Great Trip

From Vigan, we were off for La Union.

The moment we checked our bags, we decided to go up to Baguio for dinner. Met with our long time dealer in the area, Doc Karen. Discussed schedules for deliveries and talked about marketing her growers' produce. We also asked a friend to join us for some coffee and talked about future projects.

We went to Gilligan's in Legarda. You have to go see the group Smooth, that is at Gilligan's Mondays and Wednesdays. I was so enamored with their music. The selection and the blending of voices....really my type!

Meetings, dinner and music done...it was time to leave Makati, errrrr Baguio (it was so crowded and the faces you see are the Manila group too). It was fresh oxygen, when the thought of driving down to La Union was started.

Holy Week is not my time to travel. I prefer that these days are taken in solace. This year was different. One of my friends, Mitos, is celebrating her 50th. So, it was agreed to be all together. Good that La Union was the meeting place, as it was near my work appointments for the week.

Great opportunity to practice my new Canon DSLR! After all those clicks done, I think I want to take a course in Photography :) My friends are just so happy now that they have tons of photos.

Watching the sunset...

Later on, Doc Rey comes back and said we should stay a little more on the beach as a floating Stations of the Cross will start as soon as the Sun sets....it was a sight. Simple but it made you pray in the calmness. By that time the Churches were busy with the Visita Iglesia.

Last day for Mitos' 49th. In transit....not dragged, but moving and getting there :)
You wouldn't want to see her 1st photo as 50...

Thunderbird Resort in Poro Point. It was like an Oasis. A refreshing site in the middle of the dessert. The Blues and Whites all around was calming and you are transported to a time in Greece.

Doesn't my friend Jessica make a double take for Jackie O?

View from the Resto/Bar of Thunderbird Poro Point. If you want peace and quiet from it all, this may be a place for you. No beach area in front, you have to walk to the right side a bit for a swimming area, or you may enjoy the resort's swimming pool.

A very productive week indeed....Next stop...search for Mark Floro!

Heny Sison's HAManok

Wednesday, while waiting at the cargo bay of PAL for my HERBaboy from Jojie Lim, Heny Sison calls and says that she prepared chicken hams and wanted me to taste and get one. Ok then, it was past 3pm, no lunch yet, so the prospect was very inviting :)

Parked at her office at about 5pm, I just peeped my head to call on her girl so I can just drive thru for the ham.

Surpise, surprise! Heny was manning a class for Bars at her ground floor class and comes to me with a two (2) plates of chicken ham. Seems like she had been nibbling on it too weheeheh. One was her previous recipe, plain. The second plate was sugar coated. "I like this, the sweetness is there, but coy". She said, "OK, I will then give you the one that is sugared". She had her girl bring out two (2) hams, differently ribboned. She said one was for Gov DV...and if I can take it please :)


She wanted us to talk again for the marketing of chicken ham. Off to Naga the next day and on to Ilocos Sur and Baguio. When I get back to Manila then... yes we meet...and I get to open my ham too :)

North Route

Sunday after delivering the dressed Sunshines for Adela Ang's use in her new healthy food bar at EDSA Garden House, we jumped in our mobile house (that is what we now term the truck or the SUV as we literally get to sleep in them) and headed for Vigan.

If you follow the agriculture news these days, you know how Ilocos Sur uses Sunshine Chicks for their dispersal and called them Ilocos Super Chicken....:) parang Superchick!

Feeling under the sheets, but thanks to laptops and business centers, am able to do my paperwork while in the comforts of Vigan Plaza Hotel.....I tried to step out yesterday....so hot huh...I used the alibi of Asthma to stay indoors.

Anyway, enroute to La Union to check on a grower's new brooding area. Initial loading is not a laughing matter and since the grower has a market already, we want to make sure his learning curve will be minimal.

Up to Baguio, as I enjoyed the Ube Jam I got there the last time. I will stock on them and sell them at Organika. We've tried a lot of Ube Jams, this one is chewy, rightly sweet, I like it.

Go for a peep at our Santiago City outlet for a day, via Ambucalao Dam from Baguio. You have to do this route, very scenic and its a safer roller coaster ride.

By friday morning, we have to be back inManila as we have to do a live guesting for a radio program. That will be a separate post. The title should be cute.

Benguet State University Seminar

We have to thank the support of Benguet State University to Doc Karen, during our seminar yesterday. It was well advertised and technical support can't be overlooked. The entrance to the main campus, we were greeted by our Sunshine banner. I later found out that our other banner was used during the parade.

We had the auditorium as venue. Aside from Vetmed students and faculty, there were at least 63 listed farmers who came and some of our dealers attended also.

Visited the demo farm, where the barn for the Sunshine Chickens of BSU were. There were co-existing happily with the goats and turkeys :)

Starting today, Benguet State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, will be selling Sunshine Day Old Chicks. They are serving the inquiries brought about by the seminar and the visibility of their demo farm.

