Sunday, November 29, 2009

Zacess Story

Mr. Zac Sarian, Ramon Magsaysay Awardee, multi awarded journalist, Editor for Agriculture of Manila Bulletin... We enjoy the pleasure of being able to join him in farm visits and interviews with successful farmers.

In Kaunlaran sa Agrikultura every Sunday over DWWW, he has a segment called Zacess Stories. There, he talks about success stories...its not the magnitude, it is in the manner of how people have uplifted themselves. I like listening to him tell those stories.

The program isn't scripted so no one knows what comes up in one's segment. Not too long ago, we were all surprised when it was Toto Barcelona of Harbest Seed Company, who was the Zacess Story. He is a regular at the radio program so we were all pleased :) His age was mentioned and I said to Toto, " I hope in 8yrs, when I get to your age, I will be featured too".

Today was not the usual Kaunlaran sa Agrikultura day for me. I never stand from my seat from start to finish. I am an obedient member. I keep quiet and still until 7:30am. This morning at 6:30am I left the booth and stayed out and mingled with the visitors for Agrikapihan forum.

Listening to Zacess Stories had been a habit so when Zac's segment came up, I and Doc Rey kept quiet. It started with something vaguely about Sunshine Chicken....well...ok....so maybe he started the segment in jest, looking for us inside the booth?

Hmmmmm...oh no....we were his Zacess Story! Am so excited, pleased and awed...I run inside the office, right outside the technician's booth so I can listen. There is a PA outside, but there were people outside to entertain and you can't concentrate.

I joked Zac after that, he made no mention about profits gained, unlike his other Zacess Stories. Wahahahahhahha....Yes of course, the success story being portrayed is the hard work and perseverance in simple, earnest duties.

I thought I was the only one who wanted to shut off and listen....just found out now that Doc Rey himself went inside the car to listen to the radio :)

Living Windows

Been quiet, but not idle. We were moving our Manila living quarters from Fairview, to a halfway house until we are able to develop and move to our centralized operations in Araneta Center.

Dust is really a killer for my asthma. What most people conceive as just my imagination and arte are really real breathe stopping particles! Drapes are not part of my everyday living, unless there is someone who will clean clean and vacuum.

I am faced with huge glass windows. Frosted glass, but a little more privacy is in order. Spending a lot on renovating a halfway dwelling isn't very intelligent....

Air plants and garden shows....remember I am obsessed with vertical gardens, succulents etc... THAT'S IT!!! I will hang plants in the grills outside that guard the glass windows. Great, green shade. Literally and figuratively.

Side By SIde

Some Saturdays, see us with the group of Pol Rubia at Ofel and Panday's radio show over nationwide Radyo Natin. Pol mentioned that a grower of Sunshine had asked to market her ready to slaughter Sunshines at AANI FTI Weekend Market. Since she is a regular, Pol allowed her to set up right next to our booth.

When I passed by her Sunshines at about 10am, she said she has just sold one (1). "We haven't had ready to slaughter for sometime, so people are not expecting to find some here today..." I told her.

This morning, after our DWWW's Kaunlaran as Agrikultura, Pol Rubia says that she was so happy because she sold all that she brought. Of course, there is a market for the ready to slaughter....more so in a wet market.

Start somewhere....we always assist you in marketing...but, you have to move and initiate. We give you the road, but you have to make some padyak yourself...and the sipag and tiyaga has to come from you :)

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Why Moving?

Closed the Quirino Hway store and moved the inquiries to our Regalado Ave side (fronting the Regalado gate of SM Fairview)...why?

We were occupying about 1000sqm of that property. We just closed a deal with Jollibee for about 500sqm and other fastfood chains are negotiating for the remaining 1500sqm.

Understandable why we opted for that business decision?

Often asked why we are closed....not closed but moved for now to the meatshop. We didn't say why before, until the deal was closed. As we said before, due to good vibes and we started in this address, we are maintaining the spot of our Organika store.

