Batangas Visit

First on our agenda was to visit Rumandan Farms. It is literally a visit, because it is breeze dealing with this grower. From owner Gene, assistant Karen to farm manager Luis, it had always been easy transactions. Luis should find raising Sunshines "sisiw"....he was a Darag Coordinator for PCARRD for quite sometime and dealt with Doc Synan in the studies. He still maintained his Darag production, but as he says, the commercial quantity to serve consumers is still far, plus the fact that you can't predict harvest.

Until now, he gets and shares pointers with Doc Synan (grab a copy of Agriculture Magazine of Manila Bulletin for August 2008), making raising Sunshines easier for him.

Luis is in the process of opening a new range area and now plans to have a quadrant for every batch. He was surprised how this present batch of 200 wiped out grass in an area of 150sqm in less than 2weeks!

We didn't plan to have lunch there, but the aroma of kalderetang Sunshine from the kitchen, across the nipa hut where we sat, was calling or names distinctly. The fact that we hardly have rice with our meals, made the table spread seem too much. Well, the magic word was "seem"...na seemot ang table :)

We knew we will be there more often, after tasting Edwin's cooking and because they will load more chicks at more regular intervals.

Next stop was a farm near Malarayat Golf. Suggestions were made to correct feeding and housing as brooding stage wasn't managed well. But the chicks were so happy when we taught caretaker to chop a banana trunk and feed it to them...they were so excited.

Last stop was calling on dealers for the area as we had been getting a lot of inquiries from Batangas. We wanted to make sure that the link to the backyard farmers are established.

Alorible Day At MATH

I set up real early every weekend at Market At The Hills (MATH), that by the time I am ready to have breakfast, the others are still working on their tables.

Today was just like that, and I was engaging in small talk w/ Elena of Manna Specialty Bakery, as I was deliberating on a Banana Muffin or a Poppsyseed Bagel from her baskets of freshly baked goodies. Our talk drifted to blogging, bloggers etc...and as we both love desserts...of course we touched on Lori of Dessert Comes First.

I was telling Elena about how I was speaking to this couple with a daughter in tow during IFEX...then I noticed this MOLE! THE MOLE that is Lori's signature avatar :)...then I went... "Lori"? See...that was her!

Today was such a breeze. I finished all my stock real early and was eating and relaxing as I was killing time. Someone needed some smaller bills and I went to the faucet to wash my hands. From the corner of my eye...I see a MOLE....hmmmmmmmmmmmm...."Lori"???? Well yes, it was her! After some short talk about her being tampo that I indicated another food blog as a favorite...I told her not bagay to her to get tampororot :) Lori, you are my favorite for desserts! Food is not dessert :)

...she goes around the tables.

Then, I saw her get some bread from Manna...I didn't let this pass. I needed to take her pic for Elena :)

Even When It Rains, We Can Have Sunshine

Although it was a rainy day, I was excited for this month's seminar at Fairview because I can test the seminar toys we got to make the teachings more enjoyable by both parties.

The previous seminars were stressful moments: the projector wall area was always blurry, we didn't have a proper sound system and the room has an echo effect, the room can take in max of 20.

That had to change...plus the fact that we always did out of town seminars and we can't rely nor dictate on equipments!

We got a roll up and go, portable projector screen that weighs 6k, so easy to carry around. By changing the orientation on the room, we can now fit about 25-30 max. No more exerting your vocal chords? A lapel microphone that has a belt type amplifier.

Everything was great today. Power point and laser pointer that acts as mouse worked perfectly too :)

EDSA Garden House Seminar

What: How To Raise Grass Fed Chickens
When: August 16, 2008, 2pm (make sure you are there before 2pm, they close doors)
Where: EDSA Garden House Seminar Room, EDSA cor Quezon Ave, Manila Seedling Bank
Who: Doc Rey

This is free!

1st Philippine International Flora & Fauna

When we were invited to participate for the July 18-20 show, I was also very busy planning for our scheduled Cebu Food Expo, as they were just a week apart.

I looked forward to this event as it meant seeing friends in the industry everyday....but I ended up seeing friends and co workers from like 30yrs ago :)

The show went well, the organizers were on their toes from ingress to end, making sure we were all OK. I have to credit ICE, Inc for that.

The show was very successful for us. Got across to our target markets, and were able to educated consumers on having Sunshine in their lives.

Come To The 1st Rice Expo

It's ALL ABOUT the FILIPINO RICE

AANI posted this flyer in our booth during the Philippine International Flora & Fauna. It got a lot of attention. We hope it catches you too and attend the event :)

Of course we will be there!

Our 3rd Batch of Parent Stocks

Excitedly started my day at 4:30am, to fix up booth at Market At The Hills, leaving at 7:30 for a quick breakfast and check on booth at AANI FTI. By 9am, we were at World Trade Center for the 2nd day of the Philippine International Flora and Fauna Expo. By 9:45am I was at the airport for the arrival of our 3rd batch of Parent Stocks from SASSO of France.

See how healthy the Parent Stocks are? We also brought back the naked necks, after consulting our regular growers. After having interviewed Louis Perrault the last time and having seen the chicks....Zac Sarian have named it the "Hardy Naked Necks" :)


The chicks got to our breeding farm in perfect condition.

Maraming Salamat po.

Healthworld Expo 2008

October 2-4, SMX Convention Center, will have the Healthworld Expo 2008.

We will be joining this exhibit, incorporating Beauty, Health Care and Medical Tourism. It coincides with the Millionaire Show, a lifestyle expo.

Seminars and product discussions on the benefits of grass fed chickens will be presented.

Excited to take part in a different kind of trade show, a step higher, another level. It is a notch nearer to fuse our goals.

Register online here, to avoid lines.

