DOLORES,Abra(PIA) - Seventy-year-old farmer Ceferina Arquitola remains young at heart practicing organic farming.

Artuitola is actively tilling her two hectare organic farm in Brgy. Calumbaya in Dolores at her age.

Organic farming has been Arquitola’s passion for decades as she served at the Dolores Municipal Agriculture and Fishery Council for 30 years.

“Nabayagak iti Municipal Agriculture and Fishery Council ditoy ket adun nga mayor ti naglabasen ta 30 years nak iti MAFC”, Arquitola said in an interview.

[I’ve been with the Municipal Agriculture and Fishery Council of Dolores for 30 years under different mayors.

She shared that one of the notable accomplishments of the Dolores MAFC in the 1980s was the organization and empowerment and of farmers’ associations in the 15 barangays of Dolores.

Lola Arquitola is still actively promoting the benefits of organic farming. She practices vermicomposting, a process wherein earthworms turn kitchen food scraps and other green waste into dark, moist, and healthy soil.

“Uray nu naakpektaran ti COVID idi, agtultuloy manen ti panangusar ko kadagiti alinta para ti vermicomposting tapnu nabugaso jay dagak nga isu ti pagmulmulaak,” she explained.

[Despite of the effect of COVID19, I continue to use earthworms for vermicomposting to improve the quality of the soil I use in planting.]

She shared that as she is already old, she  gave the farm  to one her children to manage, unfortunately, the daughter died in 2021 due to COVID, so she has to manage the farm again. 

"Jay maysa nga anak ko, innagan ko kenyana diay farm ta baket nak metten, isu kuma ti mangmana ngem natay metten idi 2021 ti COVID isu nga siak manen ti mangtaltalon," she said.

[ As I am already old, I transferred the farm  in  the name of one of my children, unfortunately, she died in 2021 due to COVID.  So, I have to manage it again].

 Lola Arquitola sells her products like stringbeans, eggplants, ampalaya, and pechay. With themoney she earns from selling her vegetables, she  helps her grandchildren with their school needs.(JDP/CAGT– PIA CAR, Abra)