square ad

just follow the link given

the benefits

Parts of the plants used as medicine and food

Tuber, Leaves

yacon leaves. the plant itself may mount up to six feet high

the tuber

Contraindications

No toxic reactions have been reported for the consumption of Yacon at the recommended dose.

The effects

The yacon’s oligofructose properties were discovered by ancient Peruvians, but modern medicine found out that if the leaves are used in tea, it has the effects of eluding the peak caused by eating sugary or starchy food. It also lowers the blood sugar level of diabetics who have high blood sugar levels and whose bodies do not produce or properly use insulin, a hormone that is normally released to process food. It appears that the tea lessens the (sugary) peaks.

Benefits:

Dr. H Brams said yacon roots themselves had not been proven to have the same palliative effect as the leaves, though other benefits such as its laxative quality and ability to help prevent colon cancer and osteoporosis are less well known.

the solution to diabetes

YACON AND DIABETES

DIABETES: Diabetes is a disease that affects millions of people young and old alike. Diabetes is an incurable disease that upsets its victims physically and emotionally.

Yacon helps maintain normal blood sugar levels in the body by re-sanitising the body to the effects of insulin. With the help of yacon, the body increases the effective utilization of insulin thus allowing the body to regulate itself more easily.

Doalnara's Produce

YACON

Yacon, fresh from the ground. Just harvested

The main property of Yacon is medicinal. It is eaten raw, like a fruit. It obtains all the advantages that grant this natural product.

Many useful tropical plants are absent from our gardens only because they are unfamiliar, and that's not a very good excuse for missing out on something as special as Yacon. If we sit down to design a plant, it would be hard for us to come up with a better combination of qualities. 

Yacon Tuber. It looks like a sweet potato, but tastes like an apple.

YACON, (Polymnia sonchifolia) a member of the sunflower family grows two meters tall, has large opposing arrowhead shaped leaves with scalloped, pointy edges, and multiple 3cm yellow-orange daisy like flowers.

The plant is distinguished by having two kinds of tubers, a central rhizome with 'eyes' like ginger for producing new stems, and multiple edible tubers radiating from the rhizome. These brittle, tan to purple, smoothly tapered edible tubers are actually fattened roots that can be up to 40cm in length and weigh two kilograms. The edible tubers are crunchy like a crisp, sweet apple, but juicier than any pear.

Yacon is delicious and nutritious. Its unusual, refreshing sweet taste and moist, crunchy texture is obviously different from those of starchy tubers. Yacon sweetness is in the form of fructose, which is 70% sweeter than table sugar and is better for us. Fructose doesn't stimulate insulin production, so Yacon, sweet as it is, does not bring a glycemic reaction. It is ideally sweet for diabetics. Instead of entering immediately into the bloodstream as what glucose and sucrose does, putting an overload of both glucose and insulin into our bodies' chemistry, fructose aids a slower and more complete metabolizing of carbohydrates. Fructose also does not affect the immune system negatively, or tend to make us fat. 

Yacon tuber has a good level of protein that comes as an excellent balance of all 20 essential amino acids. It has one of the highest levels of potassium found in any plant, and high levels of calcium, magnesium, iron, and phosphorus.

Yacon has many uses. It may be eaten fresh, dried, or cooked. Elisabeth Fekonia, suggests that we treat Yacon as we would an apple. Peel and eat it raw, dice it in salads, or slice it thinly to scoop up a dip. Yacon can be grated and cooked like an apple sauce, or baked. Yacon takes longer to cook than apple, and retains some of its crunchiness. It can also be dried in chips or stored whole for some months. Yacon leaves and the sweet tubers are excellent fodder for animals.

