Saturday, July 25, 2009

Ornamentals


This ornamental Banana was photographed in Helen's Farm of Jojie and Andry Lim. The same type from Thailand was also present in Capt Bong Reamon's farm in Gen San.

It looked like Green Judas' Belt (sinturon ni Judas) to me...that apparently explodes with flavor too. See how Zac Sarian pinched some and forgot about the camera as he ate it.

The perks of travelling with Mr. Zac Sarian....you get to learn, understand and taste it too :)

Sauna

Monday will be a bad time for us to be out in Metro Manila as the scheduled SONA will render the roads around us not passable or projected traffic routes.

What to do? I think and hope to hie to nearby rest and recreation...for some sauna and massage :)

Play

It is when you are not doing anything, that you end up doing more :)

By 4:30am I was listening to Sa Kabukiran over DZMM 630khz, because a grower in Benguet, Jonathan was being interviewed. Read about a similar post the other day.

While driving, peeped on while Doc Rey was reading Bulletin and chanced upon our "ready to range" grower in Sinait, Ilocos Sur. My Tita Pilar's photo also got there because of her urban Lanzones tree. Immediately texted them about their nice smiles :)

By 6am we were off to AANI FTI to deliver chicks and man the booth. Breakfast was kambing cooked several ways and fresh Avocado shake. Before taking those calories, I had a stroll and got myself some cotton shirts that will be crumply packed in suitcases.

9am went to Antipolo so deliver some chicks and used the opportunity to visit AANI Urban Farm in Antipolo. For you in the area, this farm is perfect to visit and purchase your salad greens....really organic as it can get.

12noon saw us having Shabu Shabu at Bonifacio High Street with one of the boys. It was just a short walk from the parking lot to the resto but the heat was intense and penetrating. The son wanted to get some stuff from Nike.....I thought it was spelt as Yike! After sometime there, I was glad to leave the park....as it gets hotter inside Yike.

After getting some stickers from our car dealer, now in my table doing invoices for tomorrow's deliveries. Hectic Sunday tomorrow as KSA's Agrikapihan, Anniversary of KSA, and our monthly seminar. Used opportunity today to blog and breathe....

Friday, July 24, 2009

Select And Segregate

Daily, Sunshines are oven roasted to produce our Sunny. Seasoned simply to bring out the perfect taste...

By now, we have decided on the weight to be used, round body for aesthetics :) and just the right vavoom to look good in doing their quarter and full turns in the rotisserie.

To save on time, we have halfway ranges for them. This is where the truck comes to pick up for Sunny dressing.

Organic Farming

When Zac Sarian said that our driver in Gen San is a windmill designer, I knew it will be an interesting farm visit and said "GO". I love windmills...the ones that you see in fairy tale books...it gives me the dreamy feeling like seeing lighthouses.



Ok...all they said was windmill. When we got to Capt Bong Reamon's and Gay's farm, I was like "HUH" when I saw this cell site tower that turns with the wind. Oh no...uhoh...it was the award winning windmill!

But the design is very good! It doesn't take a gale to turn it. See how there are two separate windmills? One may be for water, the other for electricity. Capt Reamon says you can have several floors....a windmill condo.

We go through the healthy looking veggie plots. You will want turn vegetarian when you see how they take care of your salad greens.

Our tour is backwards...next was showing us how the farm was being fertilized. You tend to listen and appreciate the HOW, after seeing the WHAT. He must be an educator of short attention people!

We went around the vermiculture plots. Capt Bong showed us how gigantic his African Night Crawlers were. He gives back to them the microorganisms they produce. He sprays the vermi plots with the vermi tea. We were all surprised at how healthy his worms were...like baby snakes :)

We were all awed at how his fruit bearing trees were productive. His vines had the largest leaves we had seen and trees were fruiting off season. No chemicals here...just his vermi tea.

After all that walk, we sat by in his kubo to have the sweetest and freshest aromatic coconuts. We have had three (3) nuts each. Nut, nut nut.....then off we went to Ryan's Lechonan. The resto is owned by Capt Bong's sister. We had home cooked Gen San style.