By February, we would have centralized operations in Araneta Center, 8th Ave. (near Western Marketing)....stone's throw away from Araneta Coliseum. Present tenant vacates end Jan...we hope!

No worries....we are not getting lost. Not downsizing, not getting out. On the contrary, we are growing and moving forward and upward :)

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Jigsaw Puzzles

Loved them!

It takes a lot of spare time...and it was sweet if he saw pieces that fit while the puzzle is left on its own table for weeks as it develops into a globe, forrest, milkshake, sky etc.....kilig that he took time out to see what kept you busy, while he waits for you, to take time to make him wait at the door :)

Let the bubbles burst! There is no spare time now for those 1000+ pcs jigsaw puzzles...

Centralizing operation in one location...and moving to Araneta Center....

I have to plan new structures. In one of our Batangas trips to a farm, I met one of the Vazquez owners and passing through NLEX often made me remember the prefab materials.

I am so excited to build my puzzles again with Vazbuilt. You may want to do so too.

Garden type and green architecture may be incorporated with prefab :) Make do and get the best from the old and the new!

Do You Feel Sick?

Had been feeling sniffy since yesterday morning, but I refuse to take medications until really needed. This morning was a signal I should take at least Tuseran as we are driving back to Manila for a series of shows and seminars again.

By the time I saw my tabs, Doc Rey was getting ready to go to the farm....I want to go! I just hauled myself to the green truck and took my laptop. It was enough for me not to go walk around, but was parked in such a way that I was being able to observe two (2) ranging areas, the holding area of the daily harvest for the rotisserie, and some fruit trees :)

When I was time to go to office, I opted to be brought back to home. Feeling under again.....or not just wanting to be at the office :) Then I get a call from Sonshine Radio about an interview they want to do. It perked me up once more!

When you love what you are doing...do you thing you will get to feel sick? Scary is when you develop such a high tolerance for tiredness as you enjoy life....you might not be listening to yourself anymore....relax...take time.

Expansion

Made a quick trip to Isabela to assess movements of ranging areas in farm.

Our present location of 1 hectare for chickens is now old and has to be left for a while to rest....we mean really rest. Not just rest for 2months but like deep massage and laser treatments :) With all the fertilizers that the Sunshines have scattered there for about 2yrs now, our caretaker is raking and allowing the land to aerate and breathe.... uuhhmmmmmmm....

We are acquiring a similar area right beside us. Since we have shades and trees in our present location, we can build houses and ranges asap, like a back to back to our present set up.

Today, another 3 hectares have been acquired about two (2) stones throw away. Near but far, perfect. This will take time and planning as we want to build canals around and within...to make small fishponds and default barriers amongst ranges. Planting live fence all around for wind breakers. Installing the combat wire we have taken down from Fairview. When the combat wires are laid on the perimeter, soon after grass will grow around it, and not even cattle can push it down.

Meantime, planning and developing takes time....just like why we like our chickens...slow developed and full bodied taste. Planting materials to be gathered for live fence, and fruit trees that will keep us busy as we get older. Of course, vegetable plots for the food we grow ourselves.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Size

It is in the taste..that Sunshine is bought :)

When we started started our Sunny Rotisserie, we were doing the mid-sized chickens. Not ready for the response and the snowballing of the sales, by end October we ran out of that size. The next batch was ranging and will take two (2) more weeks.

Because we were growing for the dressed Sunshine market for Metro Manila for marketing purposes, we had available the large sized chickens. Wary how the market will take it as they were used to the mid-sized one already. So relieved and surprised that the sales didn't skip a beat, nor a note :) Prices had to be increased because of the size difference. It was OK for the market!

Last night saw Sunny roasting again the mid-sized ones. Clients didn't complain as the price of course was commensurate.

Proof of the reason for their coming...the taste!

The more we are excited to open in Metro Manila, after trying the Santiago City Isabela market.