Yacon is effortless to grow and has no problems with predators or diseases. Start plants from rhizome any time of the year or from stem cuttings in spring or summer. Simply bury a bit of rhizome between June and October in almost any soil or location, and minimal attention will result in quite a reasonable harvest at the end of autumn. Or, if you plant the rhizome in a sunny location and feed and water it consistently, you can have a more substantial harvest several months earlier. Yacon plants should be 3/4 to one meter apart and mulched to retain moisture levels in the soil. 

the movement and its healthy lifestyle

Doalnara DGNB Movement

Doalnara’s theory and study-research method for Global Environmental Restoration is very clear and simple. This is because it can be compressed into the DGNB Movement. Doalnara’s DGNB Movement is to “Do Good, Not Bad”. In other words, whatever is good for the land must be done, and which is bad for the land must not be done. Whatever is good for the body must also be done, and that which is bad for the body must also not be done. And whatever is good for mental health must be done, and which is bad must not be done.

Doalnara and Healthy Dietary Lifestyle

          The movement of restoring the diseased body is taken as a very important subject. In Doalnara village, where everyone strives for a “Healthy Society without Diseases”, 3 aspects are followed. The DGNB Movements is the core theory.

          The first aspect is based on what man eats. It is very simple. Put good things in your bodies and keep bad things out. Whether it is cigarettes, alcohol, or narcotics, whatever is bad must not be put inside your bodies. Only a healthy vegetarian diet that is good for the body must be eaten. If the people would just follow the vegetarian diet, half of their diseases would disappear, and the average human life span will surely be extended. However, not all vegetarian diets are the same. Obviously, it’s bad to put poisonous things inside the body. That is why DOalnara Village produce, process, eat, and sell agricultural products without using any herbicides, chemical fertilizers or agricultural chemicals. They coincide to their slogan which is “If it isn’t harm-free, then we don’t produce, process, eat, or sell it”. Doalnara members cook delicious foods without using any artificial flavoring or seasoning. Though they are on a vegetarian diet, they maintain a sufficient balanced nutrition through eating beans and nuts. Consequently, everyone who visits Doalnara village always compliments that there are no obese people in the place.

          Doalnara held “Fresh Cook Competition”, and they invite the people’s interest in developing healthy delicious cooking that even non-vegetarians can enjoy. Last year’s winter, Doalnara Hannong (Korea) members held a Fresh Cook Competition at Uljin Regional Branch and had presented self-created vegetarian dishes. 130 different kinds of vegetarian dishes have been made.

          The second aspect is based on the health laws kept by the people of Doalnara. The following laws are drinking water, sleeping, mountain-climbing, working, and eating rules. By keeping these health laws in your daily lives, not only are your diseases healed, but diseases are prevented as well.

          The third aspect is leaning towards natural healing methods in curing diseases. Doalnara opposes the administration of antibiotics. The villagers always keep charcoal handy for emergency purposes. Charcoal can be taken orally and applied externally. Charcoal is not only eaten, but can also be made into toothpaste, soap, pillow, cushion, mat, deodorizer, water purifier, and charcoal potpourri. The villagers also used charcoal in farming, for manure compost fermentation. Charcoal can also be added to livestock feed and used for medicinal purposes to cure animal sickness.

          Majority of Doalnara people have a very clean medical insurance record because they rarely visit the hospital aside from accidents and other medical purposes. 

its vision and mission statements

Vision

Doalnara Philippines Multipurpose Cooperative yearns to become a model community where people are living together happily as one family, with no fighting and derision, and to live healthily and progressively.

Mission Statements

Ø  We strive to ‘Restore the diseased land’ that has become impoverished and polluted over time by various chemical fertilizers and agricultural pesticides.

Ø  We strive to ‘Restore the diseased body’ through healthy agricultural products that are produced by practicing Natural Healing and Environmental friendly Organic/Natural Agriculture.

Ø  We strive to ‘Restore the diseased mind’ throught the diffusion of tenacity education and Korean traditional cultural arts, based on the Korean traditional mindset which is to serve God and love mankind.

Ø  The basic foundation of ‘Global Environmental Restoration’ is to practice sustainable Naturally Recyclable Environmental Friendly Agriculture.

Ø  Consequently, people whose hearts are firm and unchanging as stone have gathered together to study and be educated with the Environmental Friendly Agriculture in order to fulfill and expand this practice domestically and internationally.

Ø  By fulfilling ‘Global Environmental Restoration’ domestically, and internationally interchange public information, our goal is to contribute toward the fulfillment of the welfare of the farming villages and the true happiness of mankind. 

looking back at its root...

