The House of Herbs

09/07/2026

09/07/2026

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09/07/2026

RESEARCH | Indigenous communities in Java, Indonesia and Mindanao, Philippines farm the land using traditional knowledge passed down through generations. These practices, called Indigenous Agricultural Knowledge Systems (IAKS), are not only about growing food—they reflect the deep connection between people, nature, and culture. In many of these communities, farming is done in ways that protect the environment. They use methods like planting different crops together, rotating crops, and using natural fertilizers instead of chemicals. These techniques help keep the soil healthy, prevent pests, and preserve biodiversity.

The study highlights that these traditional practices are more than just old habits—they are smart, sustainable responses to modern problems like climate change, food insecurity, and land degradation. Indigenous farmers know how to work with nature, not against it. Their farming systems are often more environmentally friendly than industrial ones. The research also shows how traditional knowledge is passed on through stories, rituals, and hands-on teaching.

However, this wisdom is at risk of being lost due to modernization, loss of land, and a lack of recognition. The study calls for schools and governments to protect and support this knowledge by including it in education and policies. By learning from these communities, we can create farming systems that are more respectful of the environment and culturally meaningful. This research encourages society to value indigenous voices and support their vital role in building a more sustainable and resilient future for everyone.

Author: Cyril John C. Nagal (University of the Philippines Los Baños)

Published in Millennial Asia

Read more: https://ovpaa.up.edu.ph/research/in-java-and-mindanao-indigenous-agricultural-knowledge-systems-reflect-how-people-nature-and-culture-are-inextricably-linked/

09/07/2026

This is what Chef does with leftovers.. Mmmmmmm yummmm!!

09/06/2026

PALAWAN’S ANCESTRAL GRAINS: A total of 180 unique heirloom rice varieties have been identified in Palawan by the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), helping preserve valuable rice varieties that could play an important role in food security and climate change adaptation.

The discovery came from a seed-mapping mission that collected 300 traditional rice samples from Indigenous communities across northern and southern Palawan.

After genetic testing, PhilRice confirmed that 180 are distinct ancestral varieties. Researchers also found that different Indigenous groups sometimes gave different names to the same rice variety.

Unlike many modern crops that rely heavily on fertilizers and pesticides, these traditional rice varieties have naturally adapted to Palawan’s environment over generations. Some show strong resistance to pests and can better withstand changing weather conditions.

Because of these qualities, researchers see the heirloom rice as an important resource for climate-resilient farming and future food security.

The project is also going beyond simply preserving the seeds. Through the DA’s Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran ng Kababayang Katutubo (4K) program, selected resilient varieties are being multiplied and returned to Indigenous farmers.

The goal is to bring back the seeds that have long been part of Palawan’s Indigenous communities, strengthen traditional farming, reduce dependence on chemicals, and help protect the livelihoods of the people who have preserved these crops for generations.

09/06/2026

09/06/2026

by my friend, Lori, was pure !! 🥰😍😘

09/06/2026

Inspirations from Columbia resto! Chef BROUGHT it tonight with delicious Cuban dishes like & ! Mm mm mm!!

09/06/2026

FOUND AGAIN ❤️🌿

For more than a century, scientists had no confirmation that this rare Philippine plant was still surviving in the wild.

Now, Calamus vinosus, a Critically Endangered rattan found only in the Philippines, has been rediscovered deep in the forests of the Mt. Candalaga Range in Maragusan, Davao de Oro.

Before the discovery, the species was known from only one scientific collection made in 1912 on Mt. Urdaneta in Agusan del Norte. With no additional records for more than 110 years, scientists were left uncertain whether it still existed in the wild.

That changed during a plant photography expedition conducted from November 26 to December 4, 2024 by Dr. Julie F. Barcelona, Dr. Pieter B. Pelser, and Guiller S. Opiso. The team was documenting the plant diversity of Mt. Candalaga while improving knowledge of Philippine Eagle habitat.

Palm expert Jiro Adorador of UP Los Baños later identified one of their remarkable finds as the long-missing C. vinosus.

The rattan stands out for its striking wine-red fruits, a feature that makes it unlike other Philippine rattans. The expedition also produced 2,271 photographs documenting 236 plant species, many previously unrecorded from Davao de Oro.

Even more remarkably, the same Mt. Candalaga forests provide habitat for other threatened and extraordinary Philippine species, including the Critically Endangered Philippine Eagle and the giant flower Rafflesia mira.

One species disappearing from scientific records for 112 years, and then appearing alive in a Philippine forest, is a powerful reminder of how much remains undiscovered in the country’s wild places.

And of how much could disappear if those forests are not protected. 🌿🦅

09/06/2026

What a lovely day together! A yummy brunch poolside!! 🥰🥰🥰