Monday, November 09, 2009

Time

You have given them the proper spacing, temperature, feeding and brooding care. At 21days, they are set to the range and just have shelter for them to run to when raining. They are allotted the suggested 1 sq meter per bird for ranging area.

You forgot to count the days for harvest time....Now you walk through the ranging area and you notice that the area is almost bald. Take some to get average weights. You'll be surprised that they will now be close to your 1.5k...must be about 50days now?


Be observant...senses will still be your best guides.

Lipa Trip

Abs-Cbn's DZMM's, Sa Kabukiran has scheduled us for a seminar in Lipa, Batangas. IF I am not mistaken, November 21.

Will post details when I get them.

Import?

Is that what we need to do? Import meat?

I had been meaning to touch this topic since last week when talks were all over again on the airwaves that the government plans to import pork and chicken for Christmas.

Sure, we and so do the other dayold chick producers, import the Parent Stocks. But that is to make sure we get the commercial quantity, as we can't get that from inbreeding and cross breeding. But, the rearing of the Parent Stocks, the production of dayold chicks and the eventual grow out of the chickens are done in the Philippines and that gives us jobs.

Every Christmas season, the agriculture industry finds ourselves importing when they "see" a shortage. Flooding the market, then because there is an oversupply because of the panic importation, that will bury the farm gate prices of our locally produced pork and chickens.

That is one of the reasons the entrepreneurs don't get their GO GO GO blood. They are always preempted by importations.

Thing is...SO WHAT if we have a shortage? Can't we live with what we have? We should be disciplined to make do with what we have. IF we want more, THEN we should grow it or plan for it.

Try planning ourselves. We can't rely on others to always think for us. We have to think for ourselves so we can help the bigger us. By then, you don't assist others by doleouts but by example.

Idealistic it may seem...but, it has to start somewhere. Am just like "huh" if the news can make people really believe that the shortage is because of xxxx, then we should do yyyyy.

Make do with what you have.

Saturday, November 07, 2009

A Little Of Everything

is all we need. Our vegetable patch. I hope you learn to grow your own food too.


If we get cutoff from other areas, I know we will be able to eat and survive. I wish others can say the same thing.

Plant...you can't have an over supply. You may sell to others.

Look Ma, No Housing



The housing for these layers that bring your fresh golden eggs on the table, had been blown away. We had moved other grow out batches in new ranges, to let areas rest and revive itself. These layers were left as they are a playful lot and harder to transfer as it will stress them.

But then, what you procrastinate on, God makes sure is done. Washed away and now letting the Sun do its disinfecting and revival on the ground.

There is a more interesting video taken (taking time to upload). That of the sounds that layers make. You know you got egg laying hens when you hear that. It is music to my ears....putak putaaaaaaaaakkkkkkkkkkkk putaaakkkk :)

Clean Water

Cleaning and moving ranging areas after the storm....the Sunshines will fend for themselves in terms of foraging for food. Sure, same with thirst. They will find a way to quench it and find their water. But it is most helpful that you have a dispenser for them.

We did this for the ranges during Summer. One, to make sure that they have water at will. Two, to have clean water. Three, so we can mix probiotics in their drink. Four, to ease up work for caretaker and not have to change and clean waterers all the time.

So now, the care taker just cleans and drains the drums. He mixes the probiotics in the fresh clean water daily. No more individual waterers to take care of.

So simple. Take a drum with drain for easy cleaning. Set it at a height that is convenient. Make sure of clean source of water is available, for cleaning and drinking. Install your nipple drinkers to a PVC pipe. Attach the PVC pipe from the drum to a length that won't sag.


Voila! They nudge the nipples :) The Sunshines go to them to drink and play :)


Even after the wrath of the typhoon....they can get mud all over, but they are assured of clean drinking water.

You do away with dirt in their water...they have to be acrobats to step on and poo on their nipples.

Think Tanks

I can spot them easy. They are quietly busy working...or rather, noisily being quiet in their endeavors. There is a certain buzz as he passes by you. Normally they work individually and they don't bump into each other as they are good by themselves and are confident. No need to talangka one another.

