May’s Organic Garden bags Best Tourist Attraction Award
FOR INTEGRATING the benefits of good agricultural practices together with fun and relaxation, May’s Organic Garden bagged the 2018 Best Tourist Attraction Award during the first-ever Bacolod City Tourism Hospitality Awards.
The prestigious event, which was held recently at the Bacolod City Government Center, cited the valuable contributions of the different establishments and tourism facilities that can showcase the culture and tradition of the Bacolodnons.
The competition was organized by the city government in partnership with the Power of Three Events Management to recognize the different establishments in Bacolod City which actively participate and support the projects of the local government in attaining sustainability and promotion of organic produce.
Selecting the winners for each category under the competition has been very rigid since the criteria for judging were based on the votes coming from five sectors – the City Mayor, the City Tourism Office, a representative of a non-government organization, a local personality, and online voting.
Despite the stiff selection process, May’s Organic Garden still emerged as the clear winner in the Best Tourism Attraction category primarily due to its distinct features, facilities, amenities, and advocacy, which promotes organic agriculture and healthy living.
May’s Organic Garden was established not only to cater to the recreational needs of the visitors, but also to fulfil its commitment and objective to promote the value of sustainable and responsible tourism.
Comparable to the leisure farms in Taiwan, May’s Organic Garden is a place where the visitors can enjoy good food, fun-filled recreational activities, and valuable lessons in organic farming and healthful living.
Owned and operated by the husband-and-wife team of Ramon Uy Sr. and May Aileen S. Uy, the facility is actually a spin-off effort of R.U. Foundry and Machine Shop Corporation (RUFMSC) to showcase the production of different organic products and to share the technologies and innovations in organic farming.
“We advocate sustainable and responsible tourism, and we are promoting everything that is organic and natural – from vegetables, ornamental plants, and farm animals which every visitor can see in the facility,” says Ramon Uy Sr.
This is part of the couple’s commitment to the Filipinos, as well as their objective of educating the youth and promoting organic farming.
Among the distinct features which can be seen at May’s Organic Garden is the solar-powered water pumping system which produces the water requirements of the facility.
The water pumping system, which consists of 12 Lorentz solar panels, solar power inverter, solar charge controller, rechargeable battery, and a submersible Lorentz pump, provides the water needed to irrigate the farm’s organic rice, corn, and sugarcane plantation, and vegetable gardens.
The solar pumping system also supplies the water requirements of the compound’s swimming pool, cabanas, and other modern facilities. With its main pavilion located in the heart of the more than 6-hectare resort farm, May’s Organic Garden is a perfect venue for weddings, birthday parties, business meetings and conferences, seminars and trainings, team building activities, educational trips, and other family-oriented get-togethers.
The agri-tourism facility is also an “outdoor classroom” where visitors can witness and learn how to cultivate different varieties of organic vegetables, herbs, and other plants.
Other amenities include a restaurant which serves organic food, a swimming pool, swan paddle boating in the facility’s man-made lagoons with a fishing area, horseback riding, and greenhouses for growing different herbs and spices.
Another interesting feature to learn while vacationing at May’s Organic Garden is how to produce muscovado sugar, which can be replicated to start a backyard business.
‘Pick-and-Pay’ activities are also available on scheduled basis, where visitors and health-conscious individuals can have the opportunity to harvest different varieties of leafy vegetables and herbs.
“We exist not just for business but to share valuable organic farming technologies which can be adopted in the different areas of the country,” Uy Sr. added.
Located in Barangay Pahanocoy which is just several minutes away from the center of Bacolod City, the facility is an ideal destination for tourists and visitors who would want to make their travel to Negros Occidental more exciting, fun, and relaxing.
May’s Organic Garden is the ideal place to experience organic lifestyle in the city.