Capt Bong is a commercial pilot, but says that he wants to go fulltime farmer soon and immensely enjoys his R&D (research and development) inventions.

How did he get into vermi? He called Zac Sarian one day before to ask where he can get vermi to feed the Eels he plans to farm. Zac talked him into rethinking. It will take a lot of time and effort before you can gain from the Eel....but look into vermiculture.

The Reamons now talk, dream and think worms! Read more...

Pang Pamilya Na, Pang Sports Pa

Different people see things differently.

When I was starting my laptop this morning, I was thinking of a nice topic to blog and it flashed on me that when I was discussing the Bamboo Shoots that we will harvest, Doc Rey looks as me quizzically and says he thought about the Bamboo for posts of the ever moving ranges!

Whhheeewww that was a long sentence.

But the bottomline is, things do serve purposes for everyone.

Good morning :) As a discernment to what to blog....I got this email:

You talked about bamboo in your newest blog today. I have told you previously that I am a bamboo enthusiast myself but maybe you don't remember it anymore. And maybe you did not notice the different species of bamboos planted in Rosario when you visited. I have several species that I have been collecting and propagating for the last number of years.

If you will pass by near Rosario in one of your many trips in the Calabarzon area
and have time to spare, I will give you some propagules for planting in your farm. I
am advocating the planting of bamboo in the country as it is a very valuable
resource, easily renewable, good for the environment, good for health (labong), and many others. As we say in the bamboo circle..."grow your own house" by planting bamboo.

BTW...Bong Reamon is my kumpadre.

Bong Reamon deserves a separate posting :)

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Underrated

Is how I will talk about Bamboos.

I must have mentioned that I like the graceful sway in the wind of the Bamboo trees, when I talked about my Buddah Bamboo and my walking stick :) I read more about the different varieties and learned that Bamboo is a hardy specie of grass that grows real fast. I asked that some sticks from an ordinary Bamboo be stuck on the ground around the farm.

My interest on them was rekindled with a talk with Bamboo people recently. How their international organization is teaching farmers to plant and process Bamboo. How it will answer the housing problems as it is "plant, grow and build your own house w/ Bamboo". I fell in love not just with the concept, but with the passion those two ladies had about what they were into.

Either I haven't been to the farm for a year (UNLIKELY) or they really do grow faster than fast....surprised to see I have several Bamboo trees now....We should have a lot of Bamboo Shoots for food.


I'd like to have a collection of the different varieties of Bamboo. The Buddah I have and will start getting others. I fell in love with the Black Bamboo when I saw it in Capt Bong Reamon's farm.


Another food that I saw growing beside the photographed Bamboo is the gorgeous deep Purple colored Ube. We have several of these in the farm. We got this from Tony Lucero as he was ecstatic about this variety being sought after by Ube food processors. Pol Rubia got several too, planted and sold the seedlings. We replanted it, so we have several vines now. Really nice, malagkit and deep colored ones. I love it boiled with just a sprinkling of Sugar.

My other Ube vines are more mature and thicker. They also have large dark Purple leaves...huge, like fans.

There are some things you really plan for over time. Visualize what you want and work on it now for tomorrow.

As they say.....frequent a bar when you want drunkards in your midst. Invest time and effort on what you want.

Just like Bamboo Shoots and Ube....they are not seen, but are good food. All you have to do is dig :) Both are ironically "literally" underrated.

Give Back

Not too long ago, I had my status on Facebook as:

For you to be happy, try being, and letting others be happy.


I got several reactions on that...and it does pay to think and be simply you.

Then I saw this tree at the farm, with the cut grass from the area surrounding it, piled back to the tree...


The land around is rich because of the chickens' manure and the leaves and cut grass will compost to give a good organic fertilizer. I noticed that it was just this tree that had the composting pile. The caretaker lived beside the tree and periodically cut the grass there. That is the reason for the pile. Maybe she just even put it there because she was lazy to put it away, not knowing that she was doing Mother Earth good.

