Muni on this:
What’s a day without gadgets for today’s modern consumer/consumerist society?
Every day, we often rush through tasks, speeding along life as we try to get each one done so we can move on the next item to cross off our to-do list. It’s an endless blur of breakfasts in mugs, lunches with agendas, and fast food dinners. We barely have enough hours in a day to squeeze in quality time – with loved ones, friends, family, and with doing things we’re passionate about. Balik Bukid reminds us to take a breather.
Fresh air, wide open spaces, organic produce, and lots of eco-friendly merchandise. Balik Bukid is a one-of-a-kind country fair designed to encourage a simple, holistic way of life.
The brainchild of Gippy and Hindy Tantoco, Balik Bukid began as a fun endeavor to showcase the Sta. Elena Golf & Country Estate to their Fun Farm customers. However, “Every time we try to do traditional events whether as a marketing tool or an activity for our residents – it doesn’t work. It eventually evolves into something more than the typical event. It evolves into something that has so much more. It has more breadth and scope – that’s how Balik Bukid evolved.” shares Hindy Tantoco [from Soul Space Magazine, Vol. 2]
Living in the moment
Last April 28, my family and I headed off to Sta. Rosa in Laguna to experience the 3rd Balik Bukid fair. Upon entrance to the Fun Farm, there were playgrounds (Teepee & Sand Playground), Carabao-cart and horseback riding, rowboating, fishing, animal feeding, outdoor water shower, zipline, tours, mud dash races, arts & crafts, and so much more.
Kids, including my 5-year-old, lined up for almost all of the activities. Never mind the hot scorching sun. Never mind the sweat in their hair. Never mind mommy, daddy, or yaya chasing after them. They were having fun – no need for internet connection this time.
Practicing conscious consumption
Apart from the activities and the on-stage program, visitors were also treated with a variety of handmade eco-friendly products, some of which we featured in our 10a Alabama Fair post (SiKLO, Junk Studio, Resurrection Furniture), others were Muni Pop-Up Shop brands including Lagu and Rags2Riches.
There were products for your face and body (Real Tan organic browning oil, So True Naturals, De Boer Organique), products for the home (Messy Bessy, Theodore’s Pure Natural Home Care, Ritual), and some clothing and accessories stalls (Miré upcycled fashion, Luntian Bags, My Goodie Bag, RagPets by KarawArtVentures).
Another interesting find was Bambike, a socio-ecological enterprise that crafts handmade bamboo bicycles using fair-trade labor and green building practices.
Slow Food, Good Eats
Part of living the simple life is feasting on local, fresh, and 100% organic produce. Holy Carabao Holistic Farms practices organic and biodynamic farming making all the vegetables they produce healthy, nutritious, and abundant with live enzymes.
Other food stalls we found were: SunDream, which offers vegetarian and raw vegan meals, Down to Earth vegetables, Organique by Bios Dynamis, certified organic whole-grain black, red & brown rice, Coco Natura, original coconut sweetener, and more.
Live music after party
By nighttime, guests were treated to an intimate gathering with pizza, beer, and live music by Noel Cabangon and Up Dharma Down. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to join in because my daughter got so tired from running around and falling in line for all the activities she participated in.
It’s not easy to transition back to a simpler, less wired lifestyle. But every once in a while, experiencing a slice of the simple life helps us to rush less, focus on the important things, and regain some perspective on the impact of our modern, fast-paced lives.
How do you slow down and go back to basics?
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