growing veggies in silang

Our property in Silang, Cavite, is officially classified as “agricultural land,” and the development, Ponderosa Leisure Farms, imposes a restriction that you cannot build on more than 25% of your lot – the rest of the lot has to be garden – ornamentals or vegetables. This restriction and land classification makes sure that your neighbors are not too close [unlike some subdivisions] and helps lower real estate taxes significantly.

Most of our garden is planted in ornamentals but a certain portion is reserved for ‘veggies.’ So far we’ve harvested tomatoes, cucumber, eggplant, ampalaya, okra, pechay [Chinese cabbage], bell pepper and chili pepper.

Some of them mature over time and you can harvest more or less when you want. Others, like tomato, seem to ripen all at once. In the next week or so, we’ll be harvesting lots of tomatoes and the idea is to use some of the harvest to make pasta sauce and freeze that for future use.

It’s sort of ironic that the main source of our vegetable seeds is the East West Seed Company, a company founded more than 25 years ago by a cousin of mine from Enkhuizen, Netherlands; our fathers used to be partners in a major seed company there.

…East West began in 1982 with the goal of blending European style seedsmanship with Asian tropical vegetables. We were convinced that by introducing intensive breeding programs to developing vegetable seed markets we could improve the lives of farmers while building a successful business. Our first commercial success, a hybrid bitter gourd, came after several years of research investment. But our hard work has paid off by significantly raising industry standards for all vegetable seeds.

…Our strategy is based on breeding appropriate varieties by living and working in the markets we serve. From our early work in the Philippines, we have expanded to include breeding programs in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Bangladesh.

In 2007, I contacted the company office here in the Philippines, explained who I was, and indicating that I would be interested in visiting them to view their Philippine operation. Perfect timing as my email got to them just before the 25^th anniversary of the company – of course, Noel and I attended. Now we grow and eat their vegetables.

Lately, we’ve also added hydroponics trials – on the suggestion of friends from the agricultural college at U.P. Los Baños. Lettuce and stuff like Chinese pechay seem to do very well.

Given the cost of real estate in this area, growing your own vegetables might not make much economic sense --- but it’s fun and you can’t get them any fresher.

The rainy season is starting and everything is growing like crazy -- and so are the weeds.

Nikko, our good and fairful friend for 18+ years

15 January 1992 – 3 June 2010

A few days ago, we buried Nikko. He had been with us for more than 18 years and, during those years, he brought much joy to our lives. He was such a good dog, never complaining, but always ready to let you know he was your friend.

We got Nikko from a litter of about ten. When we first saw him, he’s the one, he right away came to us to ‘say hello,’ and that made him the obvious choice – he stood out in the crowd and let us know it.

At first, he was not allowed to go into our living room at Harmon Cove, our condo at New Jersey. From time to time, we’d test him by rolling a tennis ball into the room but Nikko was good, he always stopped at the edge. Once he was fully trained, he had the run of the house. In those days, I traveled quite a bit and when I’d bring my bags down, Nikko would jump on top of them and stay there -- knowing I’d be gone for a while.

When we walked him in Harmon Cove, he always stayed by our side – in later years I was forced to put him on a leash as other Cove residents insisted that all dogs be leashed.

He was such a trooper and loved to travel. He was with us in the car, on the boat, and came along on trips to Mexico and California –- our fellow passengers never even realized we had a dog with us in the cabin as Nikko was so well behaved.

I remember walking him in wet and sticky snow that was some 20 inches deep. Nikko would sort of hop around, like a bunny rabbit until he could hardly move as the snow clumps around his paws got too large and heavy.

Not a natural swimmer, he put up with it – swimming in the Hackensack River, the Hudson River, Long Island Sound, Lake Hopatcong, as well as the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

When we finally made out move to the Philippines, we were concerned about the long plane ride. On trips to Mexico and California he was allowed in the cabin – not so for the long haul from Los Angeles to Manila. We were not sure what his condition would be when he’d come down the luggage conveyor belt. Noel opened his cage door, Nikko came out, looked around, shook himself and looked for a place to pee – he’d held it for the whole trip.

In Manila, he stayed with us in the Roxas Blvd condo overlooking Manila Bay. We’d walk him at the Baywalk and he loved it. Gradually, however, he lost his eyesight and could see no more. When we made our move to our new home in Silang, he never got to see his new home – just smelled it.


He was getting old and not very steady anymore on his feet. You’d have to hold him while Nikko ate or drank . or let him lay down next to the bowl where he continued eating. He ate well – up to the end.

Sometimes he would not be able to get up by himself and then he’d cry out for help – not infrequently in the middle of the night. He’s now at peace and if there is a doggy heaven, we’re sure he is there. He was truly ‘one of a kind.’

Two years ago, for my 70th birthday, friends gave us Noah. Noah’s body color was almost the same as Nikko but his body shape is very different – kinda stocky. Noah is turning out to be a real sweetheart also and he helps make up for our big loss. Dogs are truly man’s best friend, always there for you and never complaining. Nikko we will miss you but never really forget you.