for the daily needs of these Goducate students. But more importantly, it will teach these young Filipinos how to help themselves – and after their training, to help others like them to help themselves.
