The farming nuns

The nuns belong to the Medical Mission Sisters, who were inspired to establish in 2006, this learning center for ecological crisis and alternative living. It started as a shelter for elderly sisters, where they could stay and live a simple life. They have expanded and today offer a haven for those wanting to preserve Mother Nature.

Tucked in a barrio called Mabarac in Barangay Capuluan in Villasis, Pangasinan is a two-hectare property with a community of farming nuns. They are dedicated pioneers in protecting the environment from destruction brought about by natural and human causes. Long before any one of us became concerned with what has been happening to the earth, they joined the growing movement to care for the earth and have organized themselves into a group of advocates called HEAL, a sustainable human settlement.  

HEAL stands for Haven for Ecological and Alternative Living, and it seeks to answer the challenge of the ecological crisis as protectors of Mother Earth. The nuns belong to the Medical Mission Sisters, who were inspired to establish in 2006 this learning center for ecological and alternative living. It started as a shelter for elderly sisters, where they could stay and live a simple life. They have expanded and today offer a haven for those wanting to preserve Mother Nature.

They are open to people interested in the preservation of Mother Earth.

Their program includes a walk through the area to acquaint guests with their mission; a Day with Earth, looking at the current eco crisis; an earth camp which can be one day or two; solid waste management where blue worms are transformed into fertilizers; perma-culture meaning permanent agriculture; healing modalities using herbal medicine; and seminars.  They have a nursery for herbs, seedlings, ornamental plants and trees. They have HEAL stores, where bottled products and handicrafts made by green manufacturers are sold. Proceeds go to the pursuit of their mission.  These ‘farming’ sisters are happy that their place is now proliferating with fruits and vegetables. With their indefatigable efforts they are seeing that their small start has borne results, that those who visit have been connected to nature and have become their partners in attaining sustainability and healthy living. Call HEAL, tel. (075) 698-2838. Connect with Mother Earth, be HEAL-ed.  

Sometime in the recent past, we were looking for a palayok (native clay pot) to use for our pinangat, a dish we cook with sapsap or ayungin in calamansi juice, ginger, salt and pepper and pork lard. Somehow Filipino food retains its freshness and “ethnic” taste when done in a clay pot. It took us quite a long search before we found one, in a wet market in a distant town. That incident brought us to the realization that many of our traditional cooking equipment have been replaced by so-called easy-to-manage utensils/gadgets. Even cooking from scratch has been taken over by quick-fix mixes and methods. On our part, we have actually remained a ‘slow cooker,’ allowing meat and fowl to simmer in their juices for hours to seal their flavors.

Authentic Filipino cuisine is rich. It must not be overwhelmed by any other cuisine, a lot of which has been sweeping all corners of the world. Happily there are culinary historians who have banded together with the aim of upholding our culinary heritage. The ASA Culinary Heritage Institute has then been established. ASA stands for “Ang Saliring Atin,” and is led by New York-based Amy Besa, who spearheads the movement  working for the preservation of family heirloom recipes, the use of old cooking techniques and traditional equipment. They are undertaking scientific research on our cuisine.

Their program includes building community kitchens in different areas of the country in order to help in the promotion of the culinary arts, food preparation, nutrition and sanitation. A pilot kitchen has been established in Dumaguete. It is a green and eco-friendly kitchen.   

Perhaps with ASA, we can hope to be at par with Japanese, Thai and Korean cuisines, in their coveted places in the world of culinary arts. We wish them luck.

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