Really, you have to give back to gain good...it is a cycle :)

Today in Manila Bulletin, Doc Rey was shown in one of the seminars. He gives his time and effort to do seminars. Making sure that farmers do the right thing. The farmer has to earn and see the benefits of raising Sunshines for him to get into the cycle that will include us.

Hide And Seek

We pick our eggs off the range, literally. Our Sunshine grass fed layers produce the table eggs we sell to you. They are left free to roam, eating living grasses and herbs, fresh fruits on and off the tree and insects that they enjoy to run after.

There are no layer baskets where they lay their eggs. They choose their spot and DO it there :)

Yesterday, as Doc Rey was walking around to check on the farm...he calls me with a loud whisper and motions..more like convulsionly waving that I go to him...NOW

See what he has for me, as he steps on a patch of grass...

After a minute or so, the Sunshine stands and walks gracefully away...leaving the freshest, warm, brown egg!

Actually, that is our major problem. The egg picker walks through the range and goes on an "egg hunt" daily. That way, he doesn't really know where and when they lay. It is a presumption that he gets to see the day's harvest.

Truth is, we can't tell. We can't tell if we got all the day's lay. The rains are a major too. The range can get muddy and hides an egg or two from our eyes.

Oh why am I saying it is our major problem? At the end, the problem is the asset! We are able to honestly say and look at your eyes when we say we have eggs from grass fed, free ranging layers.

The occasional rotten egg is replaced and our regular customers understand and believe in our crude and basic way of raising our layers. That's the way we and they want it.

So it remains that we do our "egg hunts" daily and go hide and seek....it is easier to spot hatching eggs on Facebook :)

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Range Rotation

Often we are asked How do we know if the range has rested and is ready for use?

You will know when it is healthy and able to give your Sunshines good living grasses.

Your senses and vibes will dictate and follow it. Use your eyes, touch, smell...it will tell you that everything is OK.

The netted area should be teeming with vibrant living grasses, herbs etc. Fresh smelling air, no foul odor from the ground. If you aren't convinced by the sight and smell...touch the leaves :)

This area was previously used, rested and is now being eyed to be the host for the next batch of rangers.


If you are wondering what that bamboo frame is for? That is the skelton frame for the roofing of the range's housing. Sometimes thatched, most times tarpaulin is used.

Great Tasting...

That is how I will describe my latexless Langka.

See, even the Sunshine layers are after them. We really didn't protect the low lying fruits, so that we may share the fresh fruits with the layers.


Today I walked through a lot of fallen fruits...initial reaction was "SAYANG"...but then, you will be happy at the chickens enjoying the feast.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Jojie And Andry Lim

At Helen's Farm.


7/11, good day to fly to Davao. We had Sunshine Chicks with us for Jojie and Andry Lim. We had Mr. Zac Sarian with us, as we were visiting some Sunshine growers in Davao and going to the Veggie Congress and some side trips in Gen San.

We made comments before on Jojie's Crib and somehow, by default and unplanned circsumstances, the crib used now is ventilated :) Andry rummaged through scraps in their warehouse and came up with these stainless sheets that had holes all over.

Nice to see chicks being released for brooding. You are able to see how much care goes to raising them. See how 3C concoction is prepared for their drinking water. The 1st 3days, natural farming protocol suggests giving the chicks chopped bamboo leaves with brown rice. The idea is for the intestines to develop longer so they consume more food and nutrients in their lifetime of about 50-90days :) By day3, they are given their normal chick boosters.

Notice how hay is used as their bedding? It is actually a blend of rice straw and rice hull, sprayed with effective microorganisms. It generates heat when needed and is not extremely hot during the day. Sort of adjusts to the brooding temperature needs :)

What is good about this beddings? Cheap! No need for electricity. Also, the bulbs give heat to the chicks' back. This brooder beddings give heat to the breast area and the back too as they play and bury themselves around. No need to to change the beddings. Just spray with effective microorganisms about 2x a week. You turn out the beddings to unearth the hidden treasures of food for the Sunshines.