Sunshine Chicks From SASSO, Coming Soon

Everyone seems to be waiting for the new Parent Stocks to produce the Sunshine Day Old Chicks. We ourselves can't wait to give you back in the Philippines, the world wide respected leader in the colored, free range chicken industry.

Our 2nd batch of Parent Stocks are now from SASSO of France. These are the Parent Stocks that will be giving your Sunshine Chicks in the next few weeks. From all indications , from day1 until the early egg drops, seems we made the right choice with SASSO :)

Our 3rd batch of Parent Stocks are arriving this week. Observe the timings. We periodically import and cull at the proper times.

Cebu Food Expo 2008

I was glad we did this show!


We got there for ingress, checked in at the Waterfront Cebu where the venue was...never even saw the shadow of the other show upstairs, Cebu Goes Culinary!

It exceeded our expectations. The visitors were focused and knew what they wanted and were at the show for a reason. Our conversations were aligned and limited to the taste and health benefits of eating Sunshines. Oh yes, we also got the inquiries from prospective growers, not just from Cebu but from the surrounding areas too.

Am sure this show will boost our growers in the Cebu area. This was their first real experience of how we market our Sunshine growers in trade shows. I hope the message was clear, we go all out in assisting in promotions.

Amongst the four growers, it was St. Mary's who had dressed Sunshines available at the show. Good timing for him that he made sure he would have his products in time for the Cebu Food Expo.

We look forward to our next visit in the Queen City of the South :)

AANI + Sunshine = MATH

The organic production of vegetables, fruits and herbs from the AANI Urban Farm in Antipolo, will be sharing our booth at Market at the Hills every Saturday and Sunday.

This will be a welcome move as it is very hard to refer to organic shops when you do not really know the source. We are always being asked for organic produce...now we are together in one stop.

We hope you find that our equation works :)

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.

Passed One Month At MATH

Why do I like Market At The Hills?

1) Small place, small crowds
2) I see friends from way back in elementary and high school all the time
3) The consumers take time to really know what the products are all about
4) The repeat customers are very appreciative and refer a lot
5) Stall holders are warm and help one another
6) I get to interact with the blog readers here

They want longer hours till 4pm. I'd say, why not open real early for the Breakfast crowd?

Come and visit....Saturdays and Sundays, opens at 7am, Corinthian Hills Clubhouse, along Temple Drive.

Vet Ng Bayan

Kaunlaran Sa Agrikultura, a radio program heard over DWWW 774khz, every Sunday at 4:30-7:30am, hosted by Nina Manzanares-Agu, Tony Rola and Zac Sarian, has done some reformatting.

Doc Rey had been named by Nina as their Vet Ng Bayan and is set to tackle informative topics about farm animals, just like a school on the air.

Hainanese Chicken Rice

We had this at KK in Cebu City. One grower there, St. Mary's Farm, supplies KK with the Sunshines, so we tried the recipe.

Being at Market at the Hills, I enjoy listening to wives and husbands interact and exchange recipes. One of the often discussed is Hainanese Chicken Rice. It must be trendy, basing from all the talk about it :) Trendy or heirloom...it is good!

One of my repeat customers for dressed Sunshines is a gentleman who asked me today if I had a recipe for the white chicken..."was that the Hainanese"? He replied yes. Too bad, none of the recipe groups were there to give light. He went off for a while to get some cash for me. I did a quick search to gift him when he comes back....

I got to this link as #1 on the search...recipe for Hainanese Chicken. Never tried this recipe, but it looks simple and you can almost taste and smell while reading it.

Why did I decide to blog about something I haven't tried?

Five minutes ago, I get a call from a restaurant specializing in Asian food, inquiring specifically about 90day old grass fed Sunshines. Out of the blue I asked if it was for Hainanese Chicken Rice...

You guessed right.

Sunshine Field Turn Over For Ranging Area

We set out today for lunch with AANI brains, Col Levi Viesca, and the Manila Boystown Complex staff.

The bamboo posts have been cut and ready to be erected for the fence of our first ranging area. House had been turned over too for use of AANI boys to man the vegetable plots and Sunshines.

We were told about twenty (20) of us for lunch, so we sent about 19+kilos of Sunshines. Half of which was inihaw and the other half was made into Tinola. You will see from the pictures how many ate.....wiped out! Mind you, we also had a lot of inihaw na hito..and still all vanished :)

Maybe the lunch was very good...that Col Levi Viesca suggested that the area infront be cleared and have a market started asap!

The market will be selling the organic vegetables and the Sunshine Chickens.

They all said... " LASANG NATIVE"!

See You At Cebu Food Expo 2008

We are ready for July 10-12 2008! Cebu Food Expo coincides with the Cebu Goes Culinary2008. This will be at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino. We will be at booth 827, near the seminar areas.

Seminars for Raising Sunshine Chicken will be scheduled during our stay in Cebu from July9-12. Our Sunshine growers in the area will be there to market their products.

Cebu Food Expo is scheduling us for two (2) seminars on the benefits of eating grass fed Sunshine chicken, both at the ground floor, Pacific Ballroom:

July 11, 5pm
July 12, 11am

See you at our booth for a more personal talk on raising Sunshines.

Getting Stuffed Inside The Trunk

We were following this car, with a sticker of a life size bloody hand that got caught by the door of the car's trunk. Eerie humor :) Gives you the picture of a lifeless body inside that dark, stuffy, and airless trunk.

Reminded me about a topic that was agreed upon, for those short radio segments. We decided to warn you not to put your Sunshine Chicks inside your car's trunk!

Saturday past, when I got to AANI Herbal Garden and Livelihood Center, the AANI Boy incharge of the Sunshine booth was on the phone with someone and talking about dead chicks. There must have been a great deal of misinterpretation and misunderstanding! Jeffrey must have said you can set it at the back (seat or whatever) surely, you can't let it sit inside the trunk, without fresh air :(

Anyway, things have been settled....

