Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Laughter

It is different when shared with friends....and you really have a good, loud, laughs about an incident that you all find funny. It may be a silly thing, but it is funny when woven with other experiences as a group.

When not in a gelled group...your smiles or sneers are exaggerated to assimilate laughter ahahahhah.

We have in our company Andry and Jojie Lim :) Doc Rey was tasked yesterday to introduce Andry as main speaker. Geez.....Doc Rey went on and on...I guess that is how it is when introducing a friend as you know a lot about the person! He went beyond that...he started talking about IMO, FPJ etc. Maybe the audience didn't notice it, but Doc Rey may have forgotten that he wasn't the speaker but just the introducer.

Much later in the day, after the seminar, the moment we got inside the car.....we all had to have our boisterous laughs about that incident.

We proceeded to our farm and since it is their first time to come to Santiago, it was again another healthy exchange of info and insights. Both Andry and Doc Rey are brooding batches now and they were comparing growths since they are adapting different brooding styles.

Doc Rey is based on scientific poultry management for free range...while Andry uses the Korean technology.

Three full days with friends...tomorrow we all travel back to Manila. Long trips are enjoyable when laughs are shared.

With people you are comfortable with, you are not ashamed to ask seemingly dumb questions. The Northern Luzon and Mindanao offer different foods and sceneries. What one takes for granted, awes the other.

They can't over the fact that on the road to Isabela, they met unending number of trailer trucks, hauling rice to go to Manila.Andry and Jojie are so captured by the vastness of the rice fields all around....as far as your eyes can see :) Over dinner, when we brought them to Generao's Bangus Grill that serves Sunshine in their menu...they never had Sinampalukang Manok, chicken in soup soured by Tamarind. I suggested to them to try to use Batuan to sour their soup. It is abundant in the Visayas.

Monday, January 25, 2010

A Woman Dressed In Sunshine

Been feeling sick and today being a number coding day for me, I thought I will relax till lunch before we make a trip to Santiago City.

I get a text at about 9am from the US, to get them a Cory Swatch....what was that again? I don't remember ever owning a Swatch. I love watches, but the automatic or mechanical windings for me please. I searched the internet and saw that you have to reserve blah blah. Today's outing for the watches had been fully booked already...weheheheh sounds like Sunshine Chicks :)

The title of the book that goes with the Cory Aquino Swatch.... "A Woman Dressed In Sunshine".

It was enough reason for me to get a set for myself. Pick up Feb 08.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Fast Food

Since we started moving out of Fairview, hardly had I been there. Had to go there briefly yesterday and the few seconds I was out of the van to get to the office was disastrous. When you are like some of us...the ones that get allergy at the sight of dust...then you know how it feels to breathe even a speck of those killer fumes.

I felt so bad that it kept me off a scheduled appointment last night. I needed hot soup and thought about just buying from a chinese restaurant...but then...I thought about all those additives.

Roasted chicken packs in my freezer...hmmm...it was 7pm but I have to feed this nasty nose of mine. Did I have enough time?

Took out a pack from the freezer. Set it inside my glass saucepan....I am without help so my cookware is the one the goes from stovetop, oven, to table, to ref/freezer, to microwave and back to table. You end up just washing one piece :)

Got about 4 cups of hot water from the dispenser into the saucepan with the frozen roasted chicken. Sliced up one red onion. That's it, and boiled it. Once boiling, I took a handful of elbow macaroni and placed it in the pan. Cooked uncovered for about 8-10mins (followed instructions on the label). Added chopped onion leaves for color. That't it!!!!

Why no seasonings? The frozen pack was of a roasted chicken. So it had all the flavors it needed already.

If you don't want to eat the meat with your soup, it will make great chicken sandwhich or salad.

This was quick and doable. But, if I had my way and time...I would have done this on simmering temperature. Still low fire, slow cooking....to really have the juice ooze out in its own sweet time.

BTW...yes, I felt much better....remember Chicken Soup for everything. Chickens must have something...and the warm vapor is good for the nasal congestion.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Next Batch Of Info Ads

We are now preparing a new batch of information ads.

Basing from your frequently asked questions, we will come out with a series that will help everyone.

Thank you for the support :)

Natural Farming In Santiago

Region 2 will be lucky for the opportunity to have Andry and Jojie Lim, advocates of the Korean technology of natural farming.

