Grass Height

People ask if they should just let their grass grow?

Sunshines love soft grass. If you have an unused area and the grass is tall, cut them down to about one (1) inch. Let it rest first before you let out a batch to range in the newly cut area. Why wait? Because the Sunshines will attack the sprouts as soon as they come out and the grass won't have the opportunity to thicken.

For this photo, why didn't we cut? This is not a ranging area, it is where the ready to slaughter wait to be picked up. No shade in our farm's entrance, so the tall grass acts as umbrellas :)

Eyes Teach

That isn't a grammatical error nor wrong spelling. But it does have a double meaning, come to think of it as I type now :)

What do we want to point out here?

1) Cages, which doubled as brooders, need no permanent walls. Nets were used to safeguard from predators. Nets are also easy to lift or to unfold as needed. It was convenient to free them Sunshines on the range.

2) The range has to be rested now and rotated as there was no grass anymore. That was taken about over a week ago and the flock was transferred to the waiting area for harvest. It is located towards the gate, where it is more convenient to harvest as far as logistics will be concerned.

They run to where the grass is..or whatever is left.

3) There is a fence. Not too high, about 6ft tall, and material used was a net. They have a short wing span and can't fly that height. They respect barriers :) They don't force themselves and break the division.

4) Oh no...that flock wasn't responsible for the "putak-putak" sound. That is from the layers that was ranged near by. It was laying time for them and they were noisily doing their thing.

5) Did you notice that the lower portion of the fence was darker? It was reinforced. Over the years, the common complaint is the chickens are able to escape because of holes in the lower portion. Most times, those holes are made my rats and the chickens find those small holes and work their way to freedom :)

Doc Rey decided to have the lower portion have cyclone wires and reinforced by plastic screens. The net will suffice for the top portion...of course for aesthetics and ease, you may have net from top to bottom.

Eye Level

Look at the grass as they way they see it :) Note how alert and excited they are....it is obvious in their eyes.

See how happy they are when the brooding cage is opened and they are let out free to range for the first time!

Look how they go through grits and pebbles. Don't worry. That is good for them. That gets into the gizzard and those grits are the ones that grind what they eat.

These preparations for an instructional video is making us more sensitive to the needs of the chickens and the neophyte farmer. Much just like this blog and the seminars we do, it is geared for the lay person who has to start from ABC. The video will be appreciated more. As we try to make it easier for you, we are observing the chickens more...thus we are learning other new things too.

Education never stops. We continue to learn from one another...and from the Sunshines. Observe.

Expansion

Made a quick trip to Isabela to assess movements of ranging areas in farm.

Our present location of 1 hectare for chickens is now old and has to be left for a while to rest....we mean really rest. Not just rest for 2months but like deep massage and laser treatments :) With all the fertilizers that the Sunshines have scattered there for about 2yrs now, our caretaker is raking and allowing the land to aerate and breathe.... uuhhmmmmmmm....

We are acquiring a similar area right beside us. Since we have shades and trees in our present location, we can build houses and ranges asap, like a back to back to our present set up.

Today, another 3 hectares have been acquired about two (2) stones throw away. Near but far, perfect. This will take time and planning as we want to build canals around and within...to make small fishponds and default barriers amongst ranges. Planting live fence all around for wind breakers. Installing the combat wire we have taken down from Fairview. When the combat wires are laid on the perimeter, soon after grass will grow around it, and not even cattle can push it down.

Meantime, planning and developing takes time....just like why we like our chickens...slow developed and full bodied taste. Planting materials to be gathered for live fence, and fruit trees that will keep us busy as we get older. Of course, vegetable plots for the food we grow ourselves.

Size

It is in the taste..that Sunshine is bought :)

When we started started our Sunny Rotisserie, we were doing the mid-sized chickens. Not ready for the response and the snowballing of the sales, by end October we ran out of that size. The next batch was ranging and will take two (2) more weeks.

Because we were growing for the dressed Sunshine market for Metro Manila for marketing purposes, we had available the large sized chickens. Wary how the market will take it as they were used to the mid-sized one already. So relieved and surprised that the sales didn't skip a beat, nor a note :) Prices had to be increased because of the size difference. It was OK for the market!

Last night saw Sunny roasting again the mid-sized ones. Clients didn't complain as the price of course was commensurate.