Bottomline....place yourself in your Sunshines' position. What you feel, they will too. Hot, need water? They too will :)

No Buy-Backs, No Contract Growings, BUT.....

Our regular growers know and see how we really market our Sunshine growers and not us :)

But you can't please all inquiries and it does exasperate even the most patient people who take your calls (surely I am not referring to myself lol).

Yesterday, Doc Rey got a call insisting about selling his produce. Mind you, he hasn't even started raising any. The call ended up in a sorry note. One got impatient, and it takes a lot to do that. The other one ended up getting mad because other companies are into buy-backs.

It was explained to him that our real line is producing and distributing the certified F1 Sunshine Day Old Chicks....BUT...our marketing is focused on our growers. I guess, unless you work hand in hand and side by side with us, you will not understand our dedication to this :)

We are a small entity, can't play with the other competitors on buy-back policies.

I still don't plan on doing buy-backs but I will strive to work harder to push my Sunshine growers.

Niche marketing is our focus. Each Sunshine grower will have to study their market and find their own niche.

BUT...we support all the way!

Dawn At AANI Sa Boystown

Early this year, the Department of Agriculture started a techno-demo farm, a joint initiative with Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim at the Manila Boystown Complex, Parang Marikina. It was a doable project, but if the supervisors were not focused nor passionate about the activity, it may not succeed. Eventually the project was abandoned.

The techno-demo farm and rehabilitation of idle land in Boystown was now offered to Agri Aqua Network International (AANI), the endeavor is still with Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and an able Col. Levi Viesca who is present at the site Mondays through Fridays. The City of Manila will assist in the marketing of the produce of the demo farms.

When we went there yesterday, we saw the initial work by Pol Rubia on the vegetable plots. They have already harvested and sold at the AANI markets.

We walked around and Pol showed us the spot alloted for the Sunshine Chicken. He had always been ecstatic about the project and where we will be. Now I understand fully. The place is perfect for urban farming. Thank you for our location! Right by the entrance (perfect security), beside the church, and it has a building that may be used for housing by the AANI boys and as brooder room.


Before our visit there yesterday, I was searching on Boys Town and that was when I read about the DA's techno-demo farm, during Mayor Atienza's time they wanted to convert this facility to a housing development and abuses allegedly committed by the former administrator :(

Walking through the facility is a humility reality check. Pol was talking with the boys and you can hear about not seeing parents, former street children etc. Now you see them playing, courteous although some are still aloof and wary of new faces like us. As for the senior citizens, they were waving at us :) Maybe thinking that not too long ago they were just our ages.

If you consider an agri-tourism-civic trip, AANI Sa Boys Town should be an option....

Sunshine At AANI Sa Boys Town!

LGU Tanza Makes Sure Farmers Earn

Teach them how to fish, don't give them fishes to eat...

There was a good article in today's Agri Plain Talk of the Manila Bulletin.

We are glad to be part of LGU of Tanza in their quest to uplift the farmers in their area. To date, two dispersals of Sunshine Free Range Day Old Chicks have been done and we all look forward to harvesting for the fiesta.

See how hands on Mayor Arayata of Tanza, Cavite and the Municipal Agricultural Officer Margarita Soberano are.

Doc Rey was around again to give brooding tips to the first and second timers alike.

FREE SEMINAR Raising Sunshine Chicken

When: July 6,2008, 9am
Where: AANI Herbal Garden and Livelihood Center, Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City

If you want to learn about the benefits of eating free range, grass fed chickens and how to raise them for backyard and commercial benefits, come and join us for the FREE SEMINAR.

See you :)

Now At Week22

Our second batch of Parent Stocks, from SASSO of France is now at week22. These will be the Parent Stocks that will give your certified F1 Sunshines soon.

Since day one, from all indications so far, we're far doing better now than our first batch from another genetic company.

90 eggs at average 46g were selected for test hatching.

Hard to wait for 3weeks :)

It will be worth the wait.

Table Eggs Production

After the "can we breed questions", another frequently asked question is do you need males in a flock of females kept for table egg production.

No, you don't need roosters in your free ranging layers :) They eat a lot and are noisy!

Healthy pullets start laying at 5-6 months. That is standard. Enjoy the hide and seek game when you pick up their eggs on the range.

They have dark orange colored yolks, no fishy taste nor smell. I am able to take them raw :) You get great tasting eggs from grass fed hens. Perfect for my leche flan.

At 60days, dress your male Sunshines for meat and keep the females for your grass fed layers.

Tunnel Ventilation

We are taking our SASSO Parent Stocks from France and breeding our brand of F1, Sunshine Chicks, to a different level.

Talks are now on installing tunnel ventilation for our buildings, housing our Parent Stocks.

We are now on our 3rd batch of Parent Stocks, 3rd poultry building...taking our baby steps in getting our feet solidly in this :)

A year ago we didn't see this coming. Maraming maraming salamat sa supporta.

Our partner Sunshine growers also see that we continue to give full assistance and uplift our marketing of our products from day old chicks to the dressed chicken arena.

Wet Season

We can't deny the rainy season is here.

What should you look after?

1) Are they feeling cold? They group/pile together to get heat from one another.
1watt per bird is the recommended for brooding them. Depending on the temperature, you may add more bulbs to keep them comfortable. Instead of using one 100watt bulb for 100 Sunshines, use 10 10watt bulbs or 4 25watt bulbs so the heat will be distributed well.

2) Are they getting wet?
Make sure their housing in not flooded. Elevate housing/flooring if you must. Change beddings often to keep them dry and clean.

3) Do they have fresh air? Is there a strong odor when you open their pens?
Most people make the mistake of enveloping the pen using sacks, curtains etc. The Sunshines need fresh air, even during rainy season. Remember that air comes from below and exits above. So make sure they have vents for the intake and exhaust of air. Do not suffocate them. Create wind breakers around the cages, but do not block off fresh air.

