In today’s digital and millennial world, there are proven to be a lot of challenges when it comes to educating our kids. Internet and gadgets, plus the availability of numerous influential factors that are hard to contain. Our kids get a lot of information & influence from the outside world which is mostly uncontrollable. Plus, the diversity of each parent’s work environment and schedule leads to the growing number of families turning to homeschooling.
According to Wikipedia: Homeschooling, also known as home education is the education of children at home or a variety of places other than school. Home education is usually conducted by a parent or tutor or online teacher. Many families use less formal ways of educating.”
This is where Einstar Education plays its role as the “Air BnB” of modern homeschooling. Einstar Education helps share a home and other spaces to be used as a classroom to facilitate beyond-the-school learning. More than that they are willing to assist teachers and/or parents on how to do homeschooling and to share their spaces too! This is via their program at Einstar Education.
We joined Einstar’s Agri Field Trip last July 20, and read on as I share with you our experience.
AGRI FIELD TRIP THE EINSTAR WAY!
Agri or agriculture and farm tourism are one of the growing eco businesses today. With lots of vacant lots turning into a farm and Resort too, our children have many activities to do in these farm tours. But we were surprised and met the unexpected during our Agri Field Trip, and these surprises are amazing!
We were a bit late for the tour since we haven’t got the chance to ride on the van service Einstar have (because of our location), so we waited for Daddy to fetch us at Evia Daang Hari. Nevertheless, we still got the chance to see the demo equipment for the bean to bar demo and got in time for the real adventure — the visit to the Cacao plantation.
1st Drop – AUSPERE NATURE FARM
Auspere Nature Farm resort is located at Castillo St. Purok IV, Lumil, Silang, Cavite
1. BEAN TO BAR DEMO – The bean to bar demo was demonstrated but none other than the owner Mr. Ricardo Perez. The kids learned to process basic hand-crafting chocolate making from cacao beans to pure chocolates or otherwise known as “Couverture Chocolates” or Healthy Chocolates. And got to taste them after we came back from the visit to the cacao and Mahogany plantation. And I tell you, they are YUMMY Chocolates, Conan really loved it!
2. CACAO FARM EXPLORATION – This is what we loved the most and was truly unexpected – TREKKING! Don’t be fooled like us thinking that Cacao Farm was just like an ordinary farm, Cacao Farm is different! We enjoyed walking along a hilly-terrain, went up and down and being careful along the way (it was high and mountainous). It was at the heart of a natural low mountain rainforest (feels like your in Baguio). I was amazed to see something so natural as this existed at Silang. It is a 1-kilometer trek so better get prepared if you decide to visit Auspere. Wear your rubber or hiking shoes, with proper clothes, and bring extra ones too! I never expected that we will be sweating hard haha! It was a fun, adventurous experience. You may also check the natural spring for a more added adventure.
3. FARM ANIMAL EXPERIENCE – There are few farm animals along the way to the cacao plantation but we didn’t get the chance to take a close encounter since we were focused on conquering the trek haha! I’ve seen a rabbit on the cage and a few chickens on the way.
4. MAHOGANY PLANTATIONÂ – There are 1,500 mahogany trees planted just beside the cacao plantation. As per Mr. Ricardo Mahogany trees consume so much water and contribute to the imbalance of the ecosystem at the farm, so they are planning to harvest the mahogany soon and replace it with other trees or crops. Be sure to apply insect-repellant lotion, apply sunblock once you go on for a trek. Be careful with the ants too!
We had lunch at Ricardo’s Kitchen, also located at Auspere Nature Farm. We had cornsilog and tapasilog for us. And afterward, we convene at the lobby and tasted the cacao chocolates!
 2nd Drop – GRATCHI’S GETAWAY FARM RESORT
Gratchi’s Farm is located at Kabangaan Road, Brgy. Cabangaan, Silang Cavite
1. BAHAY KABUTE
–Â The kids and especially the parents too, get to enjoy and learn about mushroom “kabute” culture, how to grow and harvest properly. They also did had a feel of the mushrooms as its sprouts on its sack.
2. VERMICULTURE – The kids learned how to do vermiculture and get a feel and touch the African Night Crawler. It is a type of worm, where its waste is used as a natural fertilizer and pesticide. You may do your own vermiculture at home:
- Dig a place where you can put wastes such as potato peel, carrot peel or any biodegradable wastes.
- Cover it with enough soil
- Place African Night Crawlers (this can be brought at garden shops)
- Wait for 2 – 3 months for the waste to decompose
- You already have your own fertilizer
3. Close encounter with the OSTRICH-Experience to get up close and personal to these two lovely ostriches. Colene (my eldest) and I tried feeding them, and they bite every bit off your hands in a snap! Conan wanted to try too! but the guide didn’t allow since his hand is still soft and might easily be bruised. Conan holds the ostrich’s egg instead and curiously studied its shell.
4. CROP PLANTING – Our next stop was planting crops. For this time instead of trees, Gratchi’s have corn crops for our little kids to plant. Conan willingly tried to plant one, and let the tour guide assist him. Bet he was so happy about his accomplishment. The crop will bear fruit in 3 months’ time, and we are excited to see harvest time.
5. FISHING – Finally, after all the walking we had, it was our time to sit and relax while fishing! Yes, the kids enjoyed fishing! Some got very small fishes and they returned it to the fish pond. Others had big fish ready for cooking! Too bad, my Colene and Conan didn’t get any, but still, they were happy to experience how to fish!
In between these tours, the children also enjoyed socializing and playing with the other kids. Auspere’s got a slide where the kids took turns, and Gratchi’s got a mini playground the kids enjoyed the see-saw and swing. Truly a wonderful experience for all of us 6 families who joined the tour.
Einstar Mission is to provide affordable personalized basic education to Filipinos.
You may reach Einstar Education at the following:
- Facebook page Einstar Education
- Mobile Number: 0977-8042404
- Email: einstar.education@gmail.com
See more photos at Diaries of a Transport Queen and videos (soon to be posted) at The Happy Tandem Channel
FOLLOW OUR ADVENTURE, JUST CLICK THE FOLLOW BUTTON 🙂Â
Very nice and wonderful write-up about Auspere Nature Farm Resort and Gratchi’s Getaway. As you read it it is though you are transformed to a primitive set-up in a forest or jungle sans wild animals. Instead you are in rainforests with beautiful plants and flowers and vegetation. You can also
see and meet tamed and domestic animals such as rabbit, chickens or goats along the way. You can also hike in a terrain and rugged mountainous hill and enjoy the breathtaking views. Auspere Farm Resort and Gratchi’s should be in your itinerary the next time you want to have a getaway with your family.
Thank you! The trip is courtesy of Einstar Education they did it well to combine these two farms in the itineraries.