Grapes Picking at Denila Farms in Santa Barbara, Iloilo

This basket holds around 2 kilos of grapes worth about PhP 260 but the experience of having to pick the bunch you like, enjoying lots of selfies, taking photos and roaming around a vineyard = PRICELESS!

Under the heat of the Thursday morning sun, I found myself in the shade of the vines and dodging dangling grapes at the Denila Grapes Farms in Brgy. Lanag in Santa Barbara, Iloilo.

The farm is easily accessible from the town center - just around 10 minutes from the plaza via tricycle (around PhP 10).

Located between the Tigum River and the NIA irrigation canal, you will pass through a few houses along the way before you reach the farm.

There's an entrance fee (PhP 30/regular and PhP20/seniors/students) and everyone is free to roam around the farm which not only cultivate grapes but other fruits as well.

It also grows apple guava or guapple (around 3000 trees), dragonfruit, papaya and tambis, among others.

But the grapes are the center of attention for it's not really common to see them in tropical countries like the Philippines.

Denila Grapes Farm started planting the vine fruit back in 1991 and was among the first "backyard vineyards" in this part of the country.

But the 2.7 hectare farm was washed out by Typhoon Frank in 2008 because of the mega flood from the Tigum River.

And took the farm around 5 years to bring back the grape plantation which now has around 300 grape plants.

With the Iloilo Flood Control project in place, flooding is no longer a threat and the farm once again brings back the glory days of its grapes.

But the recent monsoon rains (this July and August) have heavily damaged the grapes thus delaying the 2nd harvest and damaging the fruits/blooms.

That explains why you would see these grapes wrapped in newspapers and/or plastic rather than the Instagrammable grapes dangling down for a perfect selfie.

But that didn't stop pickers from doing the obligatory selfies and photo-ops with the grapes.

Just unwrap them or pose with your basketful of grapes like what Ms. Irene (above) and Ms. Estela of the Santa Barbara Municipal Tourism Office did during their visit.

And if you're quick enough with your camera, you might even catch some unguarded "grapeful" moment like when Manang cut the grapes from the vine but reacted slowly to catch it - distracted from my too many questions, perhaps?

No matter what your reason are in visiting the farm, make the most out of it.

Whether for photo ops, selfie galore or having to taste a locally grown grape - have and enjoy it your way!

But don't forget to pay for your grapes - PhP 130/kilo (as of Sept. 2019) Just look for the table under the tambis tree, the caretakers are more than happy to assist you with your purchase.

So here' my bunch of grapes, which are Brazilian hybrids. The sweetness depends on the the fruits ripeness - sweet when they already are "ripe for picking" but sour when picked below that stage.

Nonetheless, whether sweet nor sour, it is the experience of having to pick these these grapes right off the vine plus the hundreds of selfies and photo ops in between that will surely make this one of the sweetest memories one can have!

HOW TO GET THERE: Denila Grapes Farm, Brgy. Lanag Santa Barbara, Iloilo

Here's a vicinity map of Santa Barbara and the location of Denila Grapes Farm.

For those who will take public transportation, you can alight at Mercury Drug/Total Gas Station/7-Eleven at Bangga Dama and take the purple colored tricycles all the way to the farm.
And if you took the Sta. Barbara Jeepneys, you can alight at Savemore, Cry of Santa Barbara Marker or Plaza, and take the tricycles all the way to the farm.

You can also take New Lucena jeepneys from Ungka Terminal and you can alight at the irrigation canal bridge which is just a short walk from the farm. Check this out on Google maps
Tricycle fare is PhP 10 from plaza area and could be slightly higher if from Bangga Dama.

The farm entrance is a short walk from the irrigation canal bridge
Travel time is 5-10 minutes from the plaza/Bangga Dama.
Entrance Fee is PhP 30 (regular) PhP 20 (childred/students/seniors)

Info credit from this article: Grape farm, atraksyon ngayon sa Iloilo

Ultimate Ilonggo Favorite: KBL Kadyos, Baboy, Langka

K.B.L. or Kadyos, Baboy, Langka is the ultimate favorite dish of most Ilonggos. It is also one of the most missed native dishes as kadyos and the souring ingredient, batwan , are hard to find when outside of the Ilonggo region. Basically, it is boiled/stewed pork dish owing its "deliciousness" to the combination of the soft and tender pork, the tamed sourness of batwan and the malinamnam na sabaw . One of the "secrets" of the malinamnamn na sabaw , is the fact that the pork, whether just the plain meat or pata (hocks) are first grilled or broiled. This gives the broth a rather smoky taste that makes it more appetizing.. Learn how to make the Ilonggo dish KBL (Kadyos, Baboy, at Langka) with the recipe below. Ingredients 1 kilo Pata (pork hocks) or pork cubes, GRILLED and sliced into bite size pieces 1 unripe Jack fruit, cubed 2 cups pigeon pea (kadyos) 6-8 pieces batwan fruit (or tamarind powder) 1 piece pork broth cube (

An Ilonggo favorite - Valenciana

Found in almost all occasions like fiesta, birthdays, reunions and others, Ilonggos really love valenciana because most if not all have grown accustomed of having it in special gatherings at home. A complete " go, grow and glow " dish because it has the carbohydrates, protein and vitamins and minerals in just one spoonful, Valenciana is really an " occasional dish ". Here's the recipe for Valenciana

Takway

The gabi (taro) is just one of those plants which is edible from "roots to tops". The most popular of which is the tuber part which is used in a variety of dishes and mostly in combination with coconut milk. Its leaves, of course, is the main ingredient of a Bicol specialty, laing . It is dried then chopped and sauteed with other ingredients including, again, coconut milk. Then there is takway . The local term for its tendrils/runner, that part which is torn between being a stem or a root for it neither grows upwards nor downwards - it grows sideways . Scraped off of its outer skin, takway is often a key ingredient in vegetable dishes like laswa and the gabi tuber with coconut milk and local snails know as bago-ngon . It is also popular when cooked adobo style with guinamos , the local bago-ong . It is very popular in the region that even big supermarkets sell takway in style - cleaned and plastic wrapped in styro with some additions to make it easier to prepare.

Batwan

Ilonggos know batwan or batuan by heart as the fruit is almost endemic to the Western Visayas. Its scientific name is Garcinia binucao, derived from the Tagalog name for the fruit, binukaw. It is a large green fruit with large seeds and its a favorite souring ingredient in most Ilonggo dishes especially KBL or kadyos, baboy, langka and the Ilonggo-style paksiw known as "pinamalhan". It is characterized by a tamed sourness compared to tamarind and kamias . The fruit is sold by pieces or kilo in wet markets and even big grocery stores. Batwan is the preferred souring ingredients for the Ilonggo favorite- KBL. The photo shows boiled batwan with skin and without skin (right) A favorite riddle when we were young - "Among the many fruits in the forest, but one (batuan) is the best. What is it?"

A native (foods) welcome in Guimaras

Even after having breakfast less than an hour that time, we couldn't say no to this lot of native delciacies that welcomed us in Guimaras. First and foremost, Guimaras best known produce is their sweet mango famous almost worldwide. And it comes with it's best partner, ibos. This brown baye-baye variety is made from toasted rice thus giving it a more disctinct flavour compared to it's more "caucasian" cousin. I like the one wrapped in banana leaves compared with the one in plastic for it gives it a more native feel. So when you're in Guimaras, be sure to check out the markets for these native delicacies that can make your trip more gastronomically satisfying.

FLAVOURS OF ILOILO

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