OPENING SUMMARY:

Upon the completion of writing my own climate story, I found a sudden interest in learning more about my father’s story. In an era where the effects of climate change are becoming increasingly evident, taking a step back to hear the experiences of others and reflect on the past becomes crucial. Made possible through my Talk Climate internship with Climate Generation, I was able to ask Ramil Villarama, whom I like to call “Dad,” a set of questions to understand his early years that were spent on a family farm. He shared his unique perspectives on how the environment he knew as a child has evolved, the lessons he learned from the land, and his thoughts on the urgent issue of climate change that affects us all today. As we delved into these cherished memories and insightful anecdotes, we uncovered not only the joys and challenges of growing up on a farm but also the stark contrasts between then and now in the context of climate change. Thank you for tuning in and enjoy the interview segment!

The below interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. To hear the full interview, click on the recording at the bottom of this post.

INTERVIEW:

Ramier: Hello Dad!

Dad: Hey, how are you son?

Ramier: Good! This set of questions is the section about your farm childhood, then we’ll move on to one more focused on climate change, then one more focused on the future and future goals.

Dad: That sounds good, I like that!

Farm childhood

Ramier: Can you share your experiences of growing up on a family farm?

Dad: I’m really happy that you are having interests as far as my childhood… growing up on a farm, it’s really a rewarding experience. I used to help my dad plant various vegetables like eggplants, tomatoes, corn, bitter gourd or we call it ampalaya in Tagalog, and of course, rice. Apart from these vegetables, we would plant and grow melons and watermelons as well. I grew up and lived on the farm for almost 22 years. In terms of the farming practices, we relied on rains apart from irrigation in making sure everything got enough water. Given the nature of the plants that we grow and the type of the soil/land, we grew them alternately, which means some plants are best grown during wet or rainy season while others are in dry season. I also helped my dad raise cattles and carabaos… we would gather cow manure to be used as fertilizers as it actually helps improve the quality of the soil which is essential to growing healthy vegetables, plants, and fruits.

Ramier: How did you learn life in a different way by living on a farm?

Dad: Living on a farm actually taught me to appreciate the simple things. It taught me the value of working hard, and to be humble, respectful, patient, and how to persevere. I really admired and respected my parents, particularly my dad, as he worked really hard to provide our daily needs, all coming from the farm. Helping my parents, particularly my dad, with the planting and nourishing of what we grew taught me responsibility and compassion at a young age.

Ramier: I borrowed this next question from a book that also talked about someone’s experiences growing up on a family farm. How did you have to work with and not against nature to make sure the farm succeeded?

Dad: We would rely heavily on nature to make sure that the farm or the farming succeeds right. Rain is very vital and a significant source of water for healthy soil and to grow the plants. Occasionally we would rely on heavy rains because that’s really good for the plants. In the same manner, equally important was the heat of the sun, given that once you do the harvest, you need to dry the crops, especially rice, before it goes to milling. So nature plays an important role for the farm. We should take care of nature, our nature.

Ramier: That’s very interesting. In the book that I read, the author talked about all four seasons because he was from California, so it’s interesting to compare that to the Philippines where it is only a lot of heat and rain, not really a spring or winter season is very interesting.

Dad: That’s very true! In the Philippines, sometimes I would joke around because in terms of the weather or the temperature, it’s like hot or hotter, but during rainy season obviously there’s like rains and a lot of rains…you know, which as you can imagine, excessive rains don’t really help, cause it causes flooding.

Ramier: Can you explain more of the specific challenges you and your family faced due to the changing weather conditions?

Dad: An example would be when there’s drought and less rain, farmers or my dad would be heavily dependent on irrigation systems, which becomes costly because you would have to buy fuel or gas to power the pumps… so obviously that’s an extra expense, which affects the profitability of farming. Then, the quality of soil diminishes, which means you can’t really expect as good of a harvest.

Climate Change

Ramier: Cool! Let’s talk more specifically about climate change. How has climate change impacted your family farm over the years, and what are some specific changes you have observed? How has the climate in the Philippines changed, if so, since your childhood?

Dad: Climate change definitely impacted our family farm over the years. It actually became harder for certain crops to grow due to shifts in weather patterns and we would look into growing different plants to cope. The climate in the Philippines became, I would say, unpredictable. Nowadays, I’ve seen it get worse because of industrialization, pollution, and people not being cognisant right… they don’t really, I would say for a lack of a better word, take care of nature.

Future

Ramier: Looking ahead, what do you envision for the future of farming, not only on your farm, but your region, considering the ongoing challenges of climate change? What role does the Philippine government play in supporting climate-resilient farming practices… are there any policy gaps that need to be addressed?

