Mango Picking at Rosa Farms

Mango picking is nothing new to me. As a child, my father would always take me and my siblings  to nearby provinces like Pangasinan and there, we go to a farm where we go pick fresh vegetables and mangoes of different types. Fruit or vegetable  picking in a farm is one of the things I want my own kids to experience.

We accidentally came across Rosa Farms on our way to Punta De Uian, Zambales 2 weeks ago. We go to Punta De Uian almost every year, but for some reason, this was our first time to notice this mango farm. Anyway, I saw the big sign along the national hi-way, right side, going to San Antonio, Zambales.

The following day, we checked- out from Punta De Uian early so we can bring the kids to Rosa Farms and experience mango picking. From the beach, going to Rosa Farms is a good 15- 20 minutes. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by the nice staff of the farm. Since it's a mango plantation, and it's surrounded by big trees, we were able to park our car in a cool, shady area. We got there around 9:30am, we were the farm's first customers of the day.

In farms such as this, usually, people buy baskets and baskets of fruits and vegetables. Most of the time, they sell it in Manila for a higher price. In our case, I asked the person- in-charge if we can only buy 1 -2 kilos of mangoes just for the experience itself and of course, enough for us to consume when we get home.

We were taken deep in the mango plantation because the day before of our visit, Rosa Farms hosted an event. Guests, tourists raided most of the mango trees near the entrance. We thought that if we're to take a long walk to the available trees way inside the farm, it's going to be more fun. It was nothing for us, because we were able to go around the farm itself.

But, not only they allowed us for a minimum purchase of 2 kilos, they also drove us around the mango farm. I really appreciate their kindness and the value poured towards customer service and satisfaction.

In order to preserve the fruits, the mangoes were individually wrapped with paper bags. Everything was already good for picking.

Most of the mangoes we picked were large in size. Each mango was heavy, the skin of the fruits were smooth, free of spots and it has a sweet- tangy smell.

I kinda promised the people at Rosa Farms that I'm gonna go back and bring my dad. My father is very fond of farms, anything that are freshly picked, organic and over-all, the provincial life. And yes, not only we're going to bring our dad with us, but the rest of the family as well. Since Rosa Farms is near the beach... it's perfect!

To pack our mangoes home, Rosa Farms have eco- friendly bags that are very sturdy. Our visit to Rosa Farms wrapped our summer for 2014. It sure is another extraordinary memory for us.

 *By the way, there's no entrance fee, so please respect the natural environment and be responsible with your trash.

All- Natural Food in Baler, Aurora

If there will be a reason why my family will want to have a property in Baler... aside from the beaches, food is a big factor, everything in Baler is all- natural/ organic. It's a big blessing to have a friend from Baler. Every time we go there, we're served with home-cooked food from breakfast, lunch to dinner.

Upon our arrival, a local fisherman and his wife with their fresh catch paid us a visit. Who wants fresh Tanigue?! In Manila, a kilo of Tanigue costs from around 280-300+php and it's not as fresh anymore.

Aside from 2 big Tanigue's, the fisherman also brought some small fishes. The farm we stayed in is just 5 minutes away from the ocean, so imagine the freshness of these fishes they delivered to us that day. In the evening, our host grilled slices of the Tanigue for dinner and paired it with Pako Salad (Vegetable Fern Salad).

Pako is another organic vegetable that's very abundant in Baler, Aurora. It's by luck to find fresh Pako in Manila. Pako grows along "clean" riverbanks or sapa. The tips are often blanched then used for salads or to match with any Filipino viand.

Pako is one of the food I enjoyed when we were in Baler. As a matter of fact, I bought 6-7 bunches at the Baler market. It survived our 6 hours of travel back to Manila. Aside from fishes and vegetables, Aurora Province also offers a vast variety of seafood. During our 2011 visit, my husband and I was already at the Baler market as early as 6am picking and buying fresh squid to be taken home. Same with mangoes and other fruits like watermelon.

Other things that can be very useful in cooking which you can find in Baler is coconut vinegar or sukang tuba, red/salted eggs, rice, potatoes and onions. Life in Baler is very healthy because processed food is not part of their lifestyle. Not a fast- food chain around.

When in Baler, it's either you eat at the only 5 star hotel in Sabang beach, dine at the small eateries by the beach,  rent or get a house where you can cook the fresh ingredients you bought from the market and enjoy healthy home-cooked meals throughout your stay.