How you feel is how they feel also. Use your senses to guide you in looking after your Sunshines.

Congratulations to Agree sa Agri

In such a short period of time, Anne Bernardino and Larry Guerrero were able to bring up ratings of Agree sa Agri, aired over 1062khz.

They started at 4-5am Mon-Fri. Now they are on everyday, with the addition of Saturdays and Sundays at 7:30-9am.

Glad that we partnered with Agree sa Agri at the onset!

FEEEDPRO Price Increase

If you want to go unmedicated in your feeds for your Sunshines, look for FEEDPRO in your area.

Effective June 01, these are the new prices:

Proavian Broiler 100 25k PHP 680 (suggested day1-21)
Proavian Broiler 200 50k PHP1,130 (day22-35, or day22-harvest)
Proavian Broiler 300 50k PHP1,095 (day36-harvest)

Prices may vary in different areas. The ones quoted above are pick-up prices from our outlets.

Joey Rigor Holding A Sunshine Capon

Today is Thursday. One of the days that Agri Plain Talk page comes out in the business section of the Manila Bulletin.

Have you got your copy yet? Joey Rigor was photographed with the Sunshine Capons.

I texted Joey to look at his picture. He asked if "gwapo"? Hmmm....did he mean himself? I would want to think that the stars of the show were the Sunshines. Yes, they were gwapo :)

Marketing Our Sunshine Growers

For the past month, suppliers have been asking why we do the food trade shows. They know we do the agriculture expos, but now the queries are "Why the food shows?". Suppliers and colleagues have been wondering "why" when the cost of show spaces are very high. And now, they see that we also do the consumer food shows, w/c is some steps past our line.

We do the agriculture shows because our main business is in animal health supplies and services. It spun off to Sunshine Chicken, my passion since.

Asked often if we do contract growing, buy backs, etc. You'll be amazed at how almost everyone asks! Nope, we don't.

There are growers, entrepreneurs, marketing people etc. Possible, but unlikely, that we get them all rolled into one persona. Some may have the capacity to raise, but where to sell?

Long before you see themes of "niche marketing"...I had been saying that. Create a market. Focus. And yes, it is all about niche marketing.

I for one go on gut feel, no feasibility plans etc. You don't need to go far to sell. Start with your circle, going to outer circles little by little. Before you know it, you are selling.

So how do we assist? Any guarantees that a grower makes money? How d0 we work on the marketing for our Sunshine growers?

1) Open up the avenues for them through our joining food trade shows/expos/weekend markets. They join the shows for FREE. No charge for space!
2) Brainstorming on product development
3) Information dissemination
4) Consumer awareness on benefits of getting Sunshine
5) Print and radio exposures

I nurture relationships w/ our growers. Communication is open and constructive points are taken.

Our growers are getting their share in marketing mileage. The ones who work side by side with us see and experience this.

Hopefully, the other quiet growers see the importance of the food trade shows we do for them.

Next stop is the Cebu Food Expo 2008 at the Waterfront Cebu! My three regular growers in Cebu are joining.

If my growers feel we are not helping them any, I pray they let me know :)

Took A Sandy Break

Was I quiet?

I missed interacting with you, but when you have your hands with wet polished nails, masque on your face and my "you can't open your eyes while at it" eyelashes being done..you can't type with wet polish nor when you can't see :) - well, that was Tuesday, yesterday.

Today I was early at AANI Circle....greeting "Good morning"! Flashing my neon colored nails (honestly, I get headaches..might be from the glare of this polish) and showing my close/open eyes weheheheh. I was telling Tita, the better half of Pol Rubia that yesterday was "MY DAY".

After AANI I went to two other suppliers to get what we needed...then headed again to the mall to get a display medium for my dressed Sunshines at Market at the Hills...shhh then I shopped a little for myself.

Well, half work/half play....

Let's see tomorrow...looks like I will be back to work. Get a copy of Manila Bulletin for Agri Plain Talk page, going to Hobbies of Asia, oh of course, it is hatching day so invoices to prepare. Have to remember to get to my printer for the working designs on the two trade shows coming up.

I really look forward to Saturdays and Sundays for MATH...Market at the Hills! Oh yes, I get Sandy weekends too.

Durian Is Coming

Do you recall last year's Durian Festival at AANI Herbal Garden and Livelihood Center?

It will be back. Pol Rubia said the Durians are arriving Friday....so YES!!! It should be there by Saturday?

I can almost smell it...and I hope there are real ripe Puyat varieties on the first day.

If you are one of the special people who enjoy Durians - You know now where to go.

Capons, Roosters That Can't Father

Joey and Doc Mitzi Rigor's Sunshine Capons have always been written about in Manila Bulletin, but this is our first real visit to the farm. Prior to this day, either there was no batch of capons to photograph, the family was out of town or Doc Mitzi was ready to give birth (she finally did 2weeks ago to a really can't deny Joey Jr).


We arrived soon after lunch and it was really a humid day. The batch now, about 5kilos, 4months old, didn't want to go out to range under the intense heat. We had to go to them. Besides, we can't risk them getting all stressed out....we know how overweight can make it hard to move around!

After all the interviews done in the past, we just needed to take photos of the actual capons....then we proceeded with the agenda for the day..."roasted capon and authentic pinakbet"!

Enjoyable banter with familiar company, great food, plus you learn more about one another. Durian turned out to be another common favorite.

We are glad the couple decided to enter this niche market. Just the other day, someone bought 10 capons! Surely, the man doesn't expect to crossbreed it :)

Plan in place now is putting up their own restaurant to serve specialty food in the Tarlac area: capons, roasted kid etc.

July will be loading time to serve the Christmas orders.

