Amidst the ever increasing residential developments, the construction of the MRT-line and the Metro Manila Subway, who would have thought that there would still be a farmland in QC?
And we’re not just just talking about a pocket garden or some neighborhood lot, but a sprawling 10 hectares of cultivated land that is being eyed a one of the main sources of produce for the restaurants in Metro Manila.
Last Tuesday, June 21, we took a trip to the New Greenland Farm situated in Barangay Bagong Silangan in Quezon City to try out some of their freshly harvested produce. This is in partnership with the Mango Tree group of restaurants efforts to support locally grown produce and promote sustainability.
Promoting Urban farming
During the pandemic, The Quezon City government launched the Joy of Urban Farming project which was created to mitigate hunger and encourage livelihood in agriculture. This initiative also aims to further promote the importance of urban farming and empower the livelihood of urban dwellers by producing fresh and healthy vegetable crops. One of the farms under this project is the New Greenland Farm.
The New Greenland Farm started out as a 2-hectare area and has expanded to over 10-hectares of cultivated land with the support of local communities and the local government which envisions transforming over 30 hectares of unused land into agricultural gardens to address food security for all citizens.
These farms are expected to produce over 756 metric tons of vegetables including eggplant, string beans, pechay, mustasa, squash, kamote tops, spinach, okra, and many more seasonal crops every year.
Celebrating 12 Years with Sustainable Agriculture
The farm trip was organized by Mango Tree, the most popular Thai chain of restaurants in the country.
With a global presence of over 50 restaurants across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, Mango Tree has delighted diners worldwide with its unique take on Thai culinary traditions. The very first Mango Tree opened over 25 years ago in Thailand and was named and inspired by a solitary 100-year old ma-muang (‘mango tree’) that still grows in an old house in Bangkok’s Suriwong district to this day.
In the Philippines, The Mango Tree brand opened its first Mango Tree Bistro and Mango Tree restaurant in 2010. Today, there are 9 restaurants under Mango Tree’s belt in the country. Recently it introduced the new Mango Tree Cafe concept as a more casual dining option.
To celebrate its 12th year in the Philippines, Mango Tree partnered with local farmers as a way to support locally grown produce and promote sustainability.
A passion for Thai cuisine, carefully curated designs, and a penchant for constant innovation have become the DNA of a brand that has branched out into various concepts without losing its identity.
With an increasing interest in sustainability and environmentally friendly practices, consumers have shifted their behavior to supporting locally made products. Mango Tree strives to create extraordinary meals from the simplest of ingredients, and in adopting a farm-to-table concept, crops will be directly sourced from local farms as much as possible—making local produce more accessible and enjoyed by their customers.
Mango Tree’s executive Thai chefs flew in from Thailand to visit New Greenland Farm and curated a special menu using freshly harvested crops and local produce.
This menu highlights the versatility and adaptability of local healthy vegetables such as chayote (‘sayote’), Malabar spinach (‘alugbati’), jute leaves (‘saluyot’), and more.
Check out the new Farm-to-Table Menu
Feeling Hungry? Visit one of theirs stores in the following locations:
Mango Tree group currently has 9 stores nationwide including Mango Tree and Mango Tree Cafe.
1) 7th Avenue, Bonifacio High Street Central, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig (09175349145)
2) Upper Ground Floor, Shops at The Boulevard, City of Dreams, Parañaque (09177023023)
3) Level 3, Trinoma Mall, Quezon City (09178902166)
4) Level 2, Greenbelt 3, Makati City (09175242273)
5) Ground Level, Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Parañaque (09176782783)
6) Upper Ground, Sunset Terraces, SM City Baguio, Baguio City (09171153131)
7) Ground Level, Promenade Mall, Greenhills, San Juan City (09177003163)
8) 2nd Floor, The Mega Atrium, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City (09171500035)
9) 2nd Level, City Center, SM North EDSA, Quezon City (09177021021)
Mango Tree menus can be viewed at https://linktr.ee/mangotreemanila
