Aside from the pristine, secluded beaches ideal for surfing, La Union offers another unique experience that allows visitors to get closer to nature and reap its bounty, specifically grape picking.
In Barangay Urayong, Bauang, La Union, a family farm holds the distinction of being a pioneer in viticulture, the science behind the cultivation, protection, and harvest of grapes where the operations are outdoors.
Lomboy Farms began in 1972 through the efforts of the late Avelino Lomboy. Although employed in a rural bank, the family patriarch wanted to grow high-value crops as a challenge and augment their family income.
He eventually discovered the market potential of growing grapes. He began with ten cuttings from Cebu, taking him two years to research and develop the proper technique. Two years later, Lomboy’s efforts paid off when grapes began to grow on the farm. He sold the first bunches at only P25 per kilo.
Nowadays, the responsibility of running the farm has gone to his daughter, Gracia C. Lomboy, as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) registered the business in her name in 2007. She calls the instance destiny because of how timely things developed throughout her life, allowing her to follow in her father’s footsteps and uphold his legacy despite a niche industry.
Having graduated from the University of the Philippines Diliman with a degree in business administration and accountancy in 2001, Lomboy is a certified public accountant (CPA) by profession. But at a young age, her father exposed her to the wonders of farming.
“As early as two years old, mulat na ako sa work namin sa farm. Nung kaya ko na, tumutulong na ako sa maliit na bagay. For example, nagpa-pot ng cuttings, tumutulong sa harvest, nag-aalis ng sira. During summer breaks, tumutulong din ako sa pagbebenta ng ubas,” Lomboy told Manila Standard Agiculture.
These experiences made her realize the type of work they do on the farm and the challenges they faced in the 40 years they operated.
Lomboy resigned from her full-time job in Manila in 2017 and returned home for health reasons, allowing her to manage the farm under her father’s supervision.
“It’s fortunate I took that decision because, in 2018, my father passed away. It was a blessing in disguise because nakasama ko siya one year running the business para at least nakita ko ‘yung pasikot-sikot, kung ano kailangang baguhin, anong problema,” Lomboy said.
She added her father told her the legacy he wanted to leave with their family farm.
Lomboy finds fulfillment in seeing their grapes grow and how it empowers local farmers while bringing smiles to Filipinos who enjoy picking and consuming grapes.
Promoting viticulture
Although many Filipinos enjoy consuming grapes, the country’s tropical climate doesn’t make it endemic to the Philippines. It has roots in the Middle East and South American countries, but the trade and barter system eventually brought it to Philippine shores.
Modern farmers have since seen its potential in profitability.
“It’s an emerging high-value crop in terms of their revenue potential. Over the years, nakita namin ‘yung impact niya sa society and the communities. Malaki ‘yung changes in the socio-economic lives of the people in this particular industry,” Lomboy said.
Even though grape farming remains a niche industry in the country, Lomboy believes it can help local farmers, especially grassroots farmers, earn more from their usual harvest.
The Lomboy family developed their grape production technique throughout the decades, allowing the production of different acclimatized grape varieties, including red cardinal, black ribier, and the Brazilian hybrid. Their watering, pruning, and other farming approaches enable them to harvest grapes three times a year, with the dry season as their most bountiful.
Adapting to climate change
Due to extreme weather, the farm had to adapt to climate-resilient approaches to ensure their harvest throughout the year despite intense heat or frequent rainfall.
Lomboy shared they didn’t enjoy much rainfall for the past three years due to El Niño, pushing them to rely only on weather changes to receive ample water for farm operations.
“As a farm entrepreneur, kailangan may foresight kami on how we will approach farming activities. Dapat proactive kami,” she said.
One method that proved efficient in safeguarding their farm activities is multi-cropping, which refers to growing two or more crop species on the same piece of land to increase agricultural output and diversify crop mix for economic and environmental reasons.
In the meantime, another method that works best on the farm is integrating both commercial and organic farming practices. Lomboy Farms has rabbitry and green waste from their farm, which they use as organic compost for their vineyards to reduce farm costs.
“We are also very particular about monitoring the weather forecast. Para alam namin when we are going to utilize water irrigation to minimize waste in terms of water consumption. Sa other materials, like plastic covers, we recycle them as a way to help the environment,” the farm proprietor said.
She added that although they haven’t used organic pesticides on their vineyard, Lomboy ensures they’re very pre-emptive about using chemicals on their farm. They are strict about not spraying chemical pesticides on their crops within the 30-day harvest period to guarantee their customers’ safety.
Enjoying the technology they developed
“The technology developed by Mr. Lomboy allows us to harvest thrice a year. If you first plant grapes, you have to wait at least six to eight months before the first pruning. After the first pruning, you can harvest the grapes as early as 75 days, depending on the variety,” Lomboy said.
However, the thrice-a-year harvesting doesn’t always push through, especially when the weather is not permissible. Instead of forcing production, Lomboy shared that they wait for the next viable season to continue their operations.
Lomboy uses statistics to plan their family farm’s operations and yield accordingly.
Based on their observation, yields from their grapevines can last up to 15 years. When they map out their production, it resembles a bell curve, with the sixth to eighth years being the most productive as they can harvest around ten to 15 kilos per vine per season.
The farm enjoys one good season during the dry months when they can sell their grapes 100 percent. During the rainy season, they set their expectations low and plan to see whether their grapevines are viable for harvest.
Aside from growing grapes, Lomboy Farms also grows guapple and turns their grapes into grape jam and wine to expand their revenue stream.
Growing grapes requires knowledge and technology since it’s not endemic to the Philippines. And since the process of grape farming is meticulous, farmers need to be determined enough to see it through. But with the passion and commitment of Lomboy Farms, viticulture remains alive and well in the country.