The Cacao Experience in Alfonso, Cavite

brightwaysacademy1998
4 minutes ago
3 min read

This student is serving as a model for cacao.

A vibrant cacao fruit hanging from the tree.

Alfonso, Cavite produces some of the richest chocolate in the Philippines. It is made from locally grown cacao trees, with the seeds harvested and processed into tablea, which is widely used in various chocolate products. Recently, students from Brightways Academy visited a cacao farm owned by Ms. Shirley Nuestro in Brgy. Buck Estate, Alfonso, Cavite.

A student tasting fresh cacao fruit straight from the pod.

Eating cacao is similar to eating a santol fruit, but it has a sweeter taste.

The farm is full of fruit-bearing trees such as guyabano, coffee, coconut, papaya, banana, and cacao. From seeds, they germinate a special variety of cacao called Criollo, known for its excellent taste. However, despite its flavor, Criollo has a downside — it does not yield much fruit.

Want to open a cacao fruit? Just grab an itak — it does the job perfectly! — Want to open a cacao fruit? Just grab an *itak* — it does the job perfectly!

Did you know coffee is often grown together with cacao? They make great neighbors!

The students are all ears, eager to learn from the cacao farmers.

An example of a cacao fruit affected by disease.

This cacao fruit has visible signs of a fungal infection.

Going on a trek to the farm is one of the best experiences.

Ms. Shirley Nuestro, the owner of the cacao farm.

Meaningful and engaging conversations with the cacao farmers.

Mr. Arman Nuestro, the owner of the cacao farm.

Hold a tablea too long, and it’ll melt right in your hand!

A processed tablea packaged inside plastic.

The drying rack where cacao beans are carefully laid out to dry.

To protect the cacao fruits from insects, plastic coverings are used. These are tied around the fruits with small rubber bands. One of the biggest enemies of cacao is mold. Since Alfonso is an upland area with moist soil, the environment encourages the growth of molds and fungi that affect the cacao fruits.

To prevent insect damage, students carefully cover cacao fruits with plastic sleeves. This process is called sleeving.

An example of a cacao fruit that has been sleeved for protection.

A cacao fruit protected by a plastic sleeve.

The students also had the chance to experience how to wrap the cacao fruits in plastic. They carefully tied small plastic bags around the fruits to keep insects away — especially important since the farm is intercropped with other trees, like guyabano, which attracts many insects.

In addition, the students got to harvest ripe cacao pods. To do this, you simply twist the fruit off the tree. They also tasted the fresh cacao pulp, which is similar to eating a santol fruit — it has a unique, slightly sweet flavor that resembles santol with a fruity kick.

This gives you an idea of the typical size of a cacao fruit.

Afterward, the students tasted the farm’s processed cacao product: tablea. It tasted bitter, as it was not mixed with sugar. The students learned that chocolate tastes better when sugar and milk are added.

Giving an okay sign means it tastes good.

Students washing their shoes after a trek from the farm.

By the end of the day, the students had a fun and educational experience. They learned the importance of farming and discovered that chocolate comes from the hard work and dedication of farmers who invest time, effort, and care into every step of the process.