WHAT: Seminar of Natural Farming (rice, vegetables, pigs and chickens)
WHEN: Jan 26 and 27, 8am-5pm, two (2) day seminar
WHERE: Northeastern College, Santiago City, Isabela
WHO: Andry Lim
FEE: PHP500 for two (2) days

I have sat in several seminars of Andry and he is most entertaining and educating. Very charismatic speaker and thinks from a layman's point of view as he is not an agriculturist too by education :)

In their farm in Davao, Andry and Jojie raises Sunshine Chicken on a regular basis, supplying family, friends and a NCCC Mall's supermarket. Aside from the chickens, they supply vegetables and pork.

Farm visits in Santiago City are being scheduled too in relation to the seminar.

Very good value for you to join. See you there.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Road Tours

Preparing our road tour schedules. January and February are for seminars and trade shows.

We kick off our trip in March with extensive visits to our homebase and bailiwick...Northern Luzon, Cagayan Valley :) We will be with some of our agri friends and journalists who want to take that route with us and experience the agriculture movements in this place.

Have you seen the ritual of Pinikpikan? It is slowly beating the chicken to death. Blood clotted, it is slow cooked with some aged pork. I have eaten Pinikpikan several times, but haven't seen the ritual too. It will be interesting. Some may scream animal rights and abuse....but then, this is part of the culture of the Cordillera Region and is accepted as part of the heritage.

Cordillera folks had been very discriminating in what they use for their ritual of Pinikpikan. Sunshine Chicken passed it for its raising qualities and taste imparted :)

So we go Isabela onwards.....

Monday, January 18, 2010

Learn AANI In Antipolo

AANI Urban Farm in Antipolo will host a seminar on Raising Sunshine Chicken.

WHAT: Raising Sunshine Chicken , from day1 to harvest
WHEN: Feb 13, 2010, Saturday, 2-5pm
WHERE: AANI Urban Farm
WHO: Doc Rey
FEE: PHP500

Please contact AANI for reservations, at (02) 497-2755 or text us at (0917) 847-2639.

Nice place for you to go visit as it is a working urban farm. Pesticide and chemical free, you get the freshest and sweetest vegetables and fruits from farm to your table.

AANI Urban Farm is located very near the Masinag Market at the junction of Sumulong Hway and Marcos Hway. From Marikina, you turn right to Sumulong from Marcos Hway. You will see a Shell station on your left and the subdivision across that is where you enter. I think the subdivision is named Kingsville.

INAHGEN Seminar

The organizers of INAHGEN 2010 have allotted Doc Rey for a talk on Feb 3, at 5:30pm, Seminar Room #4.

Nevertheless, we will be fixing the booth in such a way that we will be able to accommodate multi inquiries so we may have one on one talks.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Agree To Agri


Mag-Agri Tayo!

That is the name of the program over NBN, that shot Doc Rey yesterday for a series of segments on free range chicken. Much like a seminar on air.

They said it will be shown sometime mid February. Will post details here :)

Monday, January 11, 2010

HAMsarap!

Don't forget the tasting of our HAManok. The one packed for me by APDC was meant to be shared with our DWWW's Kaunlaran sa Agrikultura.

Why did I want with them? Perfect crowd. Mixed ages. Mixed cultural and marketing targets. Most were men. They are all agriculture people who are so used in being served such and these. One is even into meat processing/production.

Ham is such a basic thing, it is everyday food...but you tend to hate seeing it after Christmas is it is a staple those days. So I chose to have it taste tested a week after New Year :)

We didn't coat it in sugar . In three (3) separate platters, the 2kg ham held its own. Even when pale compared to commercial hotdogs etc on the table, it sat quietly and regally there. I grabbed one as soon as I can so I can taste first, how this ham was. OMG...ang sarap, honest super. Everyone said it was so good. I believe this group because we are constructive with one another. They enjoyed it more knowing it was preservative free.

It will do good for sandwhich, salad, eaten solo....very pinoy, we had it with rice. Wiped out...ham..after Christmas?

Have added ther HAManok to the production schedule.

2nd Round

of taste testing :)

The 1st round had 2 age groups. My age and the older and experienced ones. The older ones liked the garlicky Vigan type and the spicey Italian and the sweetish skinless. My age group wanted the spicey Italian, found the Vigan and herby type bland, but they want that developed as the interesting taste is there, but you know...masarap but may kulang? Doc Rey liked the skinless and the patties...same as the APDC taste panel.

