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.

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 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.

Baguio For Lunch?

One of the perks of our work is that there are no set schedules.

Million things to do and we also have routines too...but when we get flashes of "let's go drive around"..we fit it in asap.

Just like over lunch today...."why don't we lunch tomorrow in Baguio"?

So for your inquiries north, and Ilocos area - we will be in your vicinity Tuesday and Wednesday. You might want to meet up.

Benguet State University's Vetmed Week 2008

February 14, Valentine's Day. La Trindad, Benguet. Close you eyes and feel the cool crisp breeze, take in the fresh air...and taste the sweet Strawberries.

That was what we did before going to Benguet State University's Vetmed Week.


I realized I had no pics of Doc Rey as he was speaking. That is because I was manning the projector and I was having problems with my laptop's photo viewer.

Thank you to Robichem group who was the next speakers. They were very helpful in my predicament and plugged my flashdrive into their laptop. Now I know why they had several laptops with them. Can't tell when life's jokes play on you.

The vetmed students and faculty was a great audience. We hope to get invited back.

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 :)

Ambuclao Dam

Decided to go to Baguio, Sunday...but an unexpected 3rd radio guesting delayed us. So opted for an early Monday trip.

I always look forward to going up North. Stop at S.O.U.L. Cafe is a must, too bad no Green Tea Latte available yesterday. My dealer made sure we are able to have Pinikpikan, the "killing me softly" chicken. It was really good and tasty, made more so because of her 90day Sunshine. One chicken fed 6 adults, of course we also had a big plate of pancit. The cook was her brother, who also mans the brooding area. Was he sad to make Pinikpikan?

We also saw the location in Tam-Awan of the soon to be demo farm there. You can feel the artist's air all around. We were even joking that the campfire and storytelling area is perfect for inihaw na manok or to sit around a kaldero of Pinikpikan.

We found out that the road from Benguet to Nueva Vizcaya is passable. They said it takes 5hrs, but we decided to try it anyway as Doc Rey figured that the 5hrs they noted was timed taking the bus. We passed by Ambuclao Dam! Never been there, and just hear it over the radio when it alarms Luzon about impending flood from expected water release :) After the dam, it was rough road....after about 30mins we decide to ask....the road was leading to Baguio using another route :)

Off we back tracked, we had to cross the spillway. Went up the mountains to see the dam from a scenic vantage point.

Arrived Aritao in 3.5hrs....but remember we got lost. That was a huge savings in time, relaxing winding roads, great view. We vowed to do Baguio more often and visit La Union and Pangasinan real soon.

Mid February for sure in Benguet for the much awaited seminars.

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 :)