Last Early Morning Dew

It rained hard here in Santiago City, Isabela last night.  Such a relief from the heat that the news on the radio and TV had been blurting out on the air.

This morning a batch has to be slaughtered and we walk to the pen quietly. It was so nippy cool and fresh after the rain.  They had not been fed anymore as they are going to be dressed today.  They greet you as they think you are there to give them food.

As I am typing now, there are several around me and literally pecking at my legs and pulling my skirt.  Then giving a look and pointing their beak to crates of food nearby.

Good Start, Pay Forward

January 2 2011, Panorama of the Manila Bulletin had a two page spread on our pasturing white chickens. January 7 2011, Mag Agri Tayo (Every Saturday, 9am, Channel 4) set an appointment for another shoot next week covering Azolla, fPJ and OHN....this was just after they featured us on white pastured chickens in their December 25 2010 episode.   January 8 2011, Agripage of Manila Bulletin played up the use of Azolla as an alternative feeds for animals.  By mid morning, Channel 5 did a chance interview on us at Mercato Centrale for the Sunshine Chicken and we had another chance to highlight Azolla.

Today, I was also asked how much would Azolla cost?  "It multiplies so fast that I think it is a sin to sell it...besides, we were taught and given time and Azolla, it has to be paid forward to others".

These were the two photos that were used by Mr. Zac Sarian's Agripage, Jan 8, 2011:

AZOLLA IS CHEAP CHICKEN FEED - If you want to economize on feeds for your free range chicken, you should try growing Azolla even if you have just a small fishpond.  Just like what Dr. Rey Itchon is doing in their farm in Santiago City, Isabela.  They raise Azolla in their Tilapia ponds and harvest the water plant for feeding their white chickens which are raised as free range chickens.  The Itchons say that the chickens just love to eat Azolla which is rich in protein.  They only feed their chickens once a day with commercial feeds that is without any antibiotics.  Instead, they enhance the health of their fowls by adding fermented plant juice, which they themselves make, in their drinking water.  Photo above shows the Itchons' pond full of Azolla while at the lower photo, the chickens are relishing the Azolla given them.

Close up of Azolla:

We are now harvesting 50kgs a day, that translates to savings of PHP1500 a day.  That is what we feed the Sunshines.  We haven't even counted our Pangasius and Tilapia that live on Azolla alone.  We did a sampling recently and the growth is comparable to commercial fishponds that are fed with commercial feeds.   

Setting up additional holding areas to bring up the harvest to 100kgs a day :)

Creatures Of Habit

After we opened the cage for the 14days to start ranging, we passed by this 49days range area.  

This batch is the one that holds my spot for my favorite Aratiles tree.  "My Spot" had fallen too from the ravage of Juan, together with almost 99% of our fruit trees.  As they went out to hunt for food today after the storm had left, in groups, they find their regular joints.

This group obviously loves Aratiles too.  They were just attracted and concentrated on the fruits they have enjoyed on the ground daily.  They must have not noticed that the source of those fruits are no longer standing there.  Nor that the Mango tree that used to give them shade while they scout for their fruits, are now at their eye level.

That was the side story....

I was trying to point out that they are willing and able to to take care of themselves!

Basyang Led Us Here

News of Basyang hitting Isabela made us decide to make a quick trip to the farm in Isabela. Not because of the ranging chickens, as they will surely be able to stand and fend for themselves. It was for the 100 fruit trees we just replanted in the new area being developed.

Yesterday, all was quiet here in Santiago....

The visit allowed us to eat freshly harvested fruits....the Santol was really good and sweet. I have to give it to freshness and chemical free farming :)

On the way out, we saw our Sampalok Tree. Doc Rey took out his hat and gathered our souring ingredient. Sinampalukang Manok is best when you use a lot of young leaves and flowers!

Manamoc Rimas, I Will Call It

The moment we went inside the field office of Andres Soriano Foundation in Manamoc, we were offered these fried Rimas.