Cost wise, this brooder is unbeatable. I sound like an advertisement! But true. No carpenter fees. Just a metal sheet, rice straw, rice hull and a mosquito net :)

Jojie knew and believes in her protocol. We left for Gen San and they didn't check back on their chicks till after about 4days.

That is natural farming for you. Watch out for the collaborated projects of the five (5) characters present here.

When Opportunity Knocks...

Be ready to open the door.

At about 10am today, Doc Rey gets a call from DZMM if they can schedule to interview a Sunshine grower. So Doc Rey calls me to ask WHO do we send?

I asked several questions:

1) when
2) live or phone patch
3) teleradyo too?

He had to get back to me. He didn't ask too. Saturday and phone patch was possible...hmmmm...

I thought about the possible growers who can do a live guesting. Live ones are more alive and exchange inside the studio is energetic. Called up several growers. They weren't picking up their cellphones nor landlines! No reply to my texts :(

Plan B. Get a grower who is a livewire and that a phone patch will be feasible....He/She should be well spoken and not timid to do a vibrant exchange with people he has never met!

One text to my Benguet grower...reply was PRONTO! That is why he was the perfect choice :) Laging handa!

I am happy to be able to market a Sunshine grower whenever necessary. Listen to Jonathan on Saturday, July25 at about 4:30am...Sa Kabukiran, over DZMM 630khz. They are also shown over Teleradyo of Abs-Cbn DZMM, shown nationwide.

P.S. The growers I have marketed in interviews will be able to certify that we don't have scripts for them. I just wish them "good luck" :)

Monday, July 20, 2009

Namit Gid

Early yesterday, I got a text from a 1st time grower in Bacolod. She was harvesting in a week's time and if I had any tips.

Was it about marketing? Cooking?

I asked her if she had tasted the Sunshines already...she said later that day. "Ok, advise me after you tasted it".

Hours later:

Sarap buto na lang ang natira. Sabi ng husband ko, meat is so fine. My son said, it has a different delicious taste. edited from text lingo to blog language :)

She didn't ask me about tips anymore.

She does have a restaurant. I hope it snowballs there in Bacolod..or rather, sunrolls... Let Bacolod have this treat :)

VCO

Years back, maybe like close to 10yrs ago, I was introduced to Virgin Coconut Oil. I did see the benefits, but the overwhelming oil in my mouth was too much for me. I love the taste of gata and coconut, but ewwwwwwwwwwww I hate oily things. I despise oil as external moisturizers, much more in my mouth!

Instead of that, I resorted to drinking Coco Milk. The creamy, light coco juice flavor is heaven and I was told that the benefits is far better than VCO. Downside? Shelf life is very short and I keep it frozen, w/c may not be convenient for other applications.

What am I blabbing about? 3weeks ago, a natural farmer in Bohol was faced with Sunshines with colds. Jojie Lim advised them to give VCO to the Sunshines. Soon after, Jojie texted me that the chickens were fine. Lately, Jojie's own Sunshines were given VCO when they got sick. Raprap, the caretaker, was exclaiming how the VCO worked, as he was describing it to Zac Sarian when he was interviewed in Davao.

Andry talked about making your own VCO. Place the 1st extraction of Coco Cream (gata) in a bottle. Leave it under the sun. After 3days, harvest the separated VCO and use it for everything! Good digestion, moisturizer, antiseptic etc.

If it is good for humans..it will be good for your animals too...Sunshines included :)

Why won't I recommend my Coco Milk? Hard to keep and handle.

Another good usage for the VCO is your smoke belching vehicles. HONEST! I noticed at how Andry got a bottle of VCO from the farm, then I commented on how well maintained the vehicles of Andry was (it had a lot of power). He said he used 1ml of VCO per liter of Diesel. He showed us how when he loaded in a gas station. On an empty tank, he added about 60ml of VCO and loaded 60lts of Diesel. He says that is taked out the black belch.