I think it was the mass pinoy taste buds. They didn't like the herby type. But then, I am targetting a niche market. The ones that have higher notch in taste buds and want to eat healthy.

2nd round was last Friday...my age group again but diverse as we invited two (2) discriminating men hahahhahaha. One was involved in a company for layers and pig production.

I brought out the 1st batch of herby that APDC and Doc Rey didn't really want as the herbs were strong on their taste. THIS IS IT my friends now say, strong taste not bland. I knew it, that was why I kept the unwanted batch as it suited me. The Adobo was really appreciated too. The Blue Eagle men liked all, and discussion was focused on the health benefits, since one of them is all too knowing of how commercial animals are raised :(

No help. I prepared it myself. Brought out my electric grill and just set it to cook a few minutes before they arrived. Thank you for cellphones. Having guests is less stressful as you are prepared at the right time. Wine flutes, several chilled Reds, cheeses

Thank you to my friends who washed up after. I don't get jumpy when they come over.

Now we are preparing to go into production of our Sunshine Sausages.

Extensive & Entertaining

Yet...thinks like a dummy :)

Not too long ago, I got a call from someone who does contract growing for commercial white broilers, for a large food company.

He said his interest has been picked when he saw the colored chicks in the last Agrilink 2009. He asked, researched and read around.

"Of all the pages and websites about free range chickens, yours is the most extensive and entertaining to read...there is humor" I have to take a bow in gratitude :)

I added that... "I also hope that the point of view of a layman who doesn't know anything in poultry management is obvious. Like learning from the eyes of a dummy". He said YES...pretty obvious since he knows poultry...but the layman's point of view makes things easier to understand and to believe. It doesn't have hifaluting terms and description that makes it hard to comprehend nor believe as a doable project .

And yes, I talk about the ups and downs. Just like my favorite Christmas series that just ended... there were no right nor wrong characters. Their character development even when bad, stemmed from something real and credible. And the bidas and goodmen, were not all good and perfect....everyone and everything was portrayed as real. No perfect 10s, nor flunking 1s here. Remember Kramer vs Kramer...same. No one among the divorcing couple was right nor wrong.

Geezzzzz.....am getting so engrossed in my characters!

I am thankful for people finding us real educating...and gives them smiles too. I am a frustrated script writer, really! It is people like you who motivate me to learn more to be able to write about my passion.

Be Proactive

Enjoying a walk through the new ranging areas being developed, to exercise. Boots on...as I just almost sprained an ankle walking through an empty lot with a lot of vines...in Metro Manila!

Check now on the next brooding house for next week's loading. Same mistake about the rat proofing, so that has to be redone.



Nice edible borders in this ranging area. I can taste the sweet juices of pesticide free veggies :)


I am always harassed by caretaker's wife on how to protect her vegetable plots from the rangers...enclose them in net. I think she doesn't want to believe me. Last week we sent to the bodega some used poultry wire. She decided for herself that this is what will work for her! See how she used Ipil-ipil for posts. Hope it grows too, so it may act as shade in the new ranging areas.

True and honest. The nets will work...old ones are useful as well. Chickens are not like goats, pigs nor cattle. They won't force themselves through barriers, come what may. Chickens are easy to deal with. Once they hit walls, even if flimsy, they turn elsewhere :)

Why do you think we recommend nets as range separators or fencing?

Don't Take For Granted

You always have to check caretakers, even after you have tried to teach them (granting that you know what you are doing too). We made a quick trip today to check on brooding this week in a new developed area. New caretaker too, so Doc Rey wanted to see how he followed...

Can you spot the mistakes from here?



Ok good. He has his hammock there. Radio playing...I forgot to tell him to tset it to the radio station where we broadcast our info ads in Isabela...that should be his audio bibles :) I take the radio was for him, and not for the chicks.

Maybe now at closer view, you can?


Maybe you can't tell too? Common sense in brooding is not really common sense to a non knowing like me also.

Since I have some knowledge already after all the seminars, farm visits, and listening to Doc Rey...this is what I can tell:

1) Infrared bulbs were sent to be used. What was sent was 150w each and I sent six (6) pcs. We were brooding five hundred (500). He just used four (4) all in one side and had incandescent bulbs on the other side. I heard Doc Rey asking him (his way of teaching the how and the why) if the chicks last night were bunched under the red bulbs and not merrily walking around.

