THERE’S something about the weekend that spells relief to one’s tired soul.
That being said, Saturday and Sunday could mean different things—catching up with friends over coffee, a quick trip to the beach, bar hopping —-but whatever you choose is meant as a respite from a week’s worth of hard work, to take a much needed break.
If you’re in the mood for the laid-back vibe of the province, there’s a place in the upland area of barangay Guba in Cebu City that you can visit.
A 30-minute cruise on mountainous roads will take you to “Uma: Natural Farms and Foods,” a one-hectare property owned by the Soon couple Juliet and Hector, which they manage together with their children.
According to Juliet, they initially intended the place to be a family weekend getaway but decided to open it to the public last May 8.
Dog lover Juliet Soon and husband Hector (right) with their son Harvey Justin at Uma: Natural Farm and Foods
Bikers regularly gathered at their farm to rest after a tiring climb, said Hector, and some of them suggested that they eventually develop the area as a homestead showcasing the lovely location and amazing view, for people to visit and pay only for the food.
Truly, this high-altitude lot perched in a wide, open expanse is both cool and sunny —ideal for relaxation. You can either chill out in one of the three huts on top of a hill or lie down in a hammock under a mango tree.
Mango salad
Get to mingle or take selfies with the friendly farm animals like Helga the cow, Comet the goat, Greta the carabao, or the “tatlong bibe” freely running around the place.
But of course the best part of the trip would be feasting on Uma’s fresh produce. It’s a memorable farm-to-table meal experience that is within one’s budget.
Utan bisaya
The farm serves a variety of generous sized meals. There’s sweet and tender native chicken cooked stewed or roasted, sinfully delicious liempo, and adobong binukid, all of which don’t exceed P400 for each dish.
For appetizers, try eggplant salad, fried camote, mango salad, boiled bananas with fish bagoong (guinamos) and utan bisaya soup.
BOILED saba bananas with guinamos
Uma is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., with Saturdays catering to visitors who made prior reservations. The farm can accommodate up to 30 people.