Dad: This is really a profound question. Farmers should have access to better farm irrigation systems. Farmers should be able to explore and plant different rice seed variants or rice varieties to help breed improved crops with higher resilience to climate change. In the absence of good rice variants, you can’t really expect a good harvest. The second question you asked about the Philippine government… obviously the government should play a vital role in supporting climate-resilient farming practices by building better irrigation systems. The Philippine government should also continue to educate its people regarding climate change as it truly impacts farming in the Philippines. As for the policy gaps that need to be addressed, the government should really enhance leadership and accountability through monitoring, evaluation, and review of climate change policies and activities. As you would know, the Philippines is like a major source of the global rice supply. There are a lot of farmers there, and it’s really important that the government do its part in making sure that farmers are able to navigate this ever-changing climate.

Ramier: Considering the challenges posed by climate change, do you have any advice or message for the younger generation growing up on family farms today?

Dad: I do, I sincerely do. As you know climate change poses a real threat to farmers around the world. Farming is highly dependent on good weather as it can really influence the harvest. In this regard, my pieces of advice that I’d give the younger generation are that they need to learn how to adapt and think outside of the box. Also, be more cognizant and assertive in understanding what truly causes climate change. The younger generations growing up on family farms need to be more informed. Climate change has been an ongoing issue and younger generations should be more keen in understanding the effects.

Ramier: What I got out of that was education is a big part, and as you mentioned, the government can play a big part in educating people, especially people who may not have the resources to learn about climate change. So to end this, I recently wrote my climate story and in it I wrote that I want to learn more about my identities, and one of them is my Filipino identity. I wanted to specifically learn your stories about growing up on the farm and that connection to climate change. So, my last question is, what were some stories your father told you about the farm when you were younger?

Dad: I actually gravitate to this particular question. I really liked listening to my dad, and he always told me a lot of stories about our farm when I was younger. One story I will never forget is, he said I’d always tell him, hey can we pick up some tomatoes or watermelons. Dad would tell me, “Hey, you and I will go to our farm and he’d bring me to the actual field for me to see the size of the tomatoes and watermelons that we grow.” That’s how he told me the story because obviously I was a little young back then so I couldn’t really recall what happened. My dad told me that he’d say we’ll pick the ripe ones and we will eat them and share them with the entire family and friends. He would always remind me that in life you need to persevere in order to be successful regardless of whether I become a farmer or follow any other profession. He also reminded me to respect nature and everyone around me because again, nature is vital to farmers. And, while it was a lowkey life, I could always feel happiness or fully content because there’s food on the table. My dad was always able to provide food for us. I kind of get teary when we’re talking about the farm, my experiences, and the stories that my dad told. He’s been very passionate in regard to farming and he’s very responsible. Imagine, my parents’ main source of income back then was farming. They didn’t get higher education, but they were able to provide for their family and my dad was able to think outside of the box as well. He didn’t just rely on planting vegetables, he also took care of cattle. Even now we have cattle. It’s a cycle: you plant rice and then the hay, the hay then becomes food for the cattle. You can imagine, it’s like a homestead, everything’s there. Weather played a really important role in that, so again, we should respect nature and take care of Mother Earth.

Ramier: One more thing, why do you think it’s important for you to share your own story and, like what we’re doing right now, talk about your life on the farm and be appreciative of that part of your life? Why do you think it’s important for me and my other siblings to visit the farm and experience the farm whenever we travel to the Philippines?

Dad: You actually hit the nail on the head when you say the word appreciate. Me sharing these stories with you all, for me, is very important to know your roots. There’s life out there, right. I mean you probably think it’s simple. In essence, it’s kind of lowkey, but very rewarding for you all to experience. Meaning living is simple in the Philippines and everything is provided by nature. When we have the opportunity to visit the farm, I like you all to kind of experience what I experienced because I do cherish that upbringing. For me, I would not be the person I am today without the experiences that taught me to be a better person. Living on a farm, I mean it was great. I encourage you, when we have the opportunity, to see and understand your roots as well.

Ramier: Wow, thank you dad!

Dad: I hope that answers all of your questions, but if you would like to have another conversation regarding me growing up on a farm, feel free to ask. I obviously love talking about my childhood living on a farm.

Ramier: Thank you!

Dad: You’re very welcome, anak!

Both my father and I witnessed the power of storytelling through our conversation about his childhood farm adventures and climate change. We invite you to listen to the full, uncut interview below—a treasure trove of insights that will incite your own passion for storytelling.

Ramier Villarama (he/him) was born in the Philippines, but moved to New Jersey with his family at a young age. He is a current rising third-year student at Macalester College in St. Paul, MN. In addition to being a part of the Men’s Swimming and Diving team, he is a double major in Environmental Studies and Studio Art, with a minor in Asian Studies and a concentration in Food, Agriculture, and Society. He has been recently learning more about his Filipino culture and his relationship with nature, and has been connecting both with his art and the work that he creates.

The post Buhay Bukid: A Conversation with My Father on His Childhood Farm Adventures and Climate Change appeared first on Climate Generation.

Buhay Bukid: A Conversation with My Father on His Childhood Farm Adventures and Climate Change