We tried it the other day on the oldest Canter. Started the engine first and observed at how much soot it had. Added about 40ml to a half filled tank. Alog alog the body :) Started the engine again....the first press on the accelerator brought out the blacked smoke...then it started to thin out and clean air followed.

Well, we will try it first on the oldest trucks....can you imagine...Metro Manila may smell of appetizing gata.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Converts

Prior to last week's trip to Davao, we first visited Doc Gonzales' loading of 700 Sunshines. Soon after that visit, he called me and said that his problem is meeting demand for the chickens he grew. (whhheeew...not a bad problem as far as I'm concerned).

Last week, we saw his batch of 1200. But the story is about natural farming and converting.

Long time ago, he first called me about breeding the F1 chicks that we sell. That was a debate we had and he was insisting that he was a veterinarian etc. Aha...magic word...I said "that's it" you are a veterinarian and should know what is proper.

Next, Doc Gonzales met us in Manila. Very wary about natural farming and non usage of antibiotics.

In his 1st loading, he can't live w/o *etracin...well at least for the 1st 3days! Slowly but surely, he saw that the Sunshines didn't need the antibiotics and herbal tonics worked well. When we visited that batch, we sensed the poultry smell and advised him to use probiotics for disinfecting and odor erasing.

He studied and asked around. By the time we met him again last week....oh now he talks about planting veggies and non stop exclamations about going into organic farming.

Zac Sarian was happy to meet a convert. While we were still shocked at the sudden change in air directions. It is so nice to hear laymen talk about going natural...but for a veterinarian to do so...its like winning the lotto for us!

I have forgotten about this story since I can't access my photos, it somehow got stuck to my SD too. Zac Sarian just called me to ask some additional data for Doc Gonzales (I think he is writing about him)...so the veterfarmer story surfaced :)

Was It The Rain?

I just realized, my last post was Wednesday. One of those long lulls from blogging.

Can't seem to pinpoint the WHYs

....major is my camera huhuhuhhuuhuhuh. No layman can give me an explanation of why the PCs nor laptops won't read my camera's memory. When inserted into the camera, the photos are able to be reviewed...so its there in my card!

So many loose threads that have to be untangled... Manpower (when can you get it out of my system),

The rains bring about change in pace. Don't get me wrong...I love the rain! Its other people that seem to stop their world because of a shower :)

I used the time to do the unusuals.....hair/nails, get new headlights (its not a luxury for people who live in their cars). After I tried the new headlights last night..I vow to change the lights for all the other cars. It is worth it as it makes nights like days wehehhehe.

Now....to get a new camera or what?????

Tomorrow, I promise to get back into the jive of things. Starting with the 4:30am radio show :) See you on air.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Not Just About Farming

Saturday saw us flying to Mindanao for the seminars and the Veggie Congress.

My camera takes photos, why I can't transfer them now puzzles me. So what transpired and lessons learned will have to be verbalized by me, with you letting your imaginations work.

Day1 got Davao bugs biting me all over and till this very minute, I am red, spotted and itching all over ewwwwwwwwwwwww. The hives sidelined me and it was opportunity to rest, strengthen relationships and sleep.

Monday gave us a close encounter with a working horizontal windmill. In that farm, you observe how worms work for you and how microbes are used and given back to nature to make good bacteria enhance naturally. You get into a company of intelligent and financially blessed people who make a choice of farming and giving back to others by teaching. Think why people who make a lot still make a choice to farm? Its not all about money...nor Manny :)

The opening of the Veggie Congress attracted a huge crowd from all over the Philippines. Why? People are so enthusiastic now about farming and putting food on the table? Try again....Pacman was hosting lunch in his farm.

Night before, when we got to Gensan, invites were issued to us for lunch at his farm. They said 700 was the magic number. By noontime, that number ballooned and grew to a size that surely the seed companies hopes their vegetables grow to. It was useless being there. There was no real knowledge to be gained. People were lining up for a photo with Pacman! Geezzzz...and the government paid for so many LGU's members' per diem for this.

