Leg 11 Day 29: Friends in the Coffee Cities

Highlights : 

1. Marivic of BACOFA at Balutakay Mt. Apo Davao 
2. Sheila of Kera Coffee, Kera Coffee Shop, and Ate Nene at Kidapawan City
3. Vilma and Doc Dan Eugenio of Soccsksargen in Tacurong city 
4. Marcos & Ava of TUCOGAI Tupi South Cotabato 
5. Ptr. Marcelo & Chieftain Oliver at Purok 8 Mt. Matutum, Polomolok 
AND special mention to 
6. Jun Pantua Jr. of Kablon Farms

 

This was truly a pleasant surprise and sharing of thoughts from Josephine

  

Imagine.... if the pineapples were not there, we would have all these giant trees all over Tupi and Polomolok

 

 

Arabica Catimor catimor & more catimor at Sitio Pluto Balutakay, Mt. Apo , Davao ...BACOFAsteadily supplies Basilio: Coffee to Share and 18 Days Coffee south supermarket alabang & 18 Days Coffee Roaster, Nuvali

 

the morning trek around Purok 8, Mt. Matutum will show OLD robusta trees, overshadowed by old houses of old coffee farmers who have already passed on. the next generation of B’laans shall continue their ancestors’ tradition of coffee

we are thankful that we have reached Day29 on the road, around Mindanao.. we are on our way to the next communities tomorrow and thereafter... 🤗

Zaldy is still very passionate with highland farming . He prefers to use his carabao over the machinewhich causes heavy arm/hand fatigue..Mt. Matutum peak at the background . His son Ian Dave, is one of the first B’laan youth to finish college

 

walang katapusan na tuksuhan.. “talo ang pikon”

hindi nawawala ang jokes while talking about the really very serious things in life... “ang mga lason sa katawan ng tao -sigarilyo”

they are the ‘new’ children of B’laans who are also going to be the future B’laan farmer entrepreneurs

after a day’s rest at Kablon farms, we roughed up our way to Purok 8, Mt. Matutum with ChieftainOliver and Ptr Marcelo... retaining the B’laan tribe, traditions, values & culture are first and foremost when we plan our coffee business with them

FRUITS , pan de sal, hot tablea chocolate drink & coco jam for breakfast.. all brought by Jun Pantua Jr. ..

at 1,180 meters above sea level at Purok 8 , this is how the view of Mt. Matutum peak. it looks close, but our drone couldnt even get close to the peak

our personal break was spent with a very special friend in his very special farm ... 60 hectares of the last remaining forest surrounded by the humungous sea of pineapples.. their father fought to have this forest living until now (Kablon Farms)

another “machine” that got them interested while on lunch break

wherever Basil goes, he always makes it a point to check on all his “babies”...might as well teach the local boys too a thing or two about the nuts & bolts of the roasting machines

couldn’t and wouldn’t miss Ate Neneand Sheila... even for a bounce visit, it’s always worth all the time to get their views and opinions as we go a long way with these ladies of Kera Coffee

and the Bacofa boys during coffee break as they worked on the machines

it’s not the amount of time, but rather the value of time we shared with each other

from Kidapawan city, we drove past Makilala and went straight to Tacurong city to meet up with DocDan Eugenio, Chi, Vilma , Jojo and the rest of the family ... after dinner, no time to waste .. for planning, re-aligning and of course, a pose with their two units of roasting machines ...all about coffee farmer empowerment

Bacofa ladies washing the dishes after our shared lunch

the Dubria ladies planning their next marketing strategies

for BACOFA, a new storage facility at Balutakay , a new coffee roasting facility at Bansalan - to service their markets even better

Budoy learns to “rock” the air roasting machine of Cbvore Coffee Roaster

when the girls are at work, they really work hard before playing

Ava , Cyros and Basil rest and pose after a productive day with the roasting machines .. Hurrah! for TUCOGAI who fully supports smallholder coffee farmers