mb.com.ph, July 23, 2010, 2:04pm

Different farm animals will be the star of the show dubbed as the Malagos farm fair slated at the Malagos Garden Resort in Davao City on August 7 to 8.

“An animal fair like this is not usually done anywhere in the country but you are going to see this for the first time in Malagos right in Davao City,” says Dr. Bo Puentespina, a member of the family that owns the garden resort.

The Malagos farm fair was conceptualized as an occasion to sell the menagerie of farm animals that the Puentespina family grows. These include dairy goats, cows, sheep, cocks, horses, peacocks, pheasants, ostriches, fancy chickens, dogs and ornamental birds.

Puentesppina said that the focus of Davao, even the country’s tourism, is usually the sun and the sea. This will be another venue to push for another brand of tourism – the agritourism in the region as supported by the presence of the Philippine Airlines at the fair.

Farm fairs like the one set to be held in Malagos in August are regularly held in Europe and the United States but not in the Philippines. Puentespina said they are hoping to make the Malagos farm fair an annual event and make it another attraction for the city.

“City-bred children will have the chance to witness how dairy goats and cows are being milked during the fair. Puentespina, a veterinarian, said this could be an unforgettable experience for parents as well as their children who will visit the fair.

Puentespina said that this event is perhaps the only opportunity for people to see as many as 300 purebred dairy goats in one setting. An additional attraction would be the cows and the ostriches which will also be on display and for sale.

The Malagos Farm is usually closed to the public throughout the year but this will be the first time that they are opening the farmgates to Davaoeños and visitors from other areas.

“Farmers and animal growers can learn a lot just by seeing how Malagos Farm works,” he said. The Puentespina family is a strict observer of sustainable farm management so there is actually zero waste in the farm as everything is re-used, sold and recycled.

Grass from under the coconut and cacao are fed to the goats and cows and with their manure going to the biogas digester or to the vermicomposting bins to become fertilizer that goes back to the soil. Land use is thus maximized responsibly.

Source: Malagos farm fair set in Davao City