Yesterday, I was going to meet a staff of Senator X, who met me in a trade show and asked staff to contact us. We had been speaking on the phone and texting but will meet at Shangrila for some details. 1st call he made to me the other day was just to make sure he got the right number to call as referred to him. A few minutes later, it was to set up the meeting two days later. Next time we were texting as he was informing me he was in traffic and will just be a little late. Next, he informed that he was entering Shang parking and how will he recognize us. As we were entering the restaurant, there was a young man, gliding and galloping at the same time. Ruggedly casual but very proper. He approached a table immediately surely to ask if that was Doc Rey :) I then walked up to him as we entered and the meeting went on.

Storytelling got to me again.....

Point is: The think tank staff of people are very important. We get to meet a lot of them and you can literally judge a man by his staff. The more experienced and intelligent men have far better people working for them. Well I guess, it will be hard to put one over an experienced man :) You see through put ons and know passion is real. There are no pretensions about knowing everything. On the contrary, the intelligent person is hungry for information and listens with wide eyes.

We see it all the time. We get to plan and interact with great minds. No underlying tones of corruption...just honest to goodness developments.

Where are the loopholes for the grand blueprints? Implementation!!!!! This is where the corruption lies. Middle men, traders, accounting, the supposed checkers, the caretakers....all can kill the best projects.

The think tanks dream big but start small and progessive. The alipurongs want to start big for one shot deals.

The standards for hiring has to be set, even at the ground level.

Mike test...1.2.3

Developing

Neverending. Continuing. Forever.

Our ball has not stopped rolling. We have to always be changing for the better and development and marketing never ceases. You can't market stale ideas and products so new ideas have to always be cooking.

The past days, the word "Cooking" was the key word for me. Yesterday we visited Animal Products Development Center of the Bureau of Animal Industry. Most helpful team! Does the DA pride and Joy :)

We toured around the slaughtering facilities, waste disposal systems the meat processing section and their training areas. They met with us regarding the products we want to be developed. They had a more than tight schedule, what with the Christmas season etc etc. But, they gave in to our request to squeeze us into their development and processing schedule. Ahhh, you know me by now? Why wait for a schedule to process after development when I trust that they will come up with good products. So, why wait for 2010? I asked them already for processing sched to meet Christmas offerings.

They knew exactly what I wanted as we started describing our grass fed line of Sunshines. They are equally excited to develop recipes that are chemical free.

Niche marketing...

Thursday, November 05, 2009

Healthward

Started the day to go to the farm. After a storm, you go out to assess situation. The morning got me several photos to post and discuss for other topics.

Great exercise and brought home some goodies of Dayap and other fruits.

Rare that we get to eat a a big breakfast, but today will be different. We bought hot pandesal. Opened a can of corned beef, and Doc Rey made an omelet.

While all that was in the stove top...I cracked my appetizer. Wowwwwwwwwwwwwwww I miss my homemade leche flans! They always thought I add some color to my flans to get that deep deep orange color. Fresh photographs best.


"Oh, Yes....I take it raw"

Wednesday, November 04, 2009

In Pairs

I don't know why, but my mother's instruction to me in planting in pairs stuck to me. Wonder if she took the "two's company, three's a crowd"!

As a young girl, I remember asking her why that was so...and hopefully I recall right, she answered:

1) It balances landscape outcome. Maybe that is why 2s, pairs are synonymous to Even Numbers...it balances. Left and right. Back and front.

2) We were such fruit lovers, that produce from one (1) tree will not be enough ahahhahah

3) If one (1) tree doesn't fruit well, you still have another

4) If one (1) is damaged by a storm, you still have another

I may be blabbing here now if I go on. I think the only real logical answers were the ones stated. But that 2s carried on to me..really! I buy trees in 2s and in several varieties. Actually, in almost everything, I panic buy and get all colors when I like something.

