With Mayon Volcano display signs of jumpiness , spew red red-hot lava down its slope just twenty-four hours before All Saints ' Day and All Soul ’s Day , flower farm owner Eleanor Alaurin is in a subspecies against meter .
" We go for to harvest all the flowers by Oct. 29 in time for the ' Undas ' to generate income just in case we demand to go back again to the evacuation pith , " Eleanor suppose in the vernacular .
As just a team of two carry off a half - hectare farm located within the seven - km extended danger zone of the vent , Eleanor , 52 , and her married man , Danilo , 55 , are working double metre to cash in on the high-pitched demand for cut flowers these holiday .
" If we betray all our efflorescence , we will probably get at least PHP50,000 , " she said .
On her serene and arcadian farm in Barangay Matnog of this Albay town , the Alaurin yoke has adopted the method of integrated husbandry .
Colorful heyday of chrysanthemums , cockscomb , genus Celosia , aster , and gomphrena sway lightly with the child’s play alongside verdant rice stalks .
Unlike other James Leonard Farmer , they prioritise ornamental farming over rice husbandry because " it is more profitable . "
" We only arise Timothy Miles Bindon Rice since the decorative plants should be rotated with other crop to conserve soil fertility . We really do not earn much from our rice output , " she added .
Luz Mapa , chairperson of the municipal agriculture and fisheries council of Daraga , said that compare to rice farming , flower farming yields eminent profits margins given its short growing wheel and higher grocery value , especially during particular occasions .
In fact , Mapa estimates that a exclusive flower seam stream with chrysanthemum can succumb an income of PHP10,000 during the flush season . That is , excluding other revenue streams from value - added products like floral musical arrangement and agrotourism .
Farmer - florists can also fetch at least PHP200 to PHP300 and even as high as PHP800 to PHP1000 for staged bouquets , depend on the customer ’s preference .
While the floriculture manufacture holds so much economical potentiality , planting and grow flowers for net income , however , is no easy feat .
But the Alaurin couple has find just the correct blend of mental attitude , timing , and strategy .
With Mayon Volcano providing a sensational backcloth , flower farm owner Eleanor Alaurin , on Monday ( Oct. 23 , 2023 ) , halt on her beautiful rosiness in Daraga , Albay , which she intends to harvest on Oct. 29 in fourth dimension for the ' Undas ' or All Saints ' and All Souls ' Day solemnisation . Alaurin expect an uptick in the need for flowers as Filipinos troop to the burial site to visit their deviate loved ones . ( PNA photo by Gladys Serafica )
" In my 20 class of experience , I have learn that maintaining a flower farm takes so much intemperate workplace , " Eleanor say .
Perhaps even more now that they are no longer in their prime , although body pain and advancing age could not dip their devotion to their flower garden , she read .
With a kind of diligence comparable to that of emmet , both Eleanor and Danilo continue hands - on in their little plot of heaven , working from sunrise to sundown against the backdrop of the royal Mayon Volcano , well cognisant that their livelihood is vulnerable to the ravages of weather .
" When you love what you do , you lose track of the time , " she articulate with a twinkle in her eye .
For this season , they embark on plant the flower around June , making certain to glean them at their flush bloom of youth level in prison term for Undas .
When it hail to the choice of flower , the duo tends to originate with an eye toward economics , aligning their production with client requirement .
Given that flowers have a limited shelf spirit , they have also ground connections with other florist , jobber , and retailers , even utilizing social medium to beat back foot traffic to their lowly farm .
" My only dream is to be able to send all my small fry to school with this sort of bread and butter . Seven months from now , my youngest will be graduating , " Eleanor proudly say .
Market demandOn All Saints ' and All Souls ' Days , all roads lead to Barangay Matnog , the local flower capital of this town .
However , Dennis Bon , village chief , said the floriculture business in their village flourish all year round because " flowers grace every occasion in the Philippines , " although it peaks during grown calendar holidays such as Valentine ’s Day , Mother ’s Day , Holy Week , and Undas .
To ensure a steady stream of sales , some flower farm possessor bond up with local funeral dwelling house , while others sell their ornaments in the local food market and in nearby towns such as Polangui and Ligao .
" cosmetic gardening has become a natural pursuit here . In every dwelling you call in , there will always be a garden or pot plants if there is no place for a one thousand , " he said in the jargon .
While Matnog ’s flower product remain relatively minor , it is gradually flourishing .
" This coming May 2024 , in time for our annual feast celebration , we will have our first Burak ( Flower ) Festival . We hope that through this , we can further advertise our flower farm and the artistry of our local florist shop , " the village head said .
As Filipinos head to the cemetery to offer up prayer , candles , and flowers for the ageless rest of the individual of their set out loved ones , the Alaurin couple proves that business can thrive on the day of the beat .
" There is money in heyday farming . But it take a portion of work and , of course of study , a green pollex , " Eleanor tell .
rootage : pna.gov.ph