Sunshine Capons will be with us for the trade shows....

Father, Son & Patience

Day after Father's Day, we hie off to Umingan, Pangasinan to visit MARSSE Tropical Timber Plantations.

Equipped with a faxed map, we follow landmarks, junctions, forks etc. We pass through what looks like ricefields, but the area was dry and seems like a long stretch. We immediately recognize our destination because we saw the piggery buildings of a friend (let's save that for another story), and the fact that it was the only property planted with Mahogany trees. The gate was opened for us. The drive up the short driveway wasn't exciting...yet.

You are greeted immediately by a house that you'll think was conjured from ideas of a massive tree....but I actually remember my Bolinao lighthouse :)...one thing is sure, its not your typical house in the middle of nowhere.

Father and son (Mario and Mario Jr) came to us and excitedly showed the area beyond the house. You will see hectares and hectares of 16yr old trees, and non stop planting.

I wasn't very interested in the Mahogany talk as the volume and time to realize the project is beyond me. I opted to stay on the clear area near the house...after I hear of snakes etc :) The sounds of silence were relaxing and gave Doc Rey and I some new topics to talk about.

When they came up, we were led inside the house, floor by floor. Mario Jr did the steel railings and grills. I didn't believe at first because it must have been done by skilled hands. While waiting for lunch to be served (w/c Mario Jr oversaw), he showed us his wooden pepper mills, airplanes, furniture and toys that keeps him busy after work at plantation....hmmmm, he really is good. You will see his love for his craft. Now I believe that he did the steel works! His woodwork, he says, is where his income comes from.

From the time we were engaged in small talks, you see a dedicated father and son relationship. Respect, friendship, admiration and love. He is now 33yrs, so if the trees are 16yrs old, then he started young. In high school he began helping Mario Sr by picking seeds in the Katipunan area.

Father and son now live in the plantation, going down to Manila to visit their respective families...and getting their Mamonluk siopao!

It was befitting to meet the Marios today....spillover of memories of what Fathers are to children. Plus "patience"! This farming is really patience in all its glory.

Father

Today is Father's Day! May all the children now relish the times and memories of having a father. There are no good nor bad fathers. Just FATHERS...they always wish us the best.

Being a Sunday, we always have a trivia question for a contest to win 10 Sunshine Day Old Chicks over DWWW 774khz's Kalikasan Sa Agrikultura, 4:30-7:30 am.

I wanted something befitting the celebration...so it went: Sino ang tinitingala na tatay ng French colored chickens sa Pilipinas? Malaki ang pasasalamat ng kompanyang SASSO at Solraya sa kanya. (Who is looked up to as the father of French colored chickens in the Philippines? The companies SASSO and Solraya are very thankful to him).

The answers came in one after the other...fast! Anthony "Bobby" Inocencio is no doubt the father SASSO and Solraya refers to :)

Though Bobby is presently focused on something else, we always credit the initial awareness on the free range chicken to him. We hope to educated the people in line with what is proper, learning from Bobby, and not tire of explaining the difference of our F1 Sunshines from the proper Parent Stocks for breeding.

Genetics 101 By Doc Synan

Remember our interesting chat with Doc Synan during the inauguration of Milk Star Dairy Plant?

While on the way to Los Banos, we texted Doc Synan to ask if he was free to meet up with us after lunch.... he will be at PCARRD! Take note it was a non working holiday!

After all that Makapuno eating and talking, we grabbed a quick lunch by the pitstops along the highway. By 1pm or so, we were knocking at the door marked LIVESTOCK...and there began another round of banter and chitchat with the never tiring Doc Synan.

Genetics and animal behavior were topics he can't have enough of. No wonder, because that is really his specialization in school. Zac's original intention was talk to Doc Synan about goats, but the afternoon it went from goats, cattle, poultry...and of course Doc Synan had to end with his love, the Darags.

With all that passion shown, it does rub in...I want to go back now to my roots' hometown and try to recover some of the chickens that place is known for.

I will not deal on the "lectures" we got...I might end up preempting some articles meant to be written. Those things you can research about.

As Doc Synan brought us to the parking of PCARRD, I thanked him for seeing us on a holiday. He didn't go there to meet us. He just squeezed us in his overwork schedule.

THE dedication and passion of some of our public servants...you have to experience!

That we got this June 9, the declared Holiday to commemorate Independence Day.

Puro Makapuno

The trip to Los Banos was so short. That is how travel times are cut...with interesting conversations. With us was Linda Rillo, consultant for PhilHybrid and Zac Sarian.

The moment you get to the laboratory, you are requested to change footwear.

Puro Makapuno is the brand used for the Makapuno processed by PhilHybrid for the nuts they harvest.

The candies which were cooked with milk, cheese, sugar and Makapuno strings were sooooo far in taste and consistency than their Bulacan cousins. Newly harvested Makapuno nuts were opened for us to see and experience the taste of fresh ones. They need not be cooked in sugar as far as I am concerned. They are great to eat as is fresh.

After all the eating, we were invited to see the culture room where they do the embryo cultured seedlings they sell. We almost forgot what the trip was all about after all tasting.

Interesting how they can propagate Makapuno now, when before it was just an accident to encounter such nuts among bunches of coconuts. We got some seedlings to take home. The price of PHP650 each is not expensive....after all the steps PhilHybrid carefully work on, we have seen how they were able to have the seedlings available.

There is such a big demand for pure Makapuno in the food industry. Look into it if you have space to plant, can afford to sit on investment....hey, after 5yrs, you will harvest the nuts continuously.


The Makapuno strings we took home and sampled today are not all sugar and coconut as we get from the commercial brands we are so familiar with :)

With my seedlings...maybe I can have my own nuts in 3-4yrs.

