DIPOLOG CITY - A 29-year-old American national is helping students and their parents in Dipolog City learn the value of farming.

Patrick Taylor helps students of Pamansalan Eco-tech High School work on their school garden. The school owns five hectares of land, which is used as training ground for agriculture subjects, as well as an income-generating project, where parents of students become part of a cooperative.

Proceeds of the garden's yield are equally divided among the parents to sustain their children's needs in school and to support the school's feeding program.

Taylor helps the students in increasing their yield.

"The gardens will come up and will sustain the children, we're teaching them pride in their work, pride of ownership and discipline on the work that they do," he said.

He taught them the fundamentals of organic farming, like using dried leaves and animal manure as fertilizer.

He also wants to encourage farming and prove to Fiipinos that there is income in farming.

"People should realize that they should not look for their happiness and contentment elsewhere but you can find it here. I found my contentment here and I came from another country. I would've imagine other people should find their contentment here too," he added.

Taylor has been staying in Pamansalan for almost six months now and is enjoying the company of the locals.

As classes started yesterday, Taylor donated some rice for the students as they wait for the plants to be ready for harvest.