In Gensan, the boys went to the Veggie Congress very early in the morning to observe in the farm and what have them. The ladies stayed for a late breakfast. Sitting in hotel coffee shops make you experience a lot of things. No verbals needed, just looking, feeling and piecing stories together that you pull from past experiences :) By doing so, you see yourself from a different perspective. You may not be totally happy of who you are, but then, it is still your sole decision to be who you are.

A little after noon, the group decided to leave the farm and search for interesting farmers to visit and learn from....of course there will be many around.

The road led us to a long driveway, lined with fruit trees. We stop by a wooden house and the farmer of the land greets us. With that expansive area, quiet time....I can understand why Mang Ben was all agog to have us visit and it afforded him non-stop talking.

The topics go beyond the normal woes of farmers. This farmer is past that. As a financially successful businessman who decided to lead a quiet life farming, his problems will be about the users and the opportunists that his eyes see.

Who led the Veggie Congress? How much was spent? Why was it at Pacman's? Who are using Pacman? Mang Ben says Pacman by himself has a good and big heart. Thing is, he is being used by people around him. Sad ha. As Pacman may do a lot without being a politician. Surely the others will make him spend a lot and maybe get more for themselves....hopefully Pacman snaps out of this.

One in the group made a good comment. Instead of hosting that lunch for so many people, who won't be benefitting any anyway since there was nothing really in that farm to see....(oh yes, there were a lot of gamefowls!)... Manny instead should have a multimedia ad that shows him eating vegetables and encouraging people to grow their own food, even in small containers.

We went to Mindanao to do farm visits...but the education was not in the farming, but about interpersonal relationships.

Thank you for the hives and the long lines at Pacman's farm...it brought is to fruitful roads :) And yes, to a lot of Durian, Marang and panga ng Big eye.

Natural Farming In The Philippines

1st year anniversary for this yahoo e-group.

Aside from the regular get together that anniversaries are celebrated with, a whole day seminar of natural farming should and obviously in order.

August 01, 2009 Saturday, 9am-5pm, Cancio Calma Compound in Pasong Tamo Extension.

Seminar fee of PHP1,000 per person, includes lunch and snacks. Speaker will be Andry Lim, tackling more on livestock natural farming.

See you there :)

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Faceless

Started the day early, right. Had a tubful of fresh Durian....and this was before we went to Davao! It wasn't to get a quick fix of our addiction to Durian....but like more of a view of what's to come :)

Our trip was at the same time of a new loading of Sunshine Chicks at Andry and Jojie Lim's Helen's Farm. We all jumped out excitedly the van as we saw the netted ranging area and the huge brooder cribs of Jojie.

Zac Sarian was agog taking photos. The crib, the brooding materials and the first feedings of the Sunshines were all new to him and he was jumpy asking questions and multi tasking with his digital camera. Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww....watch out for it. Am sure he will have a new story for the Sunshines in Davao under natural farming!

I was too! Doc Rey and Andry were discussing. Jojie was instructing caretakers. Zac was documenting. I was also taking stock of the morning as it was a different view.

The Jojie's crib was big so the Sunshines can move merrily around. Doc Rey instructed me to take photos and videos as he wanted to edit his presentation.

Sob sob sob :( The moment I plugged the USB of the camera...three (3) viruses were shown to me...then I can't access the files of the camera!

Does it mean I have to get a new camera????? For the meantime, you and I will have to imagine what I am writing.

What do you think of Jojie's sign? "Serving Sunshine"...has a lot of meaning.

Thursday, July 09, 2009

Tools

Tools are supposed to help you. Toolong=help

Most people, specially if your work is office based, may think that a GPS is not important. Some may look at it as a toy. For us, the Global Positioning System is an important tool to make our work easier.

New drivers, customers and routes...requires endless instructions to familiarize with. With a GPS, you just need to give the new driver the unit and press your desired multi point route, that you just press before turning over to him.

