BATANGAS FARM
Villa Fuscagna Farms is a privately owned farming business with sites located in
Batangas, The Philippines and Fuscagna, Localita Titta, in the Province of
Umbria, Italy.
The Batangas Farm is owned by Edith Decastro-McDonnell and the overall business
is managed by Bryce McDonnell. The Batangas farm is managed on site by Capt. Jerry
Leyesa and Rannel De Torres it is located on the edge of Barangay Sto Nino which is about 20
minutes from Lipa City. Two adjoining sites are farmed at approximately 800
meters above sea level at the base of Mount Malarayat. The farm is virtually at
the end of the road as you drive up toward the mountain. One side of the farm is
bordered with a steep forested ravine and the others by isolated plantings of
coconuts and coffee trees. To progress further toward the mountain requires
strong legs or an accommodating horse!
Prior to
Edith's purchase of the farm in 2014, it was owned by the Leyesa family for as
long as can be remembered. Capt. Jerry's grandfather planted primarily citrus,
coffee and black pepper some 40 years ago. The only non-organic addition during
that period was urea, added at a rate of 1/2 a coconut shell twice a year per
tree. Prior to that the only visible farming signs are four mango trees, two of
which we speculate might be the oldest and most majestic in Batangas. Wild
civets still live in the ravine and their presence is evidenced by the remaining
results of their night raids on the coffee beans. We can therefore conclude that
aside from urea in modest proportions, the history of the farm and those that
surround it are traditionally organic in concept.
The principal products of the farm are, Black Pepper, Arugula, Endive, Philippine Native Ginger and Chilis.