I won 2nd Place in a Vegetable Gardening Contest!

It’s been 3 months since the municipal government of Santander informed me that I won second place in the Sugbusog Vegetable Gardening Contest – Container Gardening Category. I’ve been so busy the past few months that I haven’t had the time to sit down and actually write my experience. If I’m being honest, I don’t really know what to write. Hah!

I must admit, it felt great to be acknowledged especially that I worked hard to bring all these crops to life. For two months, I worked hard so I can grow healthy vegetables. I didn’t know that growing my own food meant that I had to constantly check for worms and pests in every leaf of my plants. I didn’t know that I needed to allocate more than 4 hours every day just to water and get everything in order.

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The lack of water supply in our town is one of my problems during the contest period. I would find myself waking up at the wee hours of dawn just to stock up gallons and gallons of water. It’s not easy to have a vegetable garden with not enough water. Despite all that, I was able to grow several vegetables and managed to give lots of them to people in my neighborhood.

To win an award during this pandemic is a blessing. I got a cash prize, a certificate, and a plaque during the municipal awarding and provincial awarding ceremonies. Isn’t it amazing that I didn’t spend a single centavo to build my garden, got the seeds for free, harvested crops for the whole family, and even got a cash prize for it? Honestly, it felt like I won the lottery! More importantly, I learned so many valuable lessons I can use for my future gardening endeavors.

Thank you so much, Municipality of Santander, Municipal Agriculture Office of Santander, Province of Cebu, and Department of Agriculture Region 7 for the opportunity to showcase my gardening skills!

“To grow your own food gives you a sort of power and it gives people dignity. You know exactly what you’re eating because you grew it. It’s good, it’s nourishing, and you did this for yourself, your family, and your community.”

Karen Washington

Also read: Grow Your Own Food Challenge