Proof of the reason for their coming...the taste!

The more we are excited to open in Metro Manila, after trying the Santiago City Isabela market.

Time

You have given them the proper spacing, temperature, feeding and brooding care. At 21days, they are set to the range and just have shelter for them to run to when raining. They are allotted the suggested 1 sq meter per bird for ranging area.

You forgot to count the days for harvest time....Now you walk through the ranging area and you notice that the area is almost bald. Take some to get average weights. You'll be surprised that they will now be close to your 1.5k...must be about 50days now?


Be observant...senses will still be your best guides.

We've Had This For A Long Time Now

Since July 2008, we have the blacks, striped pharaoh looking, the dark red brown and the mocha colors. Look at the picture then (notice those were still our old chick boxes):


And the ready for slaughters now, as being displayed at Agrilink 2009: The blacks, Pharaoh/Cleopatra looking, dark brown reds, mochas and the Naked Necks.
It is not a new line nor strain for us.

What we have coming...I say coming soon in March 2010, because the Certified Parent Stocks are here already and not coming at an undetermined date :) So what is to expect? The Starshine Golden Egg Layers and another strain of broilers that will add color to your wonderfully green farm.

For Sure There Is Sunshine

Very thankful that our shipment of Certified Parent Stocks from SASSO of France came the day before, September 25. Day before Ondoy's wrath. Had we had been scheduled for the 26th flight, maybe flight had been cancelled by then. If the flight got through, maybe by the time we were able to clear Customs at 11am, the traffic and floodwater had deemed the roads closed?

This importation had been delayed already as there were clearances from France that had to be met and we had to reschedule hatching dates.

Now look at our new babies:


We have brought in two new strains, aside from our original redbrown, our naked necks. Now, we have a tricolored bird and the golden brown egg layers.


We will have them debut in six (6) months :)

One thing is sure, there will always be Sunshine.

Colorful Day

8:45am was the ETA, but my livestock broker said that barring any problems, he should be able to release about 11am.

Yes, our batch of Certified Parent Stocks from SASSO of France arrived today.

Since it was for call at 11am, I took time. Bank duties, had coffee at a leisurely pace etc. By a little after 9am, my broker calls and says that the SASSO colored chicks had been released! Surely I will credit Odi's good job, and the perfect working vibes we have with the French company :)

The vehicle to transport was there already, but I was set for 11am...."can you wait for me pls so I can see our new babies"?

After some clicks clicks, the chicks were on their way to their new farm. Chitchats with the other livestock brokers there as we were on the same flight with two other importers. Very showbiz talks about what's happening and what didn't happen weheheheh.

Decided to relax and spend the day with colors around me.. for prosperity. Prosperity for the shops at Podium ahahahahha.

We have new strains, in addition to our basic red, our naked necks. As I said, colorful :)

Its Loading Time

Time of the year that everyone is preparing for Christmas' stocks and inventory. Food is the first thing that a family spends for so our Sunshine farmers are now planning loading schedules.

The long range planners started loading in August till early September. Why? Their niche markets want the large sized chicken roasters. Not only does it look good when served, but a 90-120days old Sunshines have slowly developed that taste that it is known for :)

The ones who load now are centered on the Christmas weeks till New Year :) Their market wants the smaller sized ones.

In last year's Agrilink, we were sold out on the dayold chicks! We knew that by Christmas 2008, the word will be spread around that we did taste like "native chicken".

I gifted our lawyer a couple of weeks back and his reaction was: it looks very appetizing due to the macho size, and you really sink in your teeth to the flavor.

Know your market.

Plan For Value

Often discussed is housing materials to be used. We always said, "use what you have already around you, stocked in bodegas or ready to be thrown away".

What do we end up often with? Tarpaulins, rusty steel sheets, rusty and precut steel bars, brittle and precut wood etc.

Ok so we start with those and make our shelters.

We have instant housings, we save the cost to buy materials and almost no labor because we sort of jigsaw puzzle pieces that need no care anymore :)

What now?

It will be great for several uses. Example with tarpaulins. I was at the farm today as we are building new ranging areas. I thought about moving materials only but then, the tarpaulin is not just old (it was already to start with)...it is now rags. Like can't be used! Being out in the heat and rains...it was literally weathered out.

I will still say..."use what you have already"...

