NOTE: This story was first published in The Bohol Chronicle’s Sunday print edition.
The Provincial Nursery in Del Carmen Sur, Balilihan, Bohol is eyed to become a model nursery and agri-tourism destination in the province of Bohol.
The nursery is located in a two-hectare lot owned by the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Balilihan adjacent to the slaughter house of the town.
Gemma G. Encabo, Chie-Admin Division, Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) bared that the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) through the OPA has started to operate the nursery on February 21, 2020 during the birthday of former governor now First District Representative Edgar M. Chatto when the municipal government headed by Mayor Maria Puresa V. Chatto granted the provincial government authority to use the parcel of land for the purpose.
To date, the nursery has propagated variety of fruit tree seedlings, flowers, vegetables, and has six newlyconstructed greenhouses.
Encabo said that momentarily, the training will be on how to manage a greenhouse attended by a maximum of 10 participants from Balilihan.
Victoriano Mantong and Alipio Jagunos who lead in the maintenance work said the nursery is served to be a topical model of Bahay Kubo Food Always In The Home (FAITH) Herbal Organic Plant Enhancement (HOPE) Chicken Always Ready In The Yard (CHARITY) in the province of Bohol.
They said the planted vegetables at the nursery are eggplant, pechay, kangkong, tomato, okra, beans, cucumber, sikwa, squash, opo, ampalaya, camotekong, alogbate, singkamas, malunggay, carabansos; while root crops are ubi, apale, cassava, and sweet potato.
Poultry, fish pond for tilapia, cultured turtle have also been found at the nursery to include planted corn and banana (super carnava).
They also said that congressmen and mayors, among others, visiting the nursery have expressed elation on the development of the area.
The PGBh has assigned eight employees from OPA to do the maintenance works namely: Elizabeth Mauricio, Anthony Parac, Mary Glenn Jozon, Leah Asucan, Kay Jee Arambala, Jaybee Cuna, Mantong and Jagunos.
The provincial government has another three nurseries; Gabi, Ubay; Macaas, Tubigon; and in the town of Bilar. (AtoyCosap)