Variagated Guava and Mama Sita Banana

Last week our Philippines for Natural Farming, Inc group had a farm tour.

1st stop was at the Teresa Orchard of Mr. Zac Sarian. Everyone's jaw dropped when we saw this Mama Sita tree. Maurie Ocampo, who's grown and traded bananas before said he never saw this big variety before. Counting it, one heart can have around thirty (30) bunches!

When we visited AANI Urban Garden in Antipolo, we walked past through fruit trees in containers.  Notice the trees behind the Mama Sita?  They were in containers too.   Good thing about these? They are mobile and transportable, since they are planted in big plastic bins. No reason for your trees to get damaged in strong winds, as you will be able to move them to sheltered areas.

Best thing?  Great as gifts...don't you think so?  For someone who has everything...almost...it will be nice to give a Sampalok Tree with all the flowers in bloom with fruits...or look, is that a Guava?

Step closer...yes  variagated Guava!

The fruit is also striped...

Sweet!  Don't think it had a variagated taste to it.  With my eyes closed, it was simply a Guava.

You know, after I took a second bite, the striped fruit fell to the ground.  I brushed it and ate it all up.  AANI Urban Farm was into organic farming anyway hahahhaha.

Going back to the fruit trees in containers...sound business idea. Thing is you need to patience to wait for it to grow to a good market size price :)

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.

Worth Our While

Agrilink 2009 was very good for us. Inspite of most exhibitors' laments that attendance was low, sales were bad...it was tremendously great for us. Granting that the recent calamities didn't allow the expected number of visitors, we were very busy detailing and entertaining. There are normally six (6) of us at any given time in the booth, and no one ate on time.

Our sales on dayold chicks tripled for retail compared to last year's, and orders for deliveries have been booked keeping us busy for the next weeks to come. Dressed chickens were brought for display purposes but we saw that on day1, people knew about our product and were walking up to us specifically to purchase the dressed Sunshines. By the last day, we were sold out quite early! After a day's rest, we have instructed to personnel to look into an unscheduled dressing, as our freezers are empty....a nice problem huh?

What do we account the interest to?

1) Word of mouth - A lot of clients were repeat customers plus the referrals and new ones who saw us

2) Experience - Same with the dressed Sunshines, they heard us through the chicken vine :)

3) Neighborhood - Someone from the large booth across us asked me if the set up of Teresa Orchard, Sunshine Chicken and AANI were all owned by one person. I asked why? He said because from ingress to 3day sales...everyone in the booths were helping one another. That is from food, supot, tali, answering inquiries, panukli etc etc etc....its not just about business.

4) Passion - We really love what we are doing and earnestly believe in our product.

5) Competition :) - We continue to reinvent ourselves and compete solely with our selves.

6) You - Fast learners. Over the years, you allowed our team to educate you about eating well and healthy. You also learned to grow your own food. You continued to learn with us.

Actually, trade shows are there to benefit you. I hope it was also worth your while.

AANI ng Sunshine Chicken at Teresa Orchard

Double meaning...yes. But either way, you get the image and feeling of collaboration :)

We were at ingress early this morning for our outdoor booths at Agrilink 2009. On my right is Teresa Orchard of Zac Sarian and on my left is the retail of AANI (Agri Aqua Network International).

Pol Rubia has set up our tents and we peeped early to see how simple and doable we can show housing for our Sunshines. We go back later this afternoon to just hang nets, and kubo housing.

We are next to fantastic structures, but we planned it this way....we use the difference to accent our advantages :)

Our friend supplier of SM Supermarkets was complaining today that not all SM outlets are able to move his goods. I said "think of it the other way....you are creating a certain market and you are sticking to it...SM may ride on it". O diba?

Agrilink Is Coming!

Read about it here.

Time flies by us so fast that we are now cramming for Agrilink 2009's preparations. Slated for October 8-10.

