Trial and Error to Organic Mushroom Growing Success
What started as simple “trial and error lang” has unlocked a new opportunity for Camille Diana Maralit from Tagkawayan, Quezon.
It was 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic started to hit the country. This has led to disruption of many face-to-face activities (work, school, commerce).
Alongside with this, many have found new ways of living – new work, time to practice a hobby, or recalibrate life as a whole.
For Camille, she discovered that she could find success through growing organic mushrooms.
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Trial & Error
Camille, a juvenile farmer from Quezon, is among the many who experienced a halt in their common everyday activity because of the pandemic.
The young lady started with planting some vegetables in old bottles and pots in their backyard. No plans, no huge capital – purely trial and error.
From what started as having limited vegetables in their backyard, her garden incrementally transformed into a booming venture.
“Minsan, sapat na ang kaunting tapang at pagkamausisa para makabuo ng malaking oportunidad,” she said.
Background in Agriculture
Turns out, Camille has an extensive background in the field of agriculture. She is a BS Agriculture graduate from Southern Luzon State University, a public tertiary school in Lucban, Quezon. She graduated in 2024.
Aside from that, she took several TESDA NC II courses which includes Organic Agriculture Production, Agro-entrepreneurship, Crop Production, and Swine Production.
She has also attended several seminars, webinars, training, and farm visits to learn new technologies.
Camille’s interest in agriculture extends to having conversations with other farmers who have longer experience in actual forming – for she believes a diploma does not immediately make you a farmer.
She recalls, there was a time when she joined a Youth Internship Program as offered by the DA-ATI. Here, participants were trained on organic farming and farm entrepreneurship. The 21-month-long training has provided them a P150,000.00 startup fund for the business plan that they have created.
The young farmer considers this experience as “organic encounter”. From July 2024 to March 2025, she trained at the Ouan’s Worth Farm and Family Resort Corporation in Lucena City.
What makes a farmer, she said, is by planting and taking care of plants by yourself. Facing agriculture problems and finding solutions to those that are sometimes not available in the books.
Real World Farming
Camille may have been equipped with the necessary theories and concepts in agriculture, she always go back to basics. At home, she would plant on pots, sacks, and other spaces.
Online classes could not fully replace actual experience, she believes. Hence, she chose to learn through actual practice. Calling it, “learning by doing.”
In addition, she is taking care of some animals in their backyard. There, she learned how to love farming. Camille would always find ways to learn new things to improve her knowledge.
For her, every advice learned through experience is an added confidence. The young farmer understands real world farming – which does not only include actual farming but includes forming a decision, making connections, farm management, and facing problems.
This has led to the establishment of the Payapa Mushroom House, which has a simple goal: to provide healthy harvests and products to the community.
Starting Small
Similar to many startups, Camille has limited knowledge on kabute production at the outset. But like many young entrepreneurs, she learned through diligence, asking questions, and trial and error.
She started with 1,000 fruiting bags. Despite experiencing hardships, she revisited and persisted with her plans. That is, until she realized that she needs to lower her production.
Instead of 1,000 bags in production, she lowered it to 300. Thereby, allotting other funds for other venture.
Going Forward
As Camille keeps moving forward with her kabute biz, so are the many who are inspired that instead of halting their everyday work during crises, have decided to start their own businesses.
Through the guidance of DA-ATI, her mentors, and family support, she is incrementally becoming a great agripreneur. Somebody who knows how to make a decision, face challenges, and make their own success.
“Bukod sa mga aral na ito, pinatunayan din ni Camille na kung minsan, mas malinaw ang mga aral kapag may lupa ang mga kamay, butil-butil ang pawis sa noo, at buo ang loob na ipagpatuloy at pagtagumpayan ang sinimulan,” the ATI article says.
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