How to do a check and balance? Reset info and check it once the van gets back. It tells you total kilometer ran.

Shows stops made and duration. He says he had to stop to sleep...or had engine trouble. That may be an alibi for delay in return to homebase, but actually there may be detours.

There is a log taken of route :) Nice feature. No need for a tracking devise. You will see the true history of the delivery when you get back the unit. Perfect to see if there had been diversions.

Speeding....ahhhhh...we get calls about drivers overspeeding etc. This time, even if no calls, you get to see his average speed.

This time I got a unit that spoke the streets' names. Wide screen. Multi point route.

Next problem was: I go saving locations on MY unit. But there are several drivers and vans. Everyone should have the same saved locations but that would mean that I have all units when I save it. My supplier said that I can save it all in MY unit and he may have it transferred to all other units we have, thru a software.

I picked up Margie tonight, and to go to Caress' house, I just clicked on BANSON Caress.....Margie was thrilled it was talking to us and was getting mad when I was using other roads. After giving us the cold shoulder, it talks again and recalculates a new route :)

Going home, I click on DEFENSOR Margie! She was happy to be home as the GPS said "Arriving at DEFENSOR Margie on right".

If you got a lot of drivers with different routes and problematic on checking on them? I suggest get a GPS.

Tuesday, July 07, 2009

Hard Work

You can't hide, how much you run away from it. It does return back and boomerang.

When you think there is no road..just walk on and create your own path. You will find that others will use it to look for you and before you know it..work is all around.

Plus, don't lose hope. Its a pity if you work hard but don't sustain. When you don't sustain, the others are just waiting to get it from you :)

Friday, July 03, 2009

Looking Sad

At 37days, these Sunshine look sad and small...don't you think too?

I forget now what they weighed when I was texting the owner, but I was sure that is was so far off.

Not ranged, was one of the first issues I gathered.

How often were they fed? How much space do they have? Are they getting fresh air? Sunlight? Are veggies and grasses cut and carried to them?

Pictures please....

These were taken after a discussion of requirements and feeding practices:

The beddings look good, part of natural farming there.


Without a ranging area, even with a nice view to see out their window, they surely know what they are missing. If you can't give them the freedom to eat...might as well give them good food to eat, ALL THE TIME.


If they can't be ranged, still allow them fresh vegetables and grasses that you gather and put inside the pens. I will still suggest that you give them grains/feeds adlibitum, to supplement their diet. Using auto feeders will keep the feeds dry and saves time as you may fill it up in the morning. They get dispenses in the feeders, as needed.

Sawsawans

I always heard and read that to know if the guy infront of you is a Filipino...watch if he makes a saucer of sawsawan (dipping sauce) even before his meal arrives.

In our quest for great tasting roasted chicken, I was adamant that our Sunny doesn't need a sawsawan. I close me ears when suggestions crop up. But then, who am I to insist my tastebuds or maybe my lack of seasoned buds :) Besides, it will be on the side and won't destroy the product. Its up to them how they want to mix up.

Ok Ok....I will give in and experiment. I have no secret to my marinade for the Sunny...but let me keep my sauce to myself. For what???? So you try to guess what it is! Its my payment for giving in to your tongue's request.

To the cooks out there.....maybe you can comeup with a unique sauce. Oh pls...spare me the liver sauce. If I want sauce...it has to be different!

17th Buy Pinoy Exporters Fair

Come and join us on Aug 13-16 at SM Megamall, for the Philfoodex event.

This event is not purely food, so it will be interesting to see a lineup of all local products.

As usual, Sunshine growers are invited to market there.

Feels Like Forever

I am transferring files from a computer who's monitor decided to do stripes on my eyes. Ironically, the Vista on this new computer is driving me nuts as it won't read my other softwares. Deliberating on going back to XP...OR... buying a new Quickbooks 2007 or higher version. Good I typed that, as the cash register said, cheaper to revert back to XP.

