When people talk about “organic,” usually they confuse it with hydroponic, farm-raised products, anything that is green leafy or anything that seems to be fresh, regardless if it is certified or comes from an accredited supplier. So what really is organic?

Our journey with organic farming and organic retailing started more than 15 years ago when we attended the First Organic Coffee Conference in Kampala, Uganda. That must have been in 2004. Right about that same time, Patrick Belisario, an organic advocate, started an NGO that would certify organic products in the Philippines. I met him and we soon traveled to coffee farms from up north in Kalinga to the south in Cavite, as he was my first organic consultant.