Most important is going through the learning curve of raising the Sunshines. After we get a straighter line in our graph, and we are thinking about increased production...THEN we think about more cost efficient housings.

Remember, we didn't buy at the beginning...so its ok to have them turn into pumpkins for now :) Baby steps.

Now we are constructing small poultry buildings with wood that we got from a demolished structure. Higher level....not throw away stuff, but good lumber and roofing sheets. Actually, the ones from demolished old buildings are better than buying new ones.

Be Creative With Your Resources

What do you have around you? Start with what interests you...work around those and develop a concept.

We had been concentrating on the dressed Sunshines. We had Adobo, home cooked, simple recipe. It was loved by balikbayans and were purchased as pasalubongs.

I had always toyed with the idea of having these vacuum packed for ready to eat and take as gifts. We knew already that our packaging withstood plane luggage packings and was perfect for comfort food gifts.

Brought up those ideas to others...but then maybe some don't want to think out of the box. I always turn boxes inside out and see what's being hidden.

The Ultimate Taste Test of Our Awesome Planet opened our eyes more and reiterated my vision for the cooked food market. They loved the Adobo and wanted to get it. It was originally meant to be the taste test medium, but looks like water seeks its own course and it was blatantly there that we can't shove it aside.

Now, what are we up to? We will be starting with Sunshines in Adobo, Dinuguan and Kaldereta.

It will be included in our delivery to your homes and will be showcased in Agrilink 2009.

Frozen, vacuum packed...ready to thaw and eat :) Have you thawed about it?

Sunny This Morning

Every morning, Sunshines are freshly slaughtered, dry rubbed and roasted to give you the 100% lasang native Sunny.

This morning, I went to the farm and was there in time for the selection. Some were under tall grasses....yes sir, these are just tall grasses. Seems like small trees to big chickens wehehehehe. Come to think of it, those types of grasses are nice to have around as shades.
These batch walked themselves to the cage. Maybe they saw what the modus operandi were for the past days, and decided that they won't bother tiring themselves running around...only to get caught later.

Its past 2pm now. The signs in the outlet is partly up. The signs people had to stop as operation of the rotisserie is soon to start. I thought I'd be abe to show off the Sunny Store today to you :)

Sunny

It is for Isabela. At least for Santiago City, this morning.

Remember back, I bought a rotisserie oven meant for the chickens? It was never started, not even opened. Yesterday, while toying with something new to do....we made a call to an electrician, and yes he can install pronto. Made a call to the farm to slaughter ten (10) chickens weighing 1.5kg. Instructed to season with salt and pepper and to bring it at 6pm to the proposed outlet.

By 5pm, the proposed outlet was being swept....it had been abandoned for sometime. By 6pm, the chickens were being inserted into the bars.... YIKES, it wasn't a simple task to just put them into those rods. It needs experience and know how. Easier said than done! But they are machines, and we are humans. After several trials and errors, we got them going merrily around without falling wings nor legs :)

By 7pm, we got it broiling....to perfection till a litle after 8pm. Hey, they taste great. That rotisserie looked intimidating but was simple to use.

How are we going to call the chickens? Because the sun was up this morning.....I am inclined to call the SUNNY.

Taglines? I have several now in my little notebook. To be discussed with my sign printer who I am meeting later today. Don't want to preempt my AD taglines now.

So there, we had been equipped for a while. Had to wait for proper timing and motivated personnel.

Actually, we are just setting this up and turnkey operation to a loyal staff of ours. It was offered to others, but some people don't have the talent to spot opportunities nor business ideas.

Welcome to Sunny!

Philippine Free Range Chicken

Been very busy that we didn't notice our 2nd year passed by :)

Some people have commented that in such a short time, we had made a name for Sunshine Chicken in the Philippine free range chicken industry. Competitors have even been telling some of our friends that they have no need to pay for advertising....they just ride on our work! How they ride on us, is pretty obvious :)

Advertising, marketing all stems from hard work. And that is really where we credit the branding that Sunshine Chicken is now.

What may point to hard work?

1) You have to change automobile tires every year
2) There is a vehicle in maintenance check up mode in car dealers' service centers all the time
3) There is a need for a 3rd vehicle for your use as one is always on maintenance or coding...and vehicles have to rest too
4) You forget what day of the week it is
5) Need like 24 uniforms....as you don't get home to wash clothes
6) Two sets of luggage as one is unpacked and the other is on standby
7) Faces and names get harder and harder to match together
8) Plane tickets are like booklet passes
9) Phone bills that run to +++
10) When you phone a hotel, the frontdesk knows what room to give you :)

I can go on and on...but what's best after all that?

