Necessity

Water is one.

In our visit to Platinum Island Farm, we came from the top and as we were descending the road that leads us to the farm, I spotted this blue drum and told my company that we are near as I see a semblance of a water tank. You know how we have those blue drums as water reserve containers?

I forgot all about that sighting and when we were being toured around the farm and saw THIS! OMG...this was the small blue drum from the top!

You need water for everything...cleaning, feeding. You have to make sure you have a source of water all the time.

Going Back To What You LIke And Have

I learned a lot of things last Wednesday (boy why is it spelled that way). We, together with Zac Sarian and Doc Rey went to Batangas to conduct a seminar that merits another post, and to visit a grower near by.

This grower I remember well because he had attended a seminar thrice, yes 3X. First, maybe then he was scouting what to do. 2nd, by then he knew he wanted to grow Sunshines and he brought a partner with him to attend. 3rd, he just got his first batch and maybe wasn't confident about it or he just needed to be reassured that he was doing right.

On the way to the farm, Doc Rey was always mentioning that this was the one who wanted to do some work with drug rehab guys as he just got out of rehab. I wasn't paying attention as this man was middle aged already...but then, Doc Rey did visit him already some two weeks back...

Because I know his loading schedules, I was expecting to see a free ranging batch and a brooding batch. Gone are the supposed to be ranging batch as it got bought in one flash. In Doc Rey's last visit, he mentioned the availability of RTR in this farm to another vet friend. Good the referral got through.

I told you, there is a market for the "ready to range" RTR as we call it.

The grower started talking...how he loved farming even as a kid...but he got wayward...etc etc. He spent 8 yrs in rehab, he is now 54...not yet graduated from rehab fully. So it means he was in rehab since he was about 46, but was dependent for like almost 30yrs. So Doc Rey was right!

People who know me know how blatantly open I talk (others will say tactless), so I said good he wasn't affected! He talks intelligently, he doesn't move in slow motions. He is very well mannered. I wouldn't have guessed.

Getting side tracked! My real point here is that when he wanted to recreate his life, he went back to what he knew he wanted to do but never did...farming :) He had good friends and family who propped him up. Working as scaffoldings, but not as crutches for him..w/c is really good, I think.

He saw this idle farm of his friend and the friend offered him to spend time here and work together. Step one, he was going to farm. In the process he was enjoying, working and being productive. Things he hadn't done for a long time. Now, he even wants to give projects to similar drug dependents still in rehab. He is so happy with a clean life that he wants to do everything all at the same time.

Hold it :) Focus....

He was looking the other way :)

Then Zac Sarian showed him the mature Kalamansi Trees. It just needed some caring and fertilizing. It was already mature and should be very productive with a little work done on it. Much like our farmer here, don't you think? :)

These Kalamansi Trees will give income to the farm.

Our farmer stopped and listened. Saw the light.

Then he talked about expansion. Very excited because he is seeing the prospects in the first small ventures.

Next to the Kalamansi Trees...ready for use :)


When you don't know where to start or what to do for the first steps. Go back to yourself and enter your heart...then look out around you.

Summer Jobs

The new farm is right across the elementary school of the Barangay and the thought of training and giving allowance to the older students entered my "thought balloon" when we were starting to develop the area.

It will be offered to those interested and able to carry the jobs of feeding, watering and cleaning pens. It will teach them the basics of poultry management, entrepreneurship, discipline, and following the chain of authority. Aside from poultry management, I think all those traits are very important to an individual.

Most times, when students are made to do projects, they feel heavy about it as it is a task that is a "have to do". In this case, they will go into it only if they are interested. Plus, they will be compensated in some manner, depending on work done....somewhat like a grading.

The education is on the young minds level. They should also learn the value of agriculture based jobs and take pride in it. Not "just a farmer" but "A farmer" :)

BTW, this post was titled Summer Job only because that topic is all over the radio, TV and print media. But, I had this "thought balloon" before Summer and wanted to implement it during school year. By Summer next year, the project would have been in place. Then maybe, it will be ongoing for Summer break.

FarmVille On Real

For those with Facebook accounts, am sure you know what Farmville is. Everyone is at it...ok...almost everyone.

For us FBers who are real farmers, we watch with awe. If the zeal and passion you guys have in planting, harvesting and helping your cyber neighbors are translated into the real world...WOW, we will not be hungry and we will not need the imports.

Agriculture is what we should fall back on. Food is basic. No, we are not saying that we should ALL go into farming....we need a balance. But as of now, agriculture is looked down on and that maybe the reason that a lot of people may have the passion for it, but are discouraged by society. Tsk tsk tsk

When tending to Sunshines, we get a lot of feedback that it brings bonding to family members.

Hahahhahahha...same with Farmville. I know of some couples who are hardly on speaking terms, moreso not on one another's Facebook account as friends. But because of Farmville, the need to have neighbors to stay up on the game...they included one another and now help each other tend their plots.

It even made me peep at Farmville for the first time today. Cute, colorful, enticing....I didn't want to start on this now. I have heard how some people do wake up at dawn to harvest their crops in cyberland. I have a real farm that keeps us busy! Take the trip with us :)

As my FB status earlier said " Go eat Healthy! Grow your own food...or buy from us :)"