How Stargrazer, a carabao, came to our farm

Why purchase a carabao?

The team wants a carabao for the following reasons

1. Improve how we transition grass to organic coffee. For our first 1 Ha, we planted banana and coffee in holes we dug but it takes a full time employee to keep up with weeds on 1Ha of coffee. With a carabao we can terrace a section, kill the grasses with tilling, plant a cover crop and a nitrogen fixing shrub like kakawate that can be used to fertilize coffee when we plant it. This approach requires a carabao to terrace and prep the land 1 time but after that, maintenance should be lower.

2. Support the creation of terraces so as to reduce erosion and retain soil moisture

3. Move materials around the property. Dragging bamboo and vermicast in a bamboo sled is preferable to carrying it

Purchase Considerations

1. The Department of Agriculture suggested we purchase a female carabao so the history is known. We were warned if a male carabao is worked too hard and the operator turns their back, a male carabao might attack. Females are less likely to be aggressive but can not work when pregnant.

2. Just like a car, carabao should have paperwork to ensure they are no stolen.

How to tell if a carabao is healthy?

1. It shouldn’t be skinny

2. The nose should be moist

3. Agreeable demeaner

4. The excrement indicates health

Alternatives to purchasing a carabao

1. Hire help from the community. We hired a neighbor to do the first plow in our lower terraces using “Pacquiao” arrangement where a fixed price was provided to complete the work. We weren’t able to find anyone to do the 2nd plow at the same price. At the quoted rate a carabao will pay for itself in 8 plows or 2 weeks.

2. Purchase a tractor. There are no roads onto or around the property. The small terraces and steep hills seem like it would be difficult to navigate with a tractor. We also don’t have a person to maintain a tractor and getting parts is difficult in general. For reservoir excavations it might make sense to experiment with one.

How we searched for a carabao

We were advised to take our time and know the carabao and people we were purchasing from so that we did not get a sick carabao.

The first carabao we looked at came with a calf.

No paperwork was available for the carabao. Although probably fine, we want evidence that we are purchasing from the rightful owner. We passed on this option.

Stargrazer

Stargrazer lives nearby, is 5 yrs old and is suspected of being pregnant

The grass is called “carabao grass” because it can withstand carabao grazing and trampling.

It was possible to get paperwork for this carabao and our farm manager and agriculture lead observed the carabao and recommended purchasing it.

Stargrazer was loaded in our custom made Barako 175 tricycle

Stargazer was walked the remaining distance to our farm to spare it from the bumpy road.

The checkboxs indicate cowlicks that uniquely identify a carabao. If you look at the above picture, the front shoulder cowlick is clearly visible. No branding or tags are involved.

Stargrazer grazing

Stargrazer’s schedule consists of eating and wallowing in the pools. Once we get a plow, we can do light tilling so able to plant rice in our lower terraces.

Reflections

• I didn’t post video of driving with a carabao in case there is a law against it. I suspect it is ok but just in case, I’ll avoid posting self-incriminating evidence.

• It took about 6 weeks to purchase a carabao since it took time to learn about one for sale and be confident we were getting what is expected. As with other things, planning ahead is helpful.

• It wasn’t until I purchased a shredder that I heard the team suggest we get a carabao. There is a potential gap around my understanding of how to support the team improve productivity.

• The formatting on this blog could be better.

• Having a carabao feels similar to having both a pet and new tool - both are positive emotions.

What’s next for Stargrazer?

• We plan to purchase a plow and fashion a yoke so able to till area for planting.

• Experiment with transitioning grass slopes to healthy biological systems where coffee can thrive.