Farm tour in Bangkok
Lest we forget, I am in Bangkok for work and part of the back-to-back activities is the ASEAN Learning Series. We usually do not just stay at the hotel listening to presentations. It is good to go to the field to see actual proof of what we are discussing inside the four walls of hotel conference rooms. For this one, we went to three different sites for the field visit. This is a Bangkok farm tour! I was excited to see what is actually in the outskirts of Bangkok.
The first site is at Silpakorn University in Nakhon Pathom, Bangkok for an interactive session on the Parabola Dome Solar Dryer technology. Prof. Serm Janjai, the inventor of the parabola dome solar dryer, discussed about the methods of solar drying and showed how the solar dryer is a good for drying bananas, tomatoes, chili, and other commodities. Just like other other people, Prof. Janjai lighted up when he heard some of us are Filipinos, saying "Philippine! Good in English!"
While looking at the solar dryers inside the campus, Prof. Janjai urged us to go inside and take a close look at the goods being dried. I thought we're not supposed to go inside because without mask, gloves etc. but they allowed us, and we had a free spa session. I didn't even last 1 minute inside. It was so hot!
We were given these free goodies before we go.
The second site is the Green Living Camp, a farm that grows only heirloom rice varieties, solely uses organic farming methods and relies on sustainable agricultural practices. They started with family farming as well, but now they have workers in their 20 hectare farm.Their products are globally certified organic by IFOAM, EU, Canada, and USDA. GLC exports organic food including rice and solar-dried banana products to the US and Canada.
Backdropped in rice fields and a lake, we listened to discussions about their products as well as the process of getting an organic certification for farm products.
But what amazed me most was when I learned that their packed cooked rice lasts for one year! I had to ask how it was done. The owners explained that it is possible because the products are vacuum sealed. They also stressed on the importance of good packaging.
We had lunch there, of course, care of GLC, so it was a yummy all-organic lunch.
The last site is the Ma Chalouy Queen Tomato Community enterprise where we saw the innovative processing technology of turning cherry tomatoes into various products. Yung kamatis na nirereject sa palengke sa Pinas dahil maliliit, pwede palang maging iba-ibang produkto. Imagination ang limit friends!
The first site is at Silpakorn University in Nakhon Pathom, Bangkok for an interactive session on the Parabola Dome Solar Dryer technology. Prof. Serm Janjai, the inventor of the parabola dome solar dryer, discussed about the methods of solar drying and showed how the solar dryer is a good for drying bananas, tomatoes, chili, and other commodities. Just like other other people, Prof. Janjai lighted up when he heard some of us are Filipinos, saying "Philippine! Good in English!"
While looking at the solar dryers inside the campus, Prof. Janjai urged us to go inside and take a close look at the goods being dried. I thought we're not supposed to go inside because without mask, gloves etc. but they allowed us, and we had a free spa session. I didn't even last 1 minute inside. It was so hot!
We were given these free goodies before we go.
The second site is the Green Living Camp, a farm that grows only heirloom rice varieties, solely uses organic farming methods and relies on sustainable agricultural practices. They started with family farming as well, but now they have workers in their 20 hectare farm.Their products are globally certified organic by IFOAM, EU, Canada, and USDA. GLC exports organic food including rice and solar-dried banana products to the US and Canada.
 |
| Rice field |
But what amazed me most was when I learned that their packed cooked rice lasts for one year! I had to ask how it was done. The owners explained that it is possible because the products are vacuum sealed. They also stressed on the importance of good packaging.
We had lunch there, of course, care of GLC, so it was a yummy all-organic lunch.
After lunch, we also indulged on their coconut ice cream, I must've had 3 or 4 cups of it. But not feeling guilty, because many of us went for second and third helpings as well. We couldn't resist!
The last site is the Ma Chalouy Queen Tomato Community enterprise where we saw the innovative processing technology of turning cherry tomatoes into various products. Yung kamatis na nirereject sa palengke sa Pinas dahil maliliit, pwede palang maging iba-ibang produkto. Imagination ang limit friends!