Founder

This humble teacher, together with his friends – water, rocks, pine trees, bamboo, and the moon – Teacher Suk Sun resides in Songni Mountain, in Sangju, Gyeoung Buk, South Korea. He teaches the profound and mysterious truths found in nature with words so simple and easy to understand, even children can comprehend them.  Within his lectures and poems lies strength, a power that not only fills his listeners with happiness, but also gives rise to a fundamental change in them. This is because they have been fulfilled in his own life.

          Under his campaign for “Global Restoration”, he founded Doalnara Restoration Society, an agrarian society that utilizes 100% natural, organic farming methods, with 10 branches in South Korea, and also international extensions in the United States of America, the Philippines, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Kenya.

          He has brought to realization the ideal rural community, startling the world with his program of unselfish “community sharing”. He has brought to realization the “Natural Diet” – the ideal diet for a long, healthy life free of disease. 

'd transition

Transition of Doalnara

          Doalnara is a progressing cooperative, and the scope of its development is getting broader. They amended the name of the cooperative several times. In 195, the first name given to Doalnara was PHILFIYOSORR (Philippine Firelight Youth Society Rural Restoration), inspired by their mission of restoration. However, PHILFIYOSORR Cooperative was oftentimes mistaken as a movement ran by youth. In 2002, the office of CDA assisted Doalnara and amended the name PHILFIYOSORR to PHILRURESO DSC (Philippine Rural Restoration Society-Decalogue Stone Country) which means a community whose heart is having the Decalogue (Ten Commandments) as their foundation. Few years passed, they changed again the name Philrureso to DOalnara Restoration Society Multipurpose Cooperative which means people who are aiming for true education and people whose hearts are strong indeed. 

History

Organic Farming History

     Early 1992, Korean missionaries spread the message about “The Love of Our Heavenly Father” to the Philippines, as children of God, the core of the message was to restore one’s mentality, heart, body and the environment.

   Year 1993, the Doalnara all over the world started the campaign for global environmental restoration, opening through 100% organic farming.

   Early 1994, Filipinos who have the urge to support this global campaign for environmental restoration decided to form a cooperative and look for possible site for organic farming. At the latter part of the year, after a thorough survey, an abandoned land called “the killing fields” located in San Roque, Aposkahoy, Claveria, Misamis Oriental, was chosen. 

    80 farmers initially tilled the 5 hectares of land using carabao and free-hand. Unoccupied for years, the farmers encountered difficulties even for survival. Nevertheless, determined to push on with the environmental restoration, they used semi-organic farming and continued with trial-and-error process for 100% organic. Vegetation like beans and cabbages were the initial crops in semi-organic farming.

       In 1995-1996, several crops like tomatoes, rice, corn and cabbages were planted and come out with this result: tomatoes need increase of inorganic fertilizer in order to survive for outdoor planting, while inside the greenhouse; it can survive with semi-organic farming. Rice also failed thrice during the trial, since the place is a rain and wind prone area. The flowers or the grain most likely are blown away or fall out. The corn and cabbages were successful. 

        Doalnara Korea administered a donation campaign when they realized that the Filipino brethren gathered as one big family with one goal of global restoration.  Initially the donations were the big and small hand tractors, backhoe, farming tools, clothes and beddings. Greenhouse technology followed and the use of wood was used to confine seedlings and delicate plants. It was introduced by the Korean volunteers. 

flower greenhouses located at Morning Glory Community

Early 1997, Doalnara Korea donated steels and pipes to be used for a new and better greenhouse. Six steel greenhouses were mounted which made the Philippine Doalnara advance in greenhouse technology. Because of that, they received several local awards and 1 presidential award as “One of the Most Outstanding Enterprise” in the Philippines.

          In 1998, the Philippine National Electrification granted us a 1.8 million project to energize our place which also benefitted our surrounding communities as well since the place is a two-hour drive away from the city where electricity was difficult.  That same year, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) also granted us the CBFMA award to be the steward of 1,000 hectares of land for 25 years where the 350 hectares must be used for agricultural advancement.

