Dragon fruit farm that started as a hobby is now a budding farm tourism site

THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC has forced life to a near standstill. Many businesses have been forced to close or switch to a more viable source of income. For Wilma T. Gaspili, affectionately known as "Ate Wammie" to friends, the temporary closure of her coffee shop Igorot’s Charm Cafe in Baguio City led to a business that helps local farmers as well.

This is the case of KC Dragon Fruit Farm (KCDF Farm), a threehectare farm in Lemery, Panay, Iloilo. It began from a local’s hobby of planting fruit-bearing trees but the farm has progressed in a span of eight years and is now looking to venture into agritourism.

Back in 2013, Kristian Chif (KC) Alanan Ballener, a current member of the Sanggunian Bayan in Lemery, Iloilo and owner of KCDF, planted fruit trees such as coconut and dragon fruit, which he sourced from Ilocos.

From a hundred cuttings, he managed to grow four cuttings each on 25 concrete posts. Presently, the number of concrete posts has ballooned to a thousand, providing him with a bountiful harvest of dragon fruits.

The land where KCDF Farm now stands used to be a sugarcane plantation owned by Ballener’s mother. He shared that due to it being unproductive, the land was eventually abandoned. But Ballener saw it as a potential farm that grows dragon fruits and welcomes guests, which is why he decided to take over.

“At that time, I thought that after 10 years, I could turn this abandoned lot into something that my family could be proud of. I also believe that we should venture into agriculture as early as possible so we can enjoy the benefits of what we sow for a longer time,” he said.

WHY HE DECIDED TO GROW DRAGON FRUITS

One reason why Ballener decided to grow dragon fruits is because locals in their town aren’t familiar with the exotic fruit.

“Agriculture is part of our family business because my father is a palay farmer and my mother is a businesswoman who trades rice. [Venturing into] dragon fruit farming is profitable for long term investment,” he said.

Since dragon fruits are basically cacti, these fruit-bearing trees can withstand drought, typhoons, and diseases. In addition, the exotic-looking fruit is highly productive and could yield a minimum of 3.5 tons per year in every hectare.

“Dragon fruit trees have a lifespan of 50 years and they aren’t hard to care for. These can also fetch a good and stable profit from the market,” Ballener said.

When growing dragon fruit trees, he shared that he began by erecting concrete posts that are four by four (4 x 4) in measurement and six feet tall. Next is to prepare the cuttings and place four on each post.

Once the concrete posts have been secured, the cuttings should be placed by then and a rubber tire (preferably recycled for environmental purposes) on top of the soil where the base of the post is buried.

“It’s better to plant during the rainy season to prevent stagnant water on the dragon fruit trees. Mulching, applying organic fertilizer, and weeding every month is also necessary so the trees will grow faster,” Ballener said.

He added that securing the cuttings frequently should also be a priority especially during the fruiting season which occurs one year after planting.

Since dragon fruit trees can bear fruit four to six times a year, Ballener still had to think about the off seasons and how the farm can earn a profit. As a result, KCDF Farm also grows other fruit-bearing trees such as coconuts, walnuts, calamansi, santol, avocado, durian, lanzones, rambutan, guava, and jackfruit among many others. He also added livestock like turkeys, geese, and guinea fowls.

These are only some of the amenities that Ballener added in KCDF Farm for it to become a profitable and diverse farm. His next steps will have to deal on how he can transform it into a farm tourism site.

NEW FARM FEATURES

“When the dragon fruit trees matured and bore fruit, our farm entertained many visitors who encouraged me to open the farm as a farm tourism destination,” Ballener said.

So during the early months of 2020, Ballener slowly put together different attractions like a signboard and cottages where their guests can take a breather.

However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic which ensued an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), their plans were put to a sudden halt. Still, Ballener kept the dream alive and used this time to regroup and prepare for his next efforts in creating amenities for KCDF.

“My wife and I started creating Instagrammable nests that are both round and heart-shaped, a swimming pool, a cafeteria, and a pond with tilapia fingerlings,” Ballener said.

By June 1, they officially opened to the public, who were more than happy to visit the farm while practicing proper hygiene and social distancing rules, of course.

Just shy of Ballener’s 10 year vision, KCDF is now a developed three-hectare farm that’s dedicated to fruit growing trees and hosting guests who want to bask in the beauty of nature while also practicing a healthy lifestyle by consuming the fresh produce that grows on the farm.

Ballener is also planning to create value-added products such as jams and jellies from the farm’s dragon fruits.

Through the proper farming inputs and staying true to his vision, Ballener and his family now have something they can be proud of and even share with others.

HOW TO MANAGE A FARM TOURISM DESTINATION

Although Ballener’s projected dream for his farm came into fruition a few years early from his initial prediction, he admits that the road to achieving it was not an easy one.

“It was hard maintaining the farm. Although growing dragon fruits were good for a long term investment, it was expensive and the return of investment took some time. But when the trees began flowering, things became easier,” he said.

To those who want to venture into farm tourism, Ballener emphasized three points to remember: first is that the farm must have a long-term goal; second is that farm owners must continue to innovate as well as be open to both suggestions and criticisms especially if it’s for the farm’s improvement; and lastly, that farm owners must not focus only on caring for the plants but the people inside the farm as well since they play a role in maintaining a farm.

Opening KCDF Farm means more than just a dream come true for Ballener. It’s also a chance for him to share his experience with others and to encourage aspiring farmers to start following their dreams as soon as they can so they can enjoy its benefits.

Photos courtesy of KC Dragon Fruit Farm