Women in charge: Organic farm to table …and back to farm

MANILA, Philippines - She would not strike you as a “no-nonsense” businesswoman as she stays in the background and defers to the men on the table. But, who wields the financial muscle? The lady behind May’s Organic Garden, The Puro Organic Coffee brand and, believe it or not, a foundry shop that makes shredders for vermicomposting.

May Uy, ably assisted by daughter Princess Uy-Margen, are the “women in charge.” And why am I not surprised? Because women bring 60 percent of incomes back to the family table and women actually also influence most purchase decisions. Here in May’s Organic Garden and Restaurant in the outskirts of Bacolod, the women take charge. But with deference to the creator of the RU shredder, Ramon Uy Sr., May’s better half, is of course the negotiator and chief sales person of all their machinery, equipment and hardware used by farmers.

As they have already hit rock bottom once, Ramon Sr. can now talk about “bankruptcy” like it’s a walk in the park. Though admittedly no one wants to go back to those times. Ramon Sr. and May literally rose from the ashes, or from the compost, like a phoenix sharpening its talons for a bigger and better fight. And they have succeeded.

May knew better than to give all their land titles to Ramon to mortgage for business expansion. She kept the family treasure, a big concrete structure they call home, which sits on a 1,000-square meter lot beside their foundry. When “s— hit the fan” and interest rates rose to 40 percent, Ramon Sr. was finished. But May kept a secret: she kept the title which would be their lucky charm.

Ramon got a deal from the bank that foreclosed his properties – he was allowed to rent his factory and soon started selling shredders to local governments, while just lending (not selling) the same type of equipment (e.g. shredders) to needy farmers who could start a new life in organic agriculture, after the sugar meltdown.

May held on to whatever she could save from their now “starting anew” business venture. She luckily met the owners of the lots surrounding their home and started to buy them from the owners who gladly sold to her family. Today, the business sits on over five hectares of contiguous land – including an abandoned subdivision – and now houses the RU Foundry and May’s Organic Garden and Restaurant.

The food served at May’s are Negrense recipes which make use of fresh organic produce from their farms, their friends’ farms and the organic farms of those they have helped make a better life in organic farming. Fresh blue crabs, fresh river shrimps, vegetable lumpia, squid stuffed with lemongrass are just a few of the dishes I sampled during my short stay in the Bacolod area. The coffee is, of course, freshly-roasted and freshly-brewed.

Princess, in charge of Puro Organic coffee, explains her three variants as we talk over coffee. She also shows me the different colors of their Puro Organic rice – red, black and brown. Further, they have developed porridge which is made with organic rice, malunggay and other healthy ingredients – way better for children and even adults – than today’s processed cereals or instant meals.

I am amazed at the dynamics of mother and daughter, who run the business quietly behind the patriarch. They entertain me with stories while doting over two-year-old Iñigo (Princess’ son) and giving orders for today’s deliveries. Just like many successful businesswomen I know, they multi-task, even while responding to my many questions about business operations. And these two women truly represent the sector who empower other women by just doing what they do best. They process rice, coffee and piaya in their facilities – all value-added products of farmers’ produce – so they can continue to buy from the farmers who use their shredders for organic farming. Now that is a sustainable loop.

And to share all this bounty with their clients, May’s Organic Garden accepts wedding reservations, parties and other catering events so more people will know the benefits of eating well while doing organic agriculture. They also conduct farm tours where guides like Miriam can show you the difference between citronella and lemongrass – they look alike – and will also show you how to make your own vermicompost pit and start an organic backyard garden.

It’s farm to table and table to farm, because they can even show you how to compost domestic waste or food scraps. And for everyday people, Princess will soon have her own café on the premises so people can enjoy their “farm to table to farm” cuisine and enjoy the organic coffee, too, even on not-so-special occasions.

The ladies truly have it figured out. Everyday coffee at Princess’ Puro Organic café, and bigger events at May’s Organic Garden and Restaurant. You must visit and take the eco-tour around the property and appreciate all the bounty we have which is sustainably used by this family.

And for the enterprising women out there, learn a few tips from May and Princess. They are an example of  owning a business you can enjoy while making sure your family eats only the best produce.

May’s Organic Garden and Restaurant is located at Sitio Aning, Brgy. Pahanocoy, Negros Occidental. Contact 0925-7074102.