Hobbies Of Asia: Seminar

Aida Gonzales of the mushrooming, Cafe Amadeo, invited Doc Rey to her radio program last night over 558khz.

They agreed on Doc Rey giving a FREE seminar on Raising Sunshine Chicken on Saturday, June 14, at her Cafe Amadeo inside Hobbies of Asia. That is along the famous Macapagal Blvd., infront of the Senate Building.

Be there by 8am!

Aside from frequent seminars, we will be carrying our dressed Sunshines there too.

Inarching

Have you seen or heard about inarching?

Yesterday, on the way to Alaminos Goat Farm, we stopped by Ato Belen's nursery in San Pablo.

We were served bananas while waiting for him. It was somewhat "mapakla" and I remembered as a child that was told to sort or make it "lamog" to speed up the ripeness. Zac gave me my Agri 101 for the day..... get a piece of the banana skin when you peel it...and sort of wipe or rub the exposed fruit with the peeling. He said it will take off the "pakla". IT DID! Try it.

It brought back memories of a trip to Davao. They said to get the fruity odor of Durian off your hands and mouth, fill an empty Durian peeling with water as in a basin, and wash your hands there. True.

Ato showed us his compost soil, fish amino acid tanks and effective microorganism (probiotics). Next, I saw these trees with hanging seedlings???? I got 2nd lesson in Agri 101 for the day. Inarching.

Philippine International Flora & Fauna Expo 2008

July 18-20, World Trade Center in Pasay City, sees action for the Philippine International Flora & Fauna Expo 2008.

We will be at two (2) locations. Indoor at booth 81, and outdoor retail with the AANI group.

Of course, our Sunshine growers are open to use our booth for marketing their produce :)

Seminar on Raising Sunshine Chickens, had been scheduled for July 20 at 5pm.

MILK STAR DAIRY PLANT

I am not comfortable going to parties, events....I guess am not sociable :) Thought about what I can do while Zac and Doc Rey were learning about the plant....

We got there at 11am...parking was full, save for a lone spot near the caterer's place (good, it means a short hop to the registration). But it means walking into a tent full of visitors...


The Almedas were such pleasant hosts! They led us around, making us feel at home and welcome. First table had a familiar smile but I am so bad with names and faces...but this one was a really so familiar face. He said we met during Agrilink. Oh well, yeah right, very helpful info. Next table, I heard "PCARRD" being mentioned. Then I recognized Doc Synan, then I immediately looked again at the "familar face" and of course..the boss of Doc Synan. I am terrible with names...was that Doc Edwin?

Next table was the Goat Federation members, let by Ben Rara. I've been bumping into him in several web sites already...from gamefowls, to everywhere wehehhehe.

By the time we were walking to the blessing proper....I saw our grower in Tuy, Batangas! We were just texting on our schedules on visiting the Sunshines in Tuy, Batangas. Not knowing we were both enroute to Alaminos Goat Farm!

The blessing proper of the first dairy plant for goat's milk went smoothly. Credit it to relatives and friends who cared. You don't drive a distance just to be there :) It was so cute to see adults pick up the coins from the "pasabog".

Going back to the tent...we were taking pictures of the lechon kambing - perfect excuse to make kurot! Take another picture...kurot again!

During lunch...I see a brother in law! Geez, we don't even see each other in Isabela for ages, and here we are about 500kms from were we both stay.

Thankful that Doc Synan came over to our group...it started a very interesting talk on genetics in several species up to show biz denizens. Guess Doc Synan, Zac, Doc Rey and I looked we were enjoying ourselves as several others came over and joined the table :)

Doc Synan of PCARRD, and who moderates the poultry forum of the PCARRD message boards - does make an interesting specimen for an interview and information gathering.

I learned a lot today....Alaminos was the 2nd in the iterinary for this morning! Before I share what I learned earlier.... Let me relish first the feast called lunch today. From the buffet I had two servings of the lechon goat, several too for the ice cream...and yes two huge slices of the Leche Flan made from Goat's milk. Didn't they say "better to walk in pairs"?

You can feel that the preparations was a family affair event. Everyone looked like an Almeda. Hey Doc Synan...what did we talk again about producing good looking offsprings? wehehhehe

Good night for now....have to go to the Market tomorrow.

Vacuum Packaging

We got a vacuum machine and ordered our plastics in 2 sizes.

Why are we getting it?

The machine was going to be demonstrated and we needed a product to package. The only thing we had was the Adobong Sunshine Capon at our IFEX 2008 booth. So we got about 50g and had it vacuumed. It did look good and gave me an idea to .....

Watch out for our line up of special home made products.

Booked For Cebu Food Expo 2008

July 10-12 2008 will be the dates to go and see the Cebu Food Expo that coincides with the Cebu Goes Culinary2008. This will be at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino. We will be at booth 827, near the seminar areas.

Seminars for Raising Sunshine Chicken will be scheduled during our stay in Cebu from July9-12. Our Sunshine growers in the area will be there to market their products.

Cebu Food Expo is scheduling us for two (2) seminars on the benefits of eating grass fed Sunshine chicken, both at the ground floor, Pacific Ballroom:

July 11, 5pm
July 12, 11am

See you at our booth for a more personal talk on raising Sunshines.

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.

LGU Tanza, Cavite

Some weeks ago, we conducted a seminar for Raising Sunshine Chickens for the LGU of Tanza, Cavite under the very supportive Municipal Agriculturist of Tanza, Margarita Soberano and her most able staff.

We were late for the seminar due to bad traffic, but they were very patient and waited for us. We were immediately led to a room full of participants, projector ready, audio working and airconditioning was good. Time was against us as the participants had errands to do for the late afternoon. The hospitality and preparedness that was shown was evident.

When we delivered the first batch for recipients today, we were 2hrs early,. We asked Rolly of the MAO's office what time they will be around. He was there already in the office at 7am and soon after the whole staff arrived.

