Summary
Highlights
Leonora Doña, a 69-year-old farmer, has been planting Kabog millet for 50 years. Nanay Butche, a fellow farmer and member of Slow Food Sugbo, helps promote Nanay Leonora's work and uses her harvested Kabog to make Budbud Kabog, emphasizing their collaborative effort to introduce this heritage crop.
The name Kabog originates from the local term for bat, as the millet was found growing in caves where bats reside. The video clarifies that Kabog is a type of proso millet, distinct from dawa (foxtail millet). Kabog is noted for its versatility, medicinal uses, and its ability to produce a glutinous product due to the unique soil in Catmon, making it more expensive than dawa, which is often fed to birds.
Farmers describe their strenuous life in the mountains, involving clearing land, planting, and harvesting. They rely on Kabog as their bestseller to support their families and send their children to school. A 'gagtang' (approximately 2.5 kilos) of Kabog sells for 500 pesos. The crop is valued for its delicious taste and nutritional benefits, with farming traditions passed down through generations.
The traditional Budbud Kabog (or kabog suman) is prepared using kabog millet, coconut milk, and brown sugar. The ingredients are cooked in a clay pot, known as a 'statue' in Bisaya, which is believed to enhance the aroma. The recipe calls for one glass of kabog and one glass of coconut water, with sugar adjusted to taste. The process holds deep sentimental value for the producers, passed down from their grandparents.
Despite the difficulties, farming remains a passion and a vital source of livelihood. The farmers emphasize that without them, there would be no food. Climate change, with its destructive typhoons, highlights the critical importance of seed preservation and secure food farming, from cultivation to product creation.
The cooking process involves adding kabog to boiling coconut milk, allowing the oil to render, and then incorporating brown sugar. The natural sweetness of kabog means less sugar is needed. The clay pot further enhances the aroma during the approximately 20-minute cooking time. The finished Budbud Kabog is wrapped in a leaf, serving as a traditional holder, presenting a delicious and cherished delicacy.