When life throws challenges your way, you either break or grow. For a certified public accountant (CPA) and overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Dubai, what began as a simple curiosity about microgreens turned into an unexpected journey of resilience and renewal.
Working from home during the pandemic, Rochelle Borromeo Yamzon stumbled upon a YouTube video about these tiny, nutrient-packed plants called microgreens. She dreamed of trying her hand at growing them once she returned to the Philippines. But life had other plans.
Before Rochelle could even set foot back home, she was diagnosed with Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH), a condition that causes high brain pressure, and radiculopathy, a painful nerve disorder. However, instead of letting her health struggles define her, she turned to what first caught her attention—microgreens. What started as a hobby became her pathway to healing, purpose, and a new chapter she never saw coming.
When the travel ban from the United Arab Emirates to the Philippines was lifted during the pandemic, Rochelle’s employer allowed her to work remotely from her home country. In August 2021, she and her husband Emmanuel, purchased a two-hectare farm in Barangay Sta. Cruz, Murcia, Negros Occidental – now known as the Borromeo Family Farm. Given her health condition, she took on part-time consultancy work while dedicating most of her time to the farm.
“I started spending more time on the farm. Whenever work became overwhelming, I would set it aside for a while, visit my plants, and talk to them. It was also during this time that I remembered my interest in microgreens. I thought these tiny plants might help with my health issues. I searched for farmers growing microgreens in the province, hoping to buy some, but found none. So my husband and I decided to try growing them ourselves,” Rochelle shared.
The first microgreens they grew were barley and dun pea. Their efforts were successful, allowing them to produce enough for their family’s consumption.
“We made dun pea microgreens omelets and added them to mung bean soup. Sometimes, we would simply stir-fry them. For barley, we extracted the juice and blended it with bananas, carrots, cucumber, celery, or sometimes mixed it with buko (coconut) juice. Now, my MRI is clear of IIH. I am not a health expert and cannot say for certain if my healing was due to microgreens, but I believe that incorporating them into my diet helped me recover,” she shared.
In January last year, Rochelle and her family experimented with growing other varieties of microgreens, including broccoli, kale, arugula, red garnet amaranth, red beet, sunflower, radish kaiware, alfalfa, wheatgrass, and whole oats. “We thought of combining these microgreens, which led to the creation of our fresh salad mix microgreens in containers,” she shared.
The following month, the family started giving microgreen samples and posting photos and videos on their Healthy Greens Facebook page. Their official selling debut was at the 2024 AgriBiz Fair at the University of St. La Salle, where I saw Rochelle’s son, James, tending a kiosk filled with tiny, colorful plants in pots. At first, I thought they were from the cacti family. But when James explained that they were microgreens—nutrient-packed tiny plants—I took photos and interviewed him for my column.
“After that feature in the Visayan Daily Star, the community noticed us. Some took interest. We had our first hotel customer in April 2024, and the rest was history. Landers invited us to display and sell our microgreens in their superstore. By God’s grace, our microgreens are now available in four Gaisano Grand Central Malls – Bacolod, Silay City, and Kabankalan City. We are also on Grab Mart and supply microgreens to culinary students and several restaurants. I never imagined that my interest in microgreens would turn into a full-blown business,” Rochelle said.
Now, she also sells herbs that she initially grew for personal consumption. Rochelle and her family have also created livelihood opportunities for fellow mothers and women in their community.
“We are very happy that we can employ women from our local community while also promoting our advocacy for healthy and clean eating. Their earnings from working on the farm help them send their children to school. I see this as a valuable opportunity for my fellow women to learn and grow with us. I want them to take pride in doing something meaningful,” she said.
Rochelle’s journey with microgreens is more than just a personal healing story—it is a testament to how resilience and purpose can create a ripple of change. From overcoming health struggles to cultivating a thriving farm, she has embraced clean eating for her well-being and extended the benefits to her community. By providing livelihood opportunities to fellow women, she empowers them to support their families while participating in a movement that champions health and sustainability. Through Borromeo Family Farm, Rochelle proves that even the smallest seeds—both in plants and in purpose—can grow into something truly life-changing.*