We were led to the office and the first impression I had was .... "Ang ganda ng office nyo saka ang linis"! Rolly excitedly said that their office won the cleanest and best.... the category skips me now. The stacks of forms are so neat, nothing out of place, you'd think they were packaged in a ream.

In the organic farming, what other places dream of...having access to organic farming inputs, Tanza is lucky to have developed a farmer who produces inputs for natural farming. Speaking with the MAO and her staff, you really feel that they love what they are doing for others. The liveliness is transferred to their farmers. They say that Mayor Arayata of Tanza gives them full support. They are fond of him and even points to his picture to stress the importance that he plays in their roles.


There were some recipients of the Sunshines who were there and you feel that they work closely and positively with their MAO office. At this point, Doc Rey invites them in the courtyard and does a recap of brooding principles.

I noticed these unplanted coconuts with sprouts (am not sure how you call them at that stage...planting materials maybe), lined up and used as planter box. Maybe they can be called Coco Box :) MAO Margarita said that it was lined up somewhere for sometime and since they needed a planter box, they thought about "borrowing" the coconuts.

Did you also notice the cut up, recycled plastic containers used now for pots? They looked like Sunshine Rangers!

We hope to be working more and more with the MAO of Tanza. We told the farmers to do good, so we can have them featured for their works.

Sunshines or none....Good Luck to Tanza, Cavite!

MATH

Yours truly had always been talking about Market at the Hills. When I discuss or text someone, I can't simply say Market as there are so any weekend markets.

Have to find an acronym....lo and behold.... MATH! That was coincidentally my favorite subject in school :)

Today someone texted me and already used the term MATH....hmmmmm...hope it catches on everyone.

Cooking Roll-Up

What do you think of our new roll-up for consumer awareness?

In food trade shows, I get asked how to cook it best....

Ubod Ng Sarap

Yesterday was my 2nd day at Market at the Hills. As we had to leave after lunch, I was more sociable this time as I am no longer a newbie there :)

Great to see a visitor I met during IFEX...she also had a booth there. I had to get her bottled atsarang Ubod with Bignay and her bottled Bangus (not fed with commercial feeds). They should go together.

Whenever I walk around Salcedo Weekend Market, the flavored yogurt drinks catch my attention but when I make another round, I can't find them! Well, I found them here this time and didn't lose them. Blueberry and Strawberry please! At PHP140 per liter, its a bargain. It is healthy dessert for me. Now down to my last 500ml...have to stock on those next weekend.

That is what I like with small shopping areas, whose products are focused towards a certain market. Hmmmm, what I bought next without any need to taste test was a proclaimed real pannacotta, and not the gelatins calling themselves the real thing. Got the Mango and Caramel Sauce...good...but I will try next the plain.

Typhoon Cosme

The grower affected by the devastation of typhoon Cosme over North-Western Luzon is Maawi Farms.

Power is expected to be out for the next two months at least. Two houses are down. Lost about 100 layers because of the heavy pile that fell on them.

Maawi is thankful to the hotels who supported them at the onset of the power outage. Increasing their orders so Maawi will not be burdened by dressed chickens.

BUT over all....they are doing GREAT! Actually, loadings of Sunshines have increased. Hotel and deli clients are adding in numbers. Eggs from their grass/organic vegetables fed Sunshines are always fully booked. They are now using vacuum packing for the dressed meat. Very happy using Feedpro, the unmedicated commercial feeds we wrote about a few weeks back (the same brand that TJ uses).

They are expected to join our other growers for the trade shows we are lined up to participate in.

Can't wait to go visit them again soon....maybe when we take the route of the Pampanga growers :)

First Day At The Market

Yes, Sunshine dressed chickens are now at Market At The Hills.

I was up early to be at Market At The Hills by 5:30am, w/c was the time given by the organizers to set up your table.

Since I don't really need to set up anything, I was done in a few minutes. 2 roll up tarps, 1 cooler w/ wheels, 1 smaller one that acted as my utility table top, some brochures on the table and of course...my forever attention getter decors. Never failed! Not even in this foodie place.

People are asking why I got a booth. Its relaxing to just retail your baby product. My sister who visited me there asked also why I was alone..wehehehe I wanted to be by myself, any and all mistakes will be mine and won't be bothered by others' booboos. Toti Almeda of Milk Star Goat's Milk came by to check out the place. My friend Mitos was there too.

Product awareness was what I wanted to achieve in this booth. I didn't make a mistake as I was explaining to interested ears about the Sunshines. Happy with my day.....now looking forward to tomorrow, but I will miss so much the guys at Kaunlaran sa Agrikultura, moreso the Agri Kapihan at DWWW.

Earthkeepers #2

After that hearty meal we had at Earthkeepers on our first visit there, we jumped up on the prospect of seeing Tere and Armand again....oh yes, also their buffet.

I got tickled when their daughter saw us entering and she called her mom, Tere, and said "Andito na sila Sunshine" :)

Cong. Alcala arrived and an instant consultative meeting came about as all sectors were represented.

Had to visit the Sunshines in their new home. They sure were glad they were sent there.

Can't wait to work more with Quezon.

Alaminos Goat Farm

Walking around IFEX, I bought my merienda of Goat's milk and went back to the booth. That was when I saw the picture of Toti Almeda in Manila Bulletin's feature for the IFEX booths.

We thought that it would be a nice break to visit a goat farm, Alaminos Goat Farm at that (having a name recall already) and to go on to visit Earthkeepers again in Quezon.

Off at half past 4am from Rizal, we drove the route again of the East Road to Laguna. By 7am, we were knocking at the gates of Alaminos Goat Farm (aka Holy Road, as the private road was between two churches).