I love these fried varieties that was introduced to me by Tita and Pol Rubia of AANI. But these ones today were so different. Deep yellow sunset in color, they were very sweet, creamy like Durian and big like Melon slices. We can't have enough of it that we asked for it all the time.

These Rimas fruits are abundant on this island. You see the trees everywhere. The fruits will be mistaken as Jackfruits (Langka) to the uninitiated. So abundant they are, that they are fed to the pigs...and now to the Sunshines :)

We asked for some planting materials and hopefully in our farm they will grow well. Expecting to have some Manamoc Rimas in Santiago City, Isabela in 2 1/2 years :)

Make Way

Went to the farm after office. I was just left in the car, as Doc Rey was viewing the concrete posts buried on the new area we were developing.

Still caught the last rays of the Sun, excitedly took out my camera to practice. It was after I was downloading to my "practice" album, that limited spaces and drought may have been captured subjects in some photos I took. Looking through the lens, the aim then was to get comfortable with my camera. The pictures taken, showed me a different focus :)

In this dry season, when you can't plant rice due to the fact that your water is dependent on irrigation that they cut off...you should have planned or at the very worst, be planning what to do. Problems are no reason to stop moving and working :)

We are based in Isabela, where I will say 90% of farming is Rice and Corn. So I will talk from my vantage point.

You know the passages in rice paddies? Pilapil...am not sure how they are called in English. It doesn't have to be just that...a passage or border. Put it into good use. Widen it and you can use it to plant vegetables, fruit trees...and yes, even use for ranging of Sunshines.

Want to raise Sunshine but no space?

If you have a fishpond, you may set part or the whole house on top of the pond, on stilts. The Sunshine's waste will go to the pond and the fishes may feed on them.

Okey, no fishpond...then just build the housing on the widened pilapil. Let them range there too. Of course, don't forget to plant fast shading trees. We did plant a lot of Sugarcane, Bamboo, Aratiles, Papaya etc.

My Dampa

Who hasn't been to Dampa? The strips of wetmarket, where you point to what you want and it is cooked for you.

Better for me...it is pointed while still in the plant, picked off fresh, and steamed for a few minutes. Even our drinking water! It is taken from the well and boiled. By the time we are done with breakfast, we are able to drink warm water to wash it down.

We went home to Isabela, amidst reports of calamity area because of the drought. True it is soooo hot here. But, because of natural farming and open housing and free ranging chickens...we are OK!

More so that we encourage everyone to grow your own food. You can do it in containers in your backyard, frontyard, rooftops or hang containers in walls. That way, whatever flood, power outages or whatever comes our way...you may atl east feed yourselves.

Go back to basics :)

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.

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.

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.....

Busy Chicks

We are looking forward to having Jojie and Andry Lim (natural farming in the Philippines fame) in Santiago City, Isabela end of January.

Perfect that we are fixing a new location of 3hectares. Good time for them to comment as it won't be just Sunshines there. We will integrate farming to feed ourselves in the coming days, from rice to fruits.

Andry will do seminars and I will post details here.

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.

Eye Openers

Been busy for about a month because of Agrilink and Citem's FAME. Since a little before Ondoy, I had been in Manila and away from the countryside, farm and home in Isabela.

Friends have proven best allies in big shows. Agrilink have strengthened ties. During Citem's FAME, talks with others have also showed that relationships formed on agendas and business do bog down and don't last. Well, you need the black to balance the white. So, be thankful for bad vibes as it makes you treasure simple good.

The daytrip to Isabela yesterday made me see the wrath of the floodwaters and landslides :(. The cloudy skies and rains on the way that are setting the welcome stage for Ramil, has started to pile up soil again on the street from the mountain soilfalls.

During the 8hr trip, I get a call from my Benguet grower, and ordering a substantial loading. Weren't they still under the relief stage? I have to give my hat off! Moving on real fast. Of course to be ahead, one has to move forward...at least move and jiggle a bit.

A scene on TV I saw recently is a continuation of how we should be pliable, in my mind. The Benguet relief and operation showed a school housing the homeless folks. They were seen sweeping, cleaning, brushing their teeths, fixing things around, making makeshift furnitures, plumbing etc etc and ETC. You'd think that: that is the way they really are and MORE. You get to see the real person in times of hardship and problems, when your back is on the wall.

