Fiesta!

Today at 8am to beat the heat, was the official opening of Tagudin’s week-long Agri Trade Fair. Lots of speeches from Mayor Roque Verzosa, Vice Mayor his wife Vangie Verzosa, representatives from Dept of Trade & Industry as well as Dept of Agriculture and other dignatories. The Agri Fair is celebrating farmers and local organizations such as the calamansi cooperative I am working with, who provide the food we eat. There was a big market full of tables promoting local Tagudinian produce and Ilocano food. I was in my element at this market! Enjoy a few pictures below.

The Fiesta runs for a week so I am sure I will have more photos from other events I will attend. Stay tuned.

It was interesting to hear a push from the local government’s Head of Agriculture, encouraging Tagudinians to take advantage of the free vegetable seeds and papaya seedings available as part of the Agri Trade Fair and plant them in their home gardens. Food security is a topic I have been hearing lots about around here in the past few weeks.

Happy Fiesta!

Acknowledgement of the organizing committee with special guests

Cutting the ribbon!

Fresh produce by small farmers

A selection of Ilocano food!

Pork belly & veggies, with a fermented fish sauce called bagoong

Snails tasted earthy and vinegary

Array of calamansi drinks, concentrates and purees for sale from the cooperative I am working with

And to satisfy Moira, some photos of flowers for sale at the market.