Sunflowers bloom along the ridgelines of Sitio Gaas, and it became a family emblem.
We don't really have one, I mean we don't have emblems in our culture and tradition, but sunflowers has changed us more than it changed our farms and it has placed a meaningful story into our family.
We came from descents of artisans, one being a sculptor and painter, and another in the art of farming and winemaking.
My paternal grandfather (Ramon Maniego) died young through heart attack while working sleepless on a project, he was a government employee but also pursued art through sidejobs for creating lifesize sculptures and acrylic paintings.
This has made an abrupt change into my father's family and fell into severe poverty, yet with luck he had a bright future ahead of him.
Papa's elder sister became a baker and a cook. His two younger brothers were also sculptors and painters too.
My Papa, is a graduate of Forestry and has a love for the Kingdom Plantae. During his college years, he worked in various nursuries for tree seedlings used for reforestation projects.
That how my parents met, he temporarily lived on my maternal grandparents house and while still attending school, he help around with my grandfather (Mateo Gofredo Milleza) and he has caught my Mama's heart for being intelligent (he had high marks) and industrious.
This has made perfect combinations of professionals with a passion for both farming, cooking, and art.
My maternal grandfather, we call Lolo Titing, died at a ripe age, perfecting his coconuts wines, which, along with farming, made a highly profitable source of income.
Few months before he died, my father bought an agricultural land where Lolo Titing resided when they were younger and where my Mama was born—tenantship is common in our area.
He was already weak that time, but he took time to hike and visit the farm. He even shouted out of happiness.
The farm's status was severely unmanaged for decades and invasive grasses has colonized one hill which deprived the soil with organic matter and nutrients.
For weeks the farm undergone its first transformation and the first hut was temporarily made on the highest part of the farm.
Several areas were prepared for different crops such as bitter gourd, bell peppers, eggplants, Okra, chilis, and a lot more.
It was a beautiful place, being introverts we love solitude too. It was far from the residential areas and surrounded by forest with an opening which leads to a vast rice fields.
But for me, something was missing, it lacked oomph. The place waz surrounded with greenery and that was all.
I decided to clear a long strip along the ridgelines and planted sunflowers.
At first, hybrid varieties didn't grow well and has a low germination rate. What I did is I planted mung beans to generate natural nitrogen for the sunflowers and added complete fertilizer to the malnourished soil.
Papa gave an advice to buy birdseeds instead, without hesitations, I bought Sunflower seeds from an Agri-Vet store, without much planning, I throw seeds on the plots.
In just a day, a lot had sprouted and after it rained almost all has sprouted. I was amazed with the high germination rate of birdseeds.
One thing I noticed was the seedlings grew at varying rate, height, and build—but it can recalled that these aren't from F1 seeds and are just seeds of severak generations of re-planting in sunflower farms.
In about two months, the sunflowers began blooming its beautiful golden flowers.
I was happy.
The thing that started only in my imagination has become a reality, all the weeks I labored under the sun has proven all its worth.
The bloom lasted for weeks and has long decorated our vases and the farm itself. The verdant farm sang in summer songs with the golden crown of flowers.
I wrote this elegy for my Lolo Titing, called Helianthus,
For Mateo Milleza
Earthen man awaken the soil,
Seeds give birth to fields of gold.
Your veins be the roots
And sweat feed the land.
Originaly posted on Wordpress
https://wp.me/p9aGvI-Um
Even in the hardest soil, the sunflowers managed to thrive and bloom beautifully.
Like my Grandparents and my Father, they are strong men who have lived a purposeful life amidst the hardships thag life throws ate them.
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About Me
| Onie Maniego was born in Leyte, PH. He grew up in a rural area with a close-knit community and a simple lifestyle, he is often visiting his father's orchards during summer and weekends, which has a great impact on his works. |
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