I have always stayed indoors while Doc Rey and rest of the staff stayed in our outdoor booth. This time, we will consolidate our efforts and have an outdoor setup, beside Teresa Orchard.

Why excites me about the outdoors?
1) We may serve you earlier and after the Agrilink's formal hours.
2) We are able to setup a more realistic and doable display.
3) Seminars may be conducted everyday, even 2x a day. One on one consultations are easier with visuals.

Doc Rey will be around the whole time to do FREE small group seminars. More like 10am and 3pm daily :)

Duku Lanzones

Been so busy with work and relaxing...with relatives, friends and alone :)

One of the friendship trips we did was going to Laguna, Magdalena and Liliw. No chickens, no chicken talk...just eating and talking.

I did both beside this Duku Lanzones tree. It was the sweetest and easiest Lanzones to eat for me. The origin was from Thailand. It was easy to open, hardly any latex so not yukky to handle. Seeds were not bitter. It was sweet but had that bite of a Lanzones.

Literally, I stood by the tree while chatting with friends. When we had to walk further and away, I spotted another tree and stood by there!

Little did I know that Zac Sarian took pictures of me in several phases of my studying, tasting and eating to my heart's content. I hope he doesn't play on me and publish those unguarded moments.

I now see the importance of planting and planting. That farm we went to was just heaven with all the various fruiting trees and coolness the shades brought.

Exotic fruit trees are available at Teresa Orchard, Teresa, Rizal. We will carry these trees in our new location in Cubao.

Teresa Orchard Revisited

Caught the Agri office of Tanza, Cavite at Teresa Orchard as they were starting to make the rounds. Fruit tasting session as we were going around the place. By the time we went back to the receiving area, they had changed their minds about their original orders :)

Will it be crunchy mangoes or the Abiu? More of latexless Langka or Pomelo?

If you are interested in rare fruit trees, Teresa Orchard is the place to get them from. A lot are planted in big containers..makes it movable and great gifts for special people.

Timely that we brought Sunshines that were made into Tinolang Manok. Their first batch of recipients are due to harvest by the end of July, so they were discussing about events they can mark the date with.

After tasting the "lasang native" Sunshines, they can now proudly and knowingly talk about their produce.

Come End Of May

Or Start of June?

Depends of you see the glass half full or half empty :)

What am I saying? We had our 1st egg drop from the 2nd batch of our Parent Stocks, now from SASSO (thank God!). The Parent Stocks from SASSO of France had been good from the day it arrived as day old chicks. No mortality at the airport, packed well, alive and chirpy. Hardly any mortality during the grow out period and gave a 38g 1st egg drop. Very good sign, in comparison to our initial batch of Parent Stocks from another company. Really glad that we made the switch.

2nd weekend at Market at the Hills. Enjoyable, relaxing. Good venue for consumer awareness and developing the niche market some of the growers are targeting. This also serves as my respite....as I have encountered numerous friends from way back, and not too distant past. I guess that is why I don't find MATH weekends as work, its like throwing a duck into a pond.

You have to go try the native chocolate drink at Manna Specialty Bakery. It was really good. Just right. Not too sweet nor thick. Sarap to dip your bread from Manna :)

If you care to gift your parents, grandparents or yourself some exotic fruit trees, go to Market at the Hills on Saturdays. Teresa Orchard will have their miniature Macopas from Indonesia and Abiu available. Free taste test of the produce...it will make you want to grow your own trees.

Teresa Orchard

One early morning, we saw Teresa Orchard for the first time. I had saved this contact number a long time ago, vowed to visit it a hundred times in the past.


Have you heard about Abiu? Similar to a Caimito, has a caramel like taste. They look like Avocados in my pictures...because...I already ate all the ripe ones before remembering to document them.

See those little green seeds atop the tree? They will be the future Durian fruits :)

The selection of rare and exotic fruit trees is extensive there at Teresa Orchard. They are also the same people behind Secret Garden Of Doris, along Sumuong Highway in Antipolo.