Benguet State University Vet Med Week 2009

Excited to go to Baguio next week. The nippy cool air...though not anymore clean...is still tickling and sets the atmosphere for eating!

A seminar on Raising Sunshine Chicken had been alloted for us to do on Feb 6, Friday, 1-3pm. This is FREE and open to all. Vet Med campus.

Baguio Seminar, February UPDATED

TOPIC: Raising Sunshine Chicken from Day1 to Harvest
WHEN: February 6, 2009, 1-3pm
WHERE: Benguet State University

Vet Med Week once again at Benguet State University. Just like last year, we were there for the event. A product presentation was done last year. This time, a full seminar will be done.

Open to all FOR FREE. All are welcome to come for the seminar, growers, dealers, farmers, end users etc. Please follow signs that will be posted in the Vet Med Campus of BSU. No need to pre-register. Just come on time.

Thank you BSU for the support :)

Thesis It

We are very supportive of students who have elected to use Sunshine Chickens for their studies.

Proud that Benguet State University have chosen us, when they encouraged some Vet Med students to make a study on experimental feedings for the manners that most farmers in highland conditions will apply.

This is how they look now on the range. Nice small cages...look like watch posts for chicken coops :)


Commercial feeds have been totally withdrawn after 21days, when they were started to be ranged.

They have become some sort of attraction as awareness for healthy eating is increasing in the region. BSU also decided to range them in the organic garden area :)

Baguio Growers

On Tuesday, August 26, we are scheduled to go the route of Pangasinan then proceed to Baguio.

Baguio will be spent meeting up with the backyard growers and scheduling a seminar for those interested.

If you are interested to discuss how to go about raising Sunshines, pls contact us so we can advise you of location.

Hiland Trading Gives Sunshine to Baguio

We always find time and take the opportunity to touch base with dealers and growers. The Summer Capital is one good mix for business and pleasure.

Hiland Trading in Baguio has two branches. One is accessible to farmers from afar who do their marketing and trading in Baguio as it is right in the middle of the busy terminals near Dangwa. The second branch is more convenient for parking, near Burnham Park.

Please check availability on our updated Dealer List.

Where Will You Be Tomorrow?

We passed by Ambuclao Dam early today.

Which brings me to.... Where will you be tomorrow?

Baguio/La Trindad for us.....for seminars. I hope to get a big bowl of fresh Strawberries.

Will let you in with photos after we settle ourselves :)

Perfect Sunshine Filled Monday in Baguio

Day started at 4:30am from Manila to visit a grower in Baguio. When they found out we were going, they wanted us to bring another batch of chicks. I said "let's see 1week old first".

Had my large Capuccino at leisure while on the road.

Got to the Rosario junction to Kennon at 10am, too early to have lunch so went up to Baguio. Enjoying the relaxing trip while coordinating with my "truck wrap" makers, answering calls from the forwarding Manila landline :)

Met with our grower in Solibao Restaurant in Burnham Park. Am glad I discovered this place. Never been there, but they say it is like an institution landmark in the area. Great noodles and I had to have two orders for myself of the Puto Bumbong :)

The delivery of their 2200 day old chicks was done Nov 3 late evening, Sunday dawn, that was the time when typhoon Kabayan was going to cross Northern Luzon! Saturdays find me toxic that I didn't hear of any typhoon until the two chick vans were off to deliveries late Saturday pm and we had time to listen to news on TV.

I checked with them Monday about how Kabayan was and she replied the winds were super strong but it passed Baguio already. I wondered why no mention of the Sunshines. Well...always..."no news is good news".

We really planned to go up to visit that grower as we never met. Transactions were by phone and we want to make sure everyone succeeds in the raising. They practiced with some 500 chicks before and were able to dispose.

Going back to lunch....so we were discussing about the typhoon, strong winds, how they sleep with the chicks during the brooding time. The grower was a veterinarian. So we were not too scared with the Sunshines in her hands :) Then off we went 6km from the City to visit the 1week old chicks.

You go up and up roads, less winding but more UP, thinking the vehicles in this area must really by well maintained as you feel like getting ready for a rollercoaster ride! We were not prepared for this:

The property was like in the highest peak! The boundaries are the cliffs. Everythings else you see around was like lower than you. We can just imagine the winds here during storms. How they were during Kabayan...We were excitedly scared walking towards the building, not knowing how they are in that temperature.

I didn't change to boots anymore and they just provided stepping stones as the area was still a little muddy...

SURPRISE! You see cute 2000+ chicks, healthy, vaccinated at day3, being brooded kinda too carefully as it was VERY WARM inside that building. We had to ask them to raise the curtains as we ourselves weren't comfortable already :) I left pretty much of the discussions amongst the vets, while I was taking pictures and enjoying the cool breeze outside.

By 2:30pm we were saying goodbyes after making initial talks about cementing our Baguio connections.

We had to stop by my favorite spot in the Rosario junction....S.O.U.L. Cafe, for my green tea latte :)