When I get the chance to do tree shopping, I cart a loot. I got these from Teresa Orchard of Zac Sarian.

That must have been about two (2) months from now. They are all settled now, in Isabela soil.

Do...if you can..plant everyday. Before you know it, you are reaping the sweetest and the freshest of them all! Remember....no chemicals please.

Does It Pester?

We grow our own food. Much like the majority, we don't have greenhouses to protect them from insects. Chemicals are a booboo...so we get great vegetables. It takes care to produce anything worth your while.

Complete with some dimples, incidental insects and pests....they are washables and ready to eat raw.

The ones you don't care to wash nor partake of....your Sunshines will be hovering around you to give to them!

Be wary of perfect looking ones...they may have been dipped in pesticides even as buds :( Try playing with worms around the veggies. Instinct tells the worms to run the other way, to save themselves from the chemicals.

Know What You Are Eating

Dinner last night was so good...why?

1) Sweetest and juiciest Atis. Those large, eyes.

2) The Guayabano was firm when sliced. Picked with a fork to eat and they gush out with the perfect sweet sour blend. They come up with the fork, with no resistance, yet firm and not smudgy.

3) How can you not know that you will get your needed fill of fiber in this Pechay? This is just a one bunch, or do I say a plant or a whole Pechay? You hold it in your hand like a bouquet..its that pretty because fresh and succulent wehehehehh. I just wishy washied it under tap water, more like a shower for dust in my hands. Tenderly tore it into like 5 pcs from stalk to tip of leaf. You can hear it crunchilyy tear...that fresh. Used my microwaveable dish and set it on high for 2mins. Voila, perfectly steamed Pechay! I had to steam another whole plant as the moment the 1st one peeped out of the door, you knew it was a goner.


So why is it the best? We grew it. In our own farm. No pesticides, no chemicals. You can't compare. Picked off the tree, plants or soil...you get the sweetness of freshness...and the juice...ohhhhhhhh

I hope to get another harvest for tonight.

They Have To Know

You can't sell what they don't know.

Educate the consumer. Explain and teach. Make it available....but of course, let them know first that you have it!

We prepared for the packed comfort food Adobo. Packed rotisserie cooked Sunshines also were prepared for soup stocks and salads. Now the freezers are stocked.

Done with the consumer awareness stuff...at least with the existing clients :) Now, we had to inform them that we have the comfort foods available. Why is is convenient and how to use it. Also, that is perfectly packaged for their dear relatives in faraway lands. They can send them the taste that they grew up with and more!

Effective....we had been delivering, and the orders have started to come.

"Announce and it shall be ordered"

Proof Is Around

Past days saw us working on moving plans and seeing friends and relatives. Now back at the office table and getting calls left and right, I remember that we have worked for years...and yes, hard work does work all the more when you think you are not :)

We got calls about them seeing a farm of someone in faraway....calls and emails from people who have tasted when some relative brought for potluck....texts about seeing our delivery vans and wants to get dressed Sunshines too.

Yesterday I get a text from someone who we haven't heard from for about a year. He asked if our business was ok? I thought to myself...where was he sleeping all these times? hahahhahah

Some friends comment that I work a lot....its not work, I love what we do. The people we meet, the places we get to visit, the things learned..and the food we get to eat....most of all, the friends, the real people you get to keep.

1st Step

We are vacating our Quirino Hway address in Fairview, as business decisions led us to have that side leased out.

As the colored chicks have been a landmark in the area for so many years, we are not letting go of that address, just switching a bit to Regalado Ave cor Quirino Hway, fronting Regalado gate of SM Fairview, signage is Sunshine Chicken. That is actually the address of Organika. Meantime, while we are making the move to centralize to Araneta Center, our booking for dayold chicks and pick up for dressed Sunshines will be in that address.

Even if we will be centralized in Cubao, we won't let go of our Fairview address...for prosperity.

Again...you can find us just on the other side. This time, we are infront of SM Fairview and not beside :)