1) Everyone knows you wehehehehehhe...it can be fun as you instantly are not alone in a room full of people
2) Plane, bus and car rides are best times to catch on sleep
3) Camaraderie formed with others on the road are nice to look forward to. Friends have been made because of Sunshine!
4) Work on consumer awareness to eating healthy food has gained a lot of mileage since we started
5) We get average of 600+ pages read on this blog DAILY....visitors are about 150 average DAILY
6) Marketing is my main work....and it allows me to be on the internet :)

Because we enjoy what we are doing, I will not really call it hard work...but more like focused and honest deeds.

Let us help you, so we can all grow together.

Simply Good

That was early lunch today, just before the monthly seminar, today being the 4th Sunday.

There was nothing special to celebrate :) Doc Rey wanted to get dressed weight and cooking shrinkage...weehehehhe, that's the reason why we did this great roast.

Don't ask me now the results of that test....my assignment was to instruct to season with salt and pepper and ask that lemongrass (tanglad) be placed in the cavity, before charbroiling.

We asked that this be cooked in a lechonmanokan near us. That I know...it took 30mins to cook this 1k Sunshine. We had two (2) whole chickens cooked and left one for them to try.

They are used to selling white chickens and were excited to taste the Sunshines....which they described as having an "international taste"!

I will take that the adjective meant it tasted GREAT and different from what they are used to. Besides, there was no mind boggling marinades used nor perfunctory sawsawans...not even pickles. Surely, their manoks were fat and plump....but these lean Sunshines were taste packed.

Timing that a supplier we work a lot with, showed us his fruit stand in a good traffic area. He wants to do take out inasal. He is a true blood Visayan, and knows his bisaya manok inasal.

THE_start

When Zac Sarian, Doc Rey and I made the Feb trip to Davao for the PVMA, it was primarily for Doc Rey and his seminar. Zac and I knew we were going to enjoy Durian and whatever comes our way after. I asked Tere of Earthkeepers to set us up with the infamous Andry and Jojie Lim, and of course a farm visit with her co-author Dante Delima.

That trip was enjoyable and educational. Doc Rey was only with the group for the lastday, so what we saw was just heresay for him :) When he saw Andry's and Jojie's naturally farmed pigs....he had a lot of questions. Very normal for a veterinarian. We would take that he didn't know his craft, if he accepted the natural farming practice without resistance. That is granting that he is a veterinarian of the 80s.

Things happen and get delayed for reasons....

1) We are working on a book for "Raising Sunshines". Busy schedules have sidelined it, but it is all ready to be edited, illustrated and printed.

2) While brainstorming for Kaunlaran sa Agrikultura over DWWW, an idea flashed for a nice segment. We will keep quiet on this first :)

3) Jojie got different batches of free range chicks and was able to compare growth. She wanting to be more conclusive, she got a 2nd batch.

4) Our seminar in Davao coincided with a time that Andry and Jojie were also in Davao and had the time to go visit farms and showed us their Sunshine chicks.

5) Those visits were eye openers to both parties. Doc Rey was now asking Andry and Jojie a lot of questions. We now had all the time, no rush, to rationalize and put perspective to why science and natural farming should work together and learn from one another. The Lims also saw the logic to what a veterinarian's experience, knowledge and steadfast science has to offer in terms of team play.

They were discussing beddings, feeds, length of intestines, fermented juices etc....

Doc Rey was so awed and renewed after seeing how Tibaw is able to sustain his farm. Seeing the fishes happy and swimming in the dikes...from where he was eating freshly caught fish and really good vegetables in his tinolang manok.

You can see the excitement in his voice, questions and voice! No doubt, everyone's never ending thirst for knowledge will work in sharing. One must study new things, to take care of what's old.

6) Lightbulb!!!! My initial concept for the radio segment may now be translated "in writing", in series and will be for distribution nationwide. Verbal agreements made and final discussion over cafe latte, decaf, green tea and frapuccino....four (4) people, four (4) different drinks. Diverse personalities that blend and meet. Four of us, Andry, Jojie, Doc Rey and I. There is incidentally a 5th person involved for a cameo role.

