The Farmhouse at EDL is a premiere farm tourism destination in Tarlac. They have simple rooms available for booking but the main highlight of this place is their farm tour.
Every time there’s an offer to spend time at a farm, you can bet that I’ll be there.
But is it worth the 6AM call-time?
The Farmhouse by EDL
EDL Drive Sitio Nueve Barangay Dolores Capas Tarlac, Tarlac City, 2315
Telephone: +63 917 709 6908 / +63 45-206-3345
Email: The Farmhouse by EDL
Lakbay Norte 7 Series:
- Exploring More of Ilocos
- The Farmhouse at EDL: An Educational Farm Tour
- 10 Places to Visit in Tarlac
- Bulacan: A Spot for Every Kind of Traveler
I love waking up early to catch the sunrise. The sky exploding in colors as the day breaks, together with the cold breeze, and soft rustling of the leaves all make for a beautiful morning.
Photo by Martin San Diego via NPVB
The thought of exploring and experiencing a farm always excites me. We rode a modified tractor to get around the farm.
Hatchery
First stop of the day: the hatchery. Eggs of all kinds were stacked and organized according to dates.
I learned how to differentiate balut from penoy by using this light.
And also the components and process to make salted eggs. Did you know that the best clay for this process come from anthills or termite mounds?
Pig Pen
Our next stop was the pig pens. Surprisingly, they didn’t give off an awful smell often associated with raising pigs.
We were free to feed the pigs with the leaves provided by the caretakers. They must have been really hungry as they were wolfing down all the leaves.
Cow Pen
The same scene played out for our next stop: cows.
Hungry cows all waiting for breakfast. Their bite is much stronger than that of the pigs and could easily pull your arm.
Some of us had the chance to try and milk the cows too!
Vermiculture
And then it was time for the nitty-gritty. We had a crash course on vermiculture.
Vermicompost is the process of using worms to create a mixture of decomposing vegetables and vermicast. EDL specifically employs the use of African Night Crawlers.
Vermicast is the end product of all the hardwork of the worms.
Free-Range Chicken
The free-range chickens are segregated into two groups–the layers and the broilers.
The chickens have coops to retreat to, but for most of the day, they’re just walking around.
Fresh eggs of the day!
Organic Farm
Last on our agenda was their organic vegetable farm.
There are rows of varying vegetables in the nursery all neatly lined up.
It’s awesome to see the chili plant this fruitful!
Photo by Martin San Diego via NPVB
There is also an aquaponic farm that’s just in the beginning stages. Aquaponics is a system that allows for fish breeding and produce growing all from the same water source. I can’t wait to see this once it’s fully functioning.
Final Thoughts
Photo by Martin San Diego via NPVB
I found the experience to be both eye-opening and humbling. It pays to be aware of the source of our food and the methods and people involved.
I highly recommend visiting EDL Farmhouse as a family activity. Kids will get a kick out of feeding the animals and adults will enjoy the break from the city life.
Live an Awesome Life,
Monique of Team Our Awesome Planet
Disclaimer: The Lakbay Norte trip was organized by North Philippines Visitors Bureau (NPVB) in partnership with NLEX Corporation, Tarlac Convention and Visitors Bureau (TCVB), and Victory Liner Inc. Lakbay Norte is an annual media familiarization trip aiming to promote Philippine provinces in the north. I wrote this article with my biases, opinions, and insights.
P.S. They have a beautiful pool that’s perfect after a morning of farming.
Can’t reach your cp. no. Need to inquire on the venue for in-door teambuilding. request for a return call at 09060623116.