          In the year 1999, Korean experts brought to us the cacti and flower propagation which sustains our means of living. One greenhouse is planted with 40,000 rare cacti and another greenhouse is planted with 200 varieties of rare and local -flowers. Simultaneously, the transition from semi-organic to 100% organic succeeded after six years of trial-and-error. The initial project was the 100% organic onion and cacti propagation which both received three awards from the Office of the President.

          Also from the year 2000 to 2004, Doalnara Philippines was elevated because of the pilot plant “YACON” which amazed the locality. It started with six seedlings which were planted in the backyard. Upon the joint operation of Korean and Filipino technology about tuber production, the Doalnara Yacon produce excelled compared to others. Presently, the cooperative is exporting Yacon to Japan and and other neighboring countries. It became the means of living for the 200 farmers who live as one family. The by-products of Yacon are the syrup, juice and tea which are in demand in the local and foreign market. More or less, 300 hectares of land are used organically for Yacon farming. Likewise, Yacon made the farmers’ health excellent.

          The following year, Yacon farming progressed surprisingly. In April 2005, the International Rotary donated big tractor for the expansion of Yacon farming. Doalnara Korea also donated machineries and other facilities in making Yacon factory. The whole year of 2005 became the breakthrough of Doalnara technology to flourish through Yacon’s medicinal properties which was spread nationwide.

          Unfortunately, fire broke out on the 24^th of June, 2005 which burned down one community which consists of 57 families. The municipality of Claveria, the office of Misamis Oriental, and DENR extended their help through donations. A special support was also given from Doalnara headquarters in Korea by donating millions of money to construct new buildings and help rehabilitate the victims.     

What Doalnara Is..

Doalnara... the Way to a Better Living

a landmark of DRSP at Carnation Community

Doalnara is a worldwide “organic” community, joined together with a single purpose of growing organic produce and fostering an organic heart. It is a global campaign of restoring the mentality, heart, body and environment. 

Doalnara is a Korean word. Doal, means stone, and Nara as Country. In other words, Doalnara is a Stone Country, a community where people whose hearts are firm and strong gathered as one family.

Its headquarter is in South Korea, and there are 10 other branches located in Chongsong, Sangju, Bongwha, Pyongchang, Jangheung, Jungju, Sanchung, Wonju, and Jinchun, etc. They have also extended Doalnara farm in America, Kyrgyztan, Russia, China, Japan, Kenya and Philippines.  In the Philippines, Doalnara Organic Farm is located at the foot of Mt. Lumot, and Mt. Balatukan, at Sitio San Roque, Barangay Aposkahoy, Claveria, Misamis Oriental.  This place has an altitude of about 1,300 km above sea level.

At present, there are more or less 200 families living in the countryside, and their main livelihood is 100% organic farming. These 200 families are living afar from the city life, and they start their daily routine at 3:00 in the morning. As they believe in teacher Suk Sun’s words quoted from the enlightenment of Confucius, “Plans for one’s lifetime are made in one’s youth. Plans for the year are made in the spring. Plans for the day are made at dawn. The dawn does not come twice, one’s youth does not return, and if you do not plow the fields in spring, there is no hope in autumn.” That is why, before the day breaks, whether young or old, they are already up and kicking, having individual meditation (3:30 – 4:30 a.m.), and by 4:30 – 5:30, all of them are gathered at the temple for congregational worship. Work starts at 7:30 and ends at 11:30 in the morning. And these people are disseminated at different departments respectively (education, agriculture, construction, motor pool, business, welfare, health, publishing, audio, and administration department). 

a man plowing the fields with a hand tractor

         

women harvesting korean lettuce inside the green house

        In the afternoon, the time is allocated for the people’s individual work. Since the place is prone to rainfall, most of the time, they spend their work inside their houses. And at eventide, from 6:30 -7:00, the family closes the day with prayer and gratitude. By 8:30, it’s evident in the place that lights are off, and the stillness of the night implies the presence of blessings, peace and protection from the Almighty God.

photo taken inside the temple during worship hours