State university hosts fruit harvest festival

KABACAN, North Cotabato – Where in the country can anyone can just pick and eat lanzones for free?  It’s here, it’s inside the state university lanzones orchard Thursday.

One can eat lanzones all he or she can, no ifs, no buts.

Students, teachers, alumni and visitors feasted on the sweet lanzones during the day long harvest festival as a form of thanksgiving for bountiful harvest every year.

The University of Southern Mindanao (USM) is maintaining vast lanzones plantation inside the campus grounds also being used as practicum area for forestry and agriculture students.

Dr. Francisco Garcia, USM president, said the harvest festival forms part of students and pupils’ learning experiences.

“We give children the opportunity to harvest, create connections and hopefully will ignite their interest in agriculture,” Garcia said in the vernacular.

The campus, according to Garcia, is promoting farm tourism spot that also hosts livestock and fish ponds.

One child said: “It’s so exciting, it’s the first time and the funniest time.”

“Pati ang ating mga alumni, pati na itong ating mga kabataan, malaman nila na ganito pala ang lanzones, ganito pala rambutan, ganito pala ang mangosteen,” Garcia said.

“Kasi nakikita na nila ito sa mga palengke na, di nila alam paano yan napitas, paano yan nabuo, part lang ito ng tourism route,” he added. (FC)