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.

Worm Out Stress

When we visited the 2nd day old chicks in Natividad Farms, last Valentine's Day, we were shown that they were given worms already for food. In their natural habitat, mother hen really hunts for worms to give to her chicks. This was in supplement of the chopped bamboo leaves with brown rice that Jojie Lim prescribed to them.

Even then, you can see the Sunshines loved the worms, although they were two day energized then.

Five (5) days later, as we were commenting and observing the chicks eat and what they ate....Ed Fajardo said that we should hear their sound as worms are brought to them.

Watch and let me comment later :)

Geezzzzz....I wasn't prepared for this! As the Natividad boys came with their trays of worms...the Sunshines literally BUZZEDDDDD and jumped all around! You saw and heard it yourself.

They brought in 1kg at that time of worms. Retail value of about PHP1000 :) But remember, this farm went into Sunshines to get rid of their worms.

The hosts were so happy and proud about the chicks' behavior. Am sure you will be too...unless you are a veterinarian or a poultry man hahahahhaha

STRESS in capital letters! They really bump into one another. Maybe a new game of Bump Chicks will be developed after getting inspiration from this.

Doc Rey didn't tell them outright DON'T....he suggested that the chicks numbering 200, be given about 2kgs of chopped worms in the fermented feeds. If chopped, that way the chicks have no need to be excited with the wiggly, live protein. If chopped, they can be relaxed eating their high protein diet and Natividad Farm's vermi is rid of the over production.

Originally I titled this as Worm Bank...owing to the amount of worms in this farm. But, the stress it brought to the chicks was the point I wanted to bring out after reviewing the video.

Stressful matters may be turned out to good...if properly handled :)

Passion

When we got an inquiry for day old chicks from Natividad Farms, we were fully booked at that time. They made inquiries and studied other options. We were referred to them by Andry and Jojie Lim and because of the referral, I was under the impression that they have knowledge already on taking care of chicks. Finally we made bookings...the series of questions and phone calls that followed led to conclusion that the chicks will be handed to eager first time chickeners.

The day before we make the delivery, we learned that what they know was based on readings and no actual experience yet :( We were supposed to go visit with Andry and Jojie but that meant several days later....w/c might make it too late and we regret.

We lost no time and asked if we can go visit today, less than 24hrs after delivery of day old.

From the time they were monitoring us on the way, setting a meeting place for driver to meet us to guide us along the way, to the hats (to keep you comfortable as you walk around) that was handed to us the moment we came down from the van....

See that Sunflower???? I felt the good vibes....we knew this was a great New Year and Valentine's Day...to meet and spend time with passionate natural farmers!

The brooder was like walking into a hospital's nursery and into an incubator. You enter an ante room and you close the front door first so you lock out whatever...or so you lock in what is supposed to be inside :) Just like watching Flash Gordon when I was a kid...you get to digest the fusion of natural farming and conventional SOPs. All these are better seen and experienced, than read about.

A visit to the farm was really an awesome experience. Aside from the cleanest farm (you'd think you were in Singapore ahahahha) we have ever seen that is all Filipino, the delicious buffet that included the freshest salad just picked.

The owner, Ed Fajardo, was the most engaging host! After all that walk and kwentos, we were so starved....oh by the way, we didn't have breakfast yet when we drove there. We thought we can make a quick stop but traffic got us side tracked. We looked forward to devouring the buffet.

You know what stopped us???? Ed's story about his mother teaching them that when invited to a dinner table, you refuse thrice...3X!!!!!! Then you smile and accept invitation but get a small amount of food. He was telling us all these as I was gobbling my salad and getting two servings of my Buko Pandan! Geezzz...I could have ate a lot more.

Next time I go there...I have to repeat this to Ed. It will be an anecdote about Natividad Farms...named after the Fajardo matriarch.

You have to go there. We will bring our Sunshine growers to go visit....it is an eye opener for determination, ambition and passion. It does bring you somewhere.

Every space is utilized. You see a vegetable manufacturing processing line. No wasted area. No garbage as the banker in Ed makes everything work for him. Your trash is his need.

It all started with African Night Crawlers. Then he had to find how to get rid of the fast reproduction. How? Get Sunshine :)

Go look for the brand of Natividad Farms in naturally raised products. Now vegetables. I assure you, the most loved, cleanest and sweetest vegetables. The farm is run efficiently. Who said a farm has to be thought as backyard endeavor?

Soon, naturally raised Natividad chickens :)