Do you remember the scenes in other centers in Manila? Play the news in your mind. Listen to feedback on radio now....you know the difference I am referring to.

On the way to work today...geeezzzz...I have been away indeed for over a month. Saw new businesses up. Several new structures are in finishing touches. AND.... we crossed Calao Bridge this morning in Santiago. The water is high, dark brown and NOT...correct, NOT moving. Bad!

I asked my staff as I got to work, if she noticed the river. She did too. Yesterday the water wasn't high and it was flowing freely.

Yikes, this is still the effects of Pepeng? I pray that Ramil will not affect us as much as Pepeng. If no landslides and no closed traffics, we won't feel it as we are scheduled to go back to Manila Thursday, when Ramil is supposed to be felt.

Isabela Seminars

Free to everyone to attend :)

September 17, 10am
Cabatuan Community Center

September 21, 10am - POSTPONED, will post details again. Updated Sep19
San Fermin, Cauayan
CVPMDC Compound, beside LVO Lumber

Topic: Raising Sunshine Chicken
Speaker: Doc Rey

Another 100%

Hard to document feasibility studies as different strokes for different folks, when you talk about free ranging, grass fed Sunshines.

After I greet Maricel, head of my crew for Santiago City, I asked her how her sales went. She sells her harvest to her neighbors. So for the end of 2008, she sold 50% of her 100 . She sold her dressed chickens at php190/kilo and the liver at php200/kilo. At an average of 1.2-1.5 kilos dressed in 60days, I made a quick compution and asked her that if she sold 50 out of her 100 chicks, then she must have already gotten back her investment, plus a little some?

She smiled "yes". So she looks forward now to selling the remaining. As those will be her profit.

She is now preparing for a new batch to brood. Think graduations, and fiesta time :)

Agrilink 2008

I only had time to take pictures when I was fixing up booth early before the opening, so no photos of the real life of the Agrilink 2008. Such a pity to miss documenting it...but it stays in us :)

Remember my post on thought balloons? How I was segregating my thoughts and calendars in my own "thought balloons" to sort of give comic relief and allow myself to see through a child's eyes? I had no idea yet how I was to spruce up the Sunshine booth. Then, it dawned on me...BALLOONS! Why the choice of colors? Those are the colors of our new improved Sunshine lines :)

As soon as the guard allowed me to enter World Trade Center, I prepped the booth. Then two men were walking up, talking, then stopped at their heels. I guess the booth was effective as an eye catcher :) I didn't know the man in barong, but the second man in t-shirt..hmmm...I realized after a couple of seconds was Sec. Arthur Yap. Soon after, Doc Rey arrived and started talking with the two men. Wehehehhe...it was much much later that he realized it was the Secretary of the the Department of Agriculture.

He will remember our unrehearsed booboos as he walked through with Pres GMA and stopped by our booth and explained to her about the Sunshines. They took pictures with the Sunshine chicks display.

I tell you, those scenes made the Secretary rememember Doc Rey, as he greeted Doc Rey as he was having coffee again later, "bata, madami ka na bang benta?". Doc Rey again didn't recognize him as he was now in barong :)

Louis Perrault, GM for SASSO arrived also. Dinner was a good time to unwind and have laughs outside work.

Next day, there was this man talking/laughing with us about our booboos with the Secretary (oh he was the other man in barong). I asked Pol Rubia who he was...Lydon Tan was the name.

Agrilink 2008 was so busy for us. We had an indoor booth under the French Pavilion, and an outdoor booth under the Friends of AANI tents :) Our outdoor staff was so busy with the retail sales of Sunshines and dressed chickens. It was so cute that people would inquire if the vacuum packed chickens were available. I guess that's our trademark now. Good decision to have a big freezer full for Oct 9-11.

Very successful! Not just in terms of sales. I will say far more than just income.

See you in my next thought balloons.

"Sec Yap, see you in Isabela"!