As you enter, you are greeted by the dairy plant. You are led to park near the bodega, as the cages are there. First we saw was Rene Almeda, the dad....a gregarious and engaging persona. Non-stop senseful talker! Following is Toti, the son who has such a warm and wholesome personality. From nowhere, Art Almeda appears, The Owner.....They look so clean and flawless, you'd accept why Spas swear by Goat's milk.

My first words were ... "I thought Art was elderly"!

Amazing how Rene was able to raise well mannered young men, more so the fact that they like their farm work. Art is the farm guy, Toti does marketing.

We were not prepared to see such small horses :)....or rather huge goats! We were in time for milking time....see for yourself how big they can get. You won't get intimidated by their size as they are very tame and actually stand to get near you as they think you are there to bring their nursing bottles.

Glad that we went there and met the Almedas. I can see goats in agri shows...but you don't always get to encounter Almedas. They are very generous with knowledge. And yes, experience and age makes you gravitate towards people with same sights.

They were worth the long trip from Isabela to Laguna.

Visit them here.

Try some Milk Star.

Adobong Capon

Joey Capon...wehehehhe, yes, someone called Joey that name during IFEX....brought a tasty adobo from his Sunshine Capons.

I asked for the recipe, he texted it, but I lost it :(

Care to share a good recipe of Adobo for Capons?

Thinking About Cebu Food

That is the Cebu Food 2008 Expo :)

July 10-12 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino.

Very tempting to take a break. Sounded off my Sunshine growers there already, and they seem to like the idea too, about being able to participate in a trade show. Saw the floorplan already and sniffed into my preferred slot....seems like I get to see Cebu more often now.

Or course while there, Doc Rey will schedule seminars for interested growers.

Great opportunity for my growers in the Visayas region.

Our 3rd Batch Of Parent Stocks Have Been Booked

Yes, not waiting for the 6th month from our date of importation of our 2nd batch of Parent Stocks, we have now booked our 3rd batch for June arrival. And YES, it is from SASSO of France that we brand as Sunshine Chicken :)

After educating growers and trust built, they have realized that the naked necks will perform better. Consulting with them, we are bringing in the naked necks primarily for the serious Sunshine raisers and again, the accepted full feathered reds.

We are working on making our products offer the best results to growers and more distinct, so others may not pass their products as same as "Sunshines".

SASSOlraya tayo!

We sure are glad we made the decision to go with SASSO.

We Will Be At AFEX 2008

See us at Asia Food Expo 2008, September 3-6, World Trade Center.

This is a food exhibit. We invite our growers to participate with us and take the advantage of the exposure.

Sunshine growers interested to join us for this event, just let me know of your preferred schedule. As usual, you are not paying for show time nor space. We shoulder costs. That is part of our commitment to market and advertise your produce. We give to our growers the assistance and support they need, from technical to marketing. Let's work together :)

FREE SEMINAR: September 3, 1pm

Booked For The 9th Intl F&B Manutech Expo/ASHRAE Exhibit

Exhibits and trade shows are now my relaxing times.

Next will be the 9th International Food & Beverage Manufacturing Technologies EXPO at the SMX again (perfect parking, that makes a good events place), 28-30 August 2008.

Equipments, ingredients, food expo etc

Sunshine growers interested to join us for this event, just let me know of your preferred schedule.

See You At The Market

During IFEX, I met a lady who also started a booth selling Goat's milk at Market At The Hills last weekend. I told her how excited I am to start next week.

She said she was happy there, it was a different crowd, people are inquisitive and want to learn. Asked how I decided to get a booth there? I told her the story about passing by Temple Drive one morning. The succession of tarpaulin flag signs can't help but attract. The name got me...I like simple names :) , the clincher was the chefs' seasoning to the event. It gave a different twist that I am sure that young crop will give innovations and constantly moving.

What cemented my theory about getting there? 95% of the people I mentioned our new site to, knew exactly where it was. The location is central. See you at the Market At The Hills.

BTW, we will be selling dressed chickens, eggs from grass fed Sunshines and taking orders for the Sunshine capons....all from our growers.

IFEX Philippines 2008

There were no expectations when we joined this trade show. We are just always in the lookout for avenues where our growers may market their products and get known in the industry.

IFEX was different. It was enjoyable!!!


Before the IFEX started, CITEM contacted us to do a radio/television interview. It just reiterated our stand in pushing our growers in marketing strategies. That was how we felt when CITEM wanted to present their exhibitors.

Again I have to thank Raymond Rubia of Daily Dose Farm for doing the ingress for us. Though he got sick and wasn't able to join for the first 2days, he came on the lastday :)

Doing a food show didn't prepare us for the inquiries we got for the Sunshine Day Old Chicks. We worked side by side with the Sunshine growers who used the opportunity to be seen. Rumandan Farms of Rosario Batangas brought their dressed chickens and Sunshine Capons of Joey and Doc Mitzi Rigor of Victoria Tarlac were around to explain the benefits of eating Sunshines. That was a real big assistance to us, so Doc Rey and I were focused on answering queries on growing for backyard and commercial farming. For the lucky ones to have experienced it....we had reverse roles for a moment. Zac Sarian was carving the Sunshine Capons, Doc Mitzi was assisting, Joey Rogor and Doc Rey were talking to clients and I was photographing.

Met so many interesting people. People who have read about us, read the blog, and even a couple who saw us after searching on the earthquake prediction! A side anecdote to this earthquake scare was that Joey Rigor was texting friends and relatives that the photo of Doc Mitzi was on the newspaper....weehehehhehe no one wanted to believe him and even his own mother-in-law asked if it was just a "text hoax" :)

IFEX Philippines was a great experience. The visitors were from all walks and trades in the food industry. Restaurant owners, supermarket reps, hotel reps, food critics, chefs and consumers who were on the lookout for good supplies. Then there were also the ones looking into what business they