See for yourself the baby steps....things happened so fast that I missed the most symbolic...when Andry, from below, was throwing the sacks of rice straws to Doc Rey at street level. Doc Rey catching it and Jojie was lugging it to the trunk. As usual, I was comfortably seated under a shade....taking pictures as a disguise for being so tamad.


Symbolic also is how you see Andry and Doc Rey in pictures? Jojie is behind, below or simply taking pictures. Same with me.

Teasers? Let's hope the ones in the background work faster....as we have the "TO DO" assignments.

Easers to be done....to ease the mind of farmers :) Options will be offered to you...you choose what is a workable blend for you. Team play dictates no right nor wrong. Let us come up with our own "3in1" for you.

If we didn't tickle your mind to what we are up to....then we have to reinvent ourselves.

Sunshines In Eden

Years ago, I got a call to call a "room 911"..I thought it was a joke! Same thing now, I wasn't sure about going to Eden :) The trip was fun filled because of the company we had and going through the winding road of the mountains seeing Mt Apo was a clue to what we will see. I was enjoying eating my whole Marang, drumstick style....just gorging on the fruit while holding on to the stem. Wasn't sure if I wanted to put down my Marang, but equally excited to see the chirping chicks.

The farm is perfectly nestled on the slopes of a very cool and quiet Eden. The Sunshines have a perfect view of the city.

No wonder they were weighing in perfectly when we saw them at 21days. The ranging area as being prepared. As of today, they were happily sipping their water, viewing the fantastic view

Alternatives

In these trying times, you always seek ways to gain and save, learn to unlearn, move forward to go back to basics, withdraw to be able to give, meet problems to find solutions, find alternative routes in all aspects....

Presented with a problem of supply, some industrial consumers opt to raising their own consumption. Sunshine Chickens need the space for ranging and you look for land that is cheaper to buy. You find ways to cross rivers to get at the other side :) Don't worry, come rainy season, there is a road that leads to that land, though 20kms farther.

He had tasted Sunshine Chicken from our stocks of dressed chickens used for marketing purposes during trade shows. The go-go entrepreneur decided he can use this for new recipes he had in mind. Conservative start, he loads 5,000 heads as he will easily consume that in 3weeks, so he may cycle brooders.

One week after, we visit to check on brooding. We cross again the river....oh yes, this time I made sure I had batteries charged for my documentation :)

The Sunshines look great in 7days. The chicks are moving around comfortably. Well fed, enough space, clean surroundings and beddings...good start.


Since they used former pig pens, they were advised to make holes/windows in the pen's walls, for ventilation. Or, they may install bamboo flooring so they elevate the chicks and they have more air. They opted to make the brooding area large and divided the 5,000 chicks into several pens. Consequently, they will need more gas brooders as more pens were used. To answer that problem, they elected to use charcoal/rice hull for heating. Placed inside drums, with holes all around, to distribute the heat evenly. A very clever and practical way of saving.

Summer is here and the sun's orientation is bad for the brooding area. I overheard Doc Rey suggesting to speed up the ranging area already as outdoor brooding is feasible for this farm. There are 14hectares, a lot of trees....so we can play with a lot of shaded areas.

Movable chicken pens are being constructed, with elevated flooring of bamboo slats. Nets are being ordered. The ranging Sunshines will surely do a lot of fertilizing here.

I was getting restless after walking around and taking pictures. Peeked inside what is obiously the caretakers' lounging area, as it is where the loud music was blaring from. I have to say I always get touched by the way an employer takes care of the employees. Says a lot about them. No junk here for the farm people. He saved on some, but takes care of what is essential and comfort for his men.

Oh btw, the naked necks are showing to be doing very well in the onset of Summer :) See how they love showing off their skin. As they say...flaunt it!

Can We Order All Naked Necks?

Yes.

We give preference to the growers for the supply of the Naked Necks. The excess is then made available at the Solraya outlets (Fairview, Solano, Santiago City and Vigan City).

The growers who have been ordering this have observed that it is sturdier, more stable...but it is a slower developing strain, than the full feathered ones.

Don't let the slower developing adjective deceive you. We know that it takes time to acquire taste.

Let me know if you want to book all Naked Necks, so we may prepare them for you.