Sorting through pictures...this was the only seminar pic I took from ever since. I will say the only one, maybe the very first seminars drove me nuts as lack of experince dictates that moles become mountians. Later seminars find me busy and so picture taking had been forgotten.


We have since moved to a better and colder seminar room....Organika...the meatshop. On a seminar Sunday, chairs are placed there and tables rearranged to accomodate the participants.

Doc Rey was just telling me the other day that his 1st seminar should have a commemorative photo. Sad to say, none from me. I remember a particiant take our pictures for prosperity.

As I am uploading the photo now and a history on seminars....I get a call from a participant last Sunday, a party of three (3). They didn't get their free chicks and was wondering if it got forfeited. Nope....it is presumed that the participants are not prepared and/or will want to make changes to their brooder....so they have thirty (30) days to claim from time of seminar.

Last Sunday's seminar was bad....the aircon won't work. Been fixed the next day, freon leak. So this participant was commending Doc Rey's seminar as people didn't leave even with the intense heat. Yes, everyone stayed till the end :)

Oh, that should have been an example of the need for fresh air in brooding. Am sure everyone thought about that...but mentioning it might make the heat unbearable!

We had been doing seminars for for about two (2) yrs now. Seems like been doing it forever as it is a snap now setting up one. But then, it is always exciting and enjoyable. You meet a lot of people...never will two (2) seminars be exactly the same.

In the new area we are thinking of moving to....I think I want the seminar area open and airy...or at least have an option to be able to move out to the garden. I learned my lesson from the broken aircon.

Making Plans

We are making plans to consolidate and centralize our operations in one strategic location. Hopefully, if plans push through, we will relocate in the area of Cubao, near Araneta Center.

WHAT? Moving will be our office, seminar area, commissary for dressed chickens, Solraya's Organika store, a Sunny Rottisserie with a drive thru.

WHY? Often we get raised eyebrows that our office is in faraway Fairview. Yes we do deliveries, but a lot of clients want to browse and pick up stuff at Organika. Also, if we are consolidated in one centralized location, logistics for our deliveries and operation is easier to check.

Day old chicks will also be available there for previously booked orders.

My mind is now busy how to fix the place. No frills...just utilitarian, clean look, airy...it'll be different. Quaint :)

Open 9am to 9pm, Drive Thru

Sunny in Santiago is now open 9am to 9pm, starting today.

We had the soft opening less than a month ago, and started selling at 5pm til 9pm. Since we advertised that we delivered, we had been getting calls and walk in customers as early as 11am!

That made us see how we will fare today opening at 8am to do cleaning and setting for the lunch crowd.

We're setting out a ramp so we can wheel up and out the ovens. That will make the pick up and ordering more accessible for customer and us. Will really be like a drive thru thing! Plus greater visibility with our lighting outside.

Your mind should be nonstop in reinventing and marketing.

Wish us good :) Salamat po

Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Where Did The Photos Go?

Geez....I may be led to think that is was inside the balloons or the butterflies carried them as they were released inrepresentation of releasing our mother :)

I had photos in postings and I can just see the two (2) most recent ones.

The slideshows from Picasa are ok. Its just the photos posted that are gone.

Anyone can enlighten me on this? Help :(

Quiet Moments

Been away for an extended period.

The scheduled trip to Manila two weekends ago was supposed to be a touch and go before moving to other events.

Early Sunday night the 21st, sidelined us because our mother wanted to be with our father already...so we helped her pretty up for her journey to him.

They have been both so blessed to have peaceful transitions and my sister and I are just happy for them that they are now together.

They both taught us the value of hard work and being self sufficient. Mommy always had the notion that her daughters were at odds. My mother only left when she was convinced that my sister and I never really had an issue...other than maybe what she had always tried to perceive.

It will do parents a lot of peace in themselves, seeing children working hard, being independent, not having to bite other people to eat and knowing that money is not an issue :)

Posting this is not to explain my absence....it is for me to move on.

Btw, we had Sunshine one dinner. Thanks to Bingbang for preparing.