As a farmer, I’ve learned that with hard work and patience, a good harvest will always come in its time. Every plant we care for reminds me that blessings come to those who wait.

In my previous post, I mentioned that we harvest chilies every week to make sure they are picked at the right time. If the harvest is delayed, they will turn too red and become overripe. Now, I want to give an update on our plants.

Yesterday, the rain was very strong, but we still went to the farm to harvest. After just one hour, we already felt very cold, and our clothes were completely wet. We wanted to stop and rest, but the rain kept falling. The chilies needed to be harvested, and we had to finish the work no matter what. We kept thinking about how many more days the typhoon would last. Our hands were shaking from the cold, but we continued working. We had no choice because the chilies were ready to be picked.

This kind of season is the hardest for farmers. Many crops get damaged, and many plants don’t survive the storm. Even with the struggles, we are still thankful. We finished the harvest safely, and by God’s grace, my family did not get sick or get a fever, even though we were very wet from the rain.

This morning, we checked and sorted the chilies to make sure there were no rejects before putting them in sacks to deliver to the buyer. As you can see, my family always works together. We help each other in every task. I am truly grateful because my siblings are very hardworking.

In our barangay, we are the only ones planting chili. Most of our neighbors plant corn and other vegetables. Before, we used to plant tomatoes every year, but as time went by, the cost of labor, fertilizer and insecticide spray became very expensive. Tomatoes need a lot of care to grow well and produce many fruits. Sometimes, our expenses become too high, and we can’t earn it back, especially when the market price is low. That is why we stopped planting tomatoes. There are many other options for crops to plant. As farmers, we already know the process and understand what works best for our land.

We plant corn only once a year. If the harvest is plenty, we can use a corn sheller machine. But since we always set aside corn for our chickens, we don’t shell everything using the machine. Most of the time, we do it by hand with the banguran method, just like what my niece did. It may take longer, but it works for us.

I know many people here are Visaya like me, and many of us grew up eating corn rice. Before, that was our main food because regular rice was expensive and not easy to buy. But now, corn is expensive too, so we also switched to rice.Haha, we’re leveled up now.

We started planting bananas a few years ago, and now it has become a great blessing for our family. We already have bananas to sell, and from that, we can buy food, coffee, and sugar and more. We are thankful because even though our father is no longer with us, he left us land to plant on. The land is the most important inheritance he gave us. Because of it, we can continue planting, earn a little income, and live the life he taught us. Our life may be simple, but we are rich in blessings, love and gratitude.

Galatians 6:9 (NIV) says, Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. This verse is something I always hold on to. It reminds me that even when life feels heavy, and sometimes we feel tired, discouraged, or overlooked, God sees our work and knows our hearts.