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14 April 2009

Baguio: Pasalubong from the Strawberry Farm, La Trinidad, Benguet

Strawberries are one of the most popular Baguio pasalubong besides ube jam from Good Shepherds and peanut brittle. One of the more popular "things to do in Baguio" is picking strawberries at the Strawberry Farm in Baguio's neighboring town of La Trinidad.

Tutubi wanted to visit the farm again after so many years but due to the grueling schedule of the convention, he begged off at the last minute and decided to wake up late than join the free trip to the farm offered by a convention sponsor.

fresh strawberries at a roadside stall

Just before going back to Manila, Tutubi and his friends stopped by a stall near Kennon road selling fresh strawberries at PhP100.00. Tutubi just bought a kilo and selected not so ripe ones since it's not for immediate consumption plus the danger of "beaten black and blue" strawberries due to travel from Baguio to Manila. He also hand-carried the strawberries instead of stuffing them in his bags to avoid damage.

After just a few minutes in Manila, the strawberries were consumed in no time at all!

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Notes:

If Baguio celebrates the Panagbenga Festival in February, Benguet has the Adivay Festival scheduled in October annually.

If you still want to try the "strawberry fields forever" experience in La Trinidad, Benguet, don't be surprised that the price of strawberries there is double the price of the the prevailing market cost-- you're actually paying for the experience and not the actual strawberries. As usual for your information, here's Tutubi's guide on how to get to the Strawberry Farm in La Trinidad, Benguet:

Commute to La Trinidad from From Baguio City: board jeepneys going to La Trinidad on Gen. Luna near the University of Baguio. Request the driver to drop you off at the Strawberry Farm. You need to cross the road plus a little flexing of your leg muscles to get to the Strawberry farm for your strawberry picking "adventure."

Driving Directions to La Trinidad From Baguio: From Session Road, head towards Magsaysay Road where you'll pass by Bell Church and La Trinidad welcome arch. The strawberry farm is about six kilometers from the welcome arch and look for street signs to the farm to turn left. At the entrance of the farm are the usual stalls, souvenir shops and hawkers selling their wares and mostly "strawberry-powered" delicacies.

Notes:
The common strawberry varieties grown in Benguet are the Sweet Charlie from Argentina, the Festival and Camarosa from California in the United States, and the Toyonaka and Haronoka from Japan. Organic planting method also use predator mites to help eliminate spider mites, a major pest that destroys strawberry flowers and leaves.

Related Post:
Cemetery of Negativism
Directions to Baguio


6 comments:

  1. These strawberries (pictured) look as good as the ones grown here in Southern California. I'm sure they taste the same. LOL

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  2. these strawberries look so good. i think i may need some whipped cream to go with them.

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  4. wow.. lovely looking strawberries ! I thought strawberries only grow in temperate countries and never in Pinas :) Very fresh , organic looking indeed.

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  5. How much is strawberry per kilo?

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