Borders

Interesting how Natividad Farms was able to utilize spaces, almost to the perimeter walls!

Notice how most farms form plots with slanting sides? Sides that are basically unused and space is wasted?

This farm had devised a good one. NO wasted space. It is sort of lego blocks that you just put together. In our everyday life, its like the fencing used for NLEX.

Prefabs that they themselves make. There are several molds, depending on utility. You put holes as needed, which are good for drainage :) They are held together by nail pegs or were they wires? Good about it too...it is movable and less laborious than making plots.

They have practically used these for everything. Vegetable plots, walk ways, etc.

And also for their vermiculture :)
You have to be imaginative and innovative to stay sustainable.

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.

Sunshine, Action...

Where's my camera? It is still asleep in my huge bag in the bedroom!

When in Isabela, we make it a point to go to the farm early when we can to witness the gathering of Sunshines for dressing that day. Today was one of those days we had been rejuvenated already and raring to go to the farm.

I was so eager because yesterday, Doc Rey came home with a small bag of goodies. Freshest veggies. All I had to do was wash them, I can even do a wishy washy because we are sure no chemicals there. I didn't spin them nor wipe them dry. Immediately, I transfer them to a glass microwaveable dish and set it on 2mins. Them came out freshly perspiring and steaming...still green and crunchy...perfectly done. A platter of buro was placed with it on the side. Doc Rey it was the best recipe...weheheh recipe ka dyan!

Today, I was going to do my own picking of veggies...

What greeted me on the gate was a nice sight. Our men had the harvest of Sunshines, tied up and hanging from the mens' necks. You don't get that sight in Metro Manila...but yes, that is how they ready to be slaughtered are carried and placed in the crates, to be transported to the slaughter house.

If you watch Survivor Philippines...its a grander version of the immunity necklace :)

Sad I wasn't able to click that sight. I should always be ready with my camera.

AANI + Sunshine = MATH

The organic production of vegetables, fruits and herbs from the AANI Urban Farm in Antipolo, will be sharing our booth at Market at the Hills every Saturday and Sunday.

This will be a welcome move as it is very hard to refer to organic shops when you do not really know the source. We are always being asked for organic produce...now we are together in one stop.

We hope you find that our equation works :)

What's Up For Next Week?

1st WOW Organic Festival, April 18-20, AANI Herbal Garden and Livelihood Center inside the Quezon Memorial Circle (use East Ave gate)

You can't miss us. We will be by the entrance (if you were entering through the gate by the Quezon Monument). Raymond Rubia of Daily Dose Farm will be with us, showing off his organically grown vegetables and herbs. AANI will offer fresh dressed Sunshines. You must have forgotten how fresh real chicken taste? :)

Your nose will lead you to us, as AANI will offer inihaw everyday and Chef Bert of Lipa Culinary Arts will do a cooking demonstration for Sunshine Chicken and produce of Daily Dose on Friday, April 18.

Our regular booth is nearby, so there will be chicks available and ready to slaughter.

Maawi Organic Vegetable & Chicken Farm

When the idea of going to Alaminos, Pangasinan was brought up at 6am...I said "YES"!

This is where half of my roots are from.

We left AANI QC Circle at 9am. Got to Sausalito for lunch a little after 1pm. Those two pictures were taken from the food place.

Jocelyn and David did well with the farms. The chicken farm is separate from the organic vegetables, so biosecurity is better.

There are five poultry houses. Good we went there as from initial photos sent, I thought the buildings were elevated. Nope, they were built on the ground, so no expense for flooring. The side doors open straight to range areas and kept open for the chickens to go in and out during the day.

There was a time they decided to experiment and got some chickens from another supplier. Mortality was high and they were not as resistant to diseases as the Sunshines.

We were brought to the vegetable farm also. I took so many photos, but I don't know how my digital could have gotten them over exposed. Good the video came out well.

No pesticides used here.

They have always aimed to create a niche in the 2.5kilos and over, chickens. Keeping standards to harvesting at 85-90days minimum. Slowly they are getting their footprints in the market.

The eggs from her uncaged Sunshines are being taken by a French patisserie with several branches in Manila. A couple of hotels have called them back after they submitted samples, a large chain is making an initial order.

Jocelyn and David are enjoying doing the rounds selling their chickens and vegetables that they are proud of.