2) The rat protection is better when there are no corners where there may be a tendency to group and they can get crushed. Doc Rey reminded him that he was told to make that in an Oval shape. Ideally round, but it will be difficult to go around the pen with a big circle in the middle.

3) There were no standby heaters. There were drums outside and the ricehull were ready in sacks too. He should have had them ready and staged on pedestal hollowblocks (w/c were sitting quite far so it will be difficult to put together incase of a power outage in the middle of the night).

Aside from the above, these I heard from Doc Rey:

1) Set the basin feeders near the heater bulbs. If it is cold, they will want to stay near the bulbs and of the food is far, they won't go to eat.

2) Set the drinkers horizontally instead of vertically. Again, set it under the bulbs. Same concept. Make food and water accessible to them even when the temperature is low.

As I was studying picture now as I used it for the topic....it dawned on me that it will be better it the grouping was divided into two (2) or three (3) of those iron sheets. That was, the caretaker goes around the groups, changed the water and cleans out basins with out stepping on beddings. Maybe that was the reason caretaker opted to set the waterers and basins near the edge...so he can easily reach out.

Oh well.....we will be back later at the farm to eat freshly picked veggies. I will discuss that with Doc Rey :)

Saturday, January 09, 2010

Join Us In Facebook

Since you may be busy in your own FB accounts, you may want to take a break and join us there.

Sunshine Chicken has a page :)....no, its not part of FarmVille.

Thursday, January 07, 2010

Seminar Series

A weekly TV program had tapped Doc Rey to do a series of segments on free range chickens.

It will be like a seminar as it will give him more time to expound on topics, rather just a run through interview.

We tape it all in one (1) day, but the segments will be broken up to screening several weeks.

Thank you to a near by backyard grower. He allowed us to shoot in his farm.

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Sunshine Surprise

I was just on the phone today w/ the schedules for our sausages, when I decided to surf and read online newspapers.

SURPRISE! I was motivated to act more :)

Tuesday, January 05, 2010

FarmVille On Real

For those with Facebook accounts, am sure you know what Farmville is. Everyone is at it...ok...almost everyone.

For us FBers who are real farmers, we watch with awe. If the zeal and passion you guys have in planting, harvesting and helping your cyber neighbors are translated into the real world...WOW, we will not be hungry and we will not need the imports.

Agriculture is what we should fall back on. Food is basic. No, we are not saying that we should ALL go into farming....we need a balance. But as of now, agriculture is looked down on and that maybe the reason that a lot of people may have the passion for it, but are discouraged by society. Tsk tsk tsk

When tending to Sunshines, we get a lot of feedback that it brings bonding to family members.

Hahahhahahha...same with Farmville. I know of some couples who are hardly on speaking terms, moreso not on one another's Facebook account as friends. But because of Farmville, the need to have neighbors to stay up on the game...they included one another and now help each other tend their plots.

It even made me peep at Farmville for the first time today. Cute, colorful, enticing....I didn't want to start on this now. I have heard how some people do wake up at dawn to harvest their crops in cyberland. I have a real farm that keeps us busy! Take the trip with us :)

As my FB status earlier said " Go eat Healthy! Grow your own food...or buy from us :)"

Thank You For Day1

They say that the first day is a snapshot of what is to come...then I will love 2010!

1) Got a call from a TV program's production staff. They want to interview us and if we can go to a grower to shoot farm.

2) Orders for dayold chicks poured in.

3) Someone was interested to carry our Sunshine Sausages :)

4) Food chain reminded us to start delivery.

There are kinks:
5) A group trying to con my staff into paying for shipments that arrived during the holidays. They tried to collect customs tax payments and brokerage fees. They stopped when they were asked to call moi :)

6) We closed several deals :)

7) A writer called to interview by phone re: Sunshine Sausages!

Now, we have to chicken up logistics to foresee coming days.

All our work for marketing will benefit our growers. And you. wink wink...read on.

Saturday, January 02, 2010

Inahgen Is Coming

Almost a year ago, we booked our space for INAHGEN 2010 here.

Today we get the email for exhibitors' meeting. I have forgotten about the Feb 3-5 show at SMX....but welcomed the announcement. I had been happy with the way the previous INAHGENs went and looking forward to joining this trade show again.

Our growers are welcome to join us in the booths and market their products.

See you: INAHGEN 2010, booth #106 (near boar auction), SMX Convention Center, Feb 3-5.