In December 2017, I submitted a proposal to SteemPh. In my post, Project Proposal | SteemPH in Libertad National High School, I introduced Libertad National High School located in Samal Island in Davao del Norte. I have been to this island many times. It is renowned for its beautiful beaches, but behind the glamour of the hotels and resorts that lined it's pristine white shores, there is a sinister poverty that cripples the community there. Despite that, the children still go to school and try their best to attain education even when they have to eat salt and rice for lunch.

It is this concerning fact that led me to propose the Homesteading Brigade.
The aim is to impart basic knowledge in growing vegetables so the students may do it in their own backyards and put healthy food on their tables as well as their lunch packs.

Homesteading

Homesteading is a lifestyle of self-sufficiency. It is characterized by subsistence agriculture, home preservation of food.- Wikipedia

A year and a half ago, @steemitph (Red) and I started to grow some vegetables in a vacant lot beside our home. He saw it as a means to de-stress from the corporate world. As for me, it's something that I've always wanted to do - I grew up in a house with all sorts of plants in our yard. Besides, it was nice to see Red busy with something else other than his team's stats. He started researching about the best crops to grow in our area's climate, watched a number of youtube videos on how to manage pests, and read countless articles about properly handle plants. He posted the following articles in his Steemit account to share what we know about growing our own food.

• Growing Our Own Food & Why We Are Doing It

• Growing Hot Peppers from Seed

• Growing Eggplant From Seeds w/ Pictures

• Growing Okra From Seeds w/ Pictures

• Growing Papaya From Seeds w/ Pictures

• Vegetable Gardening Requires Hard Work | Okra Updates

• Using 20-20-20 Fertilizer on Crops

We do not claim to be experts in this field nor do we see ourselves as philanthropists. What we do know is that everyone can learn how to grow their own food and we are very eager to learn as much as we'd like to share what we know to the students of Libertad National High School.

Planting the Seeds

Although this phase is quite easy, it requires more attention to detail than a lot of people expect. Before planting the seed, one must actually consider a number of things like the kind of seed you have (whether its the warm or cold kind), the kind of soil to use, and the depth of the hole where the seed will be placed. In our experience, it is best to use a seedling tray that way, the temperature and water can easily be controlled.

Germination

Germination is the process of seeds developing into new plants. At this stage, the environmental conditions are crucial in order for the seed to grow. The most important factors that can trigger seed germination are water availability, temperature and sunlight. In our experience, we found out that some seeds need a bit of extra "push" in order to germinate.

Transplanting

Once the seedlings are ready, they then need to be transplanted. This simply means that we are moving the plant from the seedling tray to another location that will be able to sustain their growth. This involves techniques that will safeguard the root system, which will result to the success of the transplant.

Applying Fertilizer

Although fertilization may seem like just an option, it actually plays a vital role in growing healthy crops. The nutrients are coming from the soil and for heavy feeder crops, the natural substances in the soil may not be enough. We use NPK 20-20-20, which will be part of the planting materials we will distribute to the students.

I spent the past few months exchanging emails and messages with the school administration through my brother, who is an educator there. We have reached a final date for the Homesteading Brigade and as of the moment, 50 students are being registered for the event.

The school will also give us time to speak with the educators about Steemit, which I look forward to. I am excited with the prospect of getting the teachers on board; with their knowledge and expertise, I am sure they have valuable contributions that they can share with everyone. And think about what they can pick up from this awesome platform and pass on to their students! Imagine those young minds in that remote area of the island being exposed to what the rest of the world is like. Opportunities, which are so very scarce in their lives, will be made available to them.

The final details of the Homesteading Brigade and the Davao Stop for the SteemPH Meet-Up Caravan will be posted by @steemph.davao this weekend so please stay tuned. If you are interested to join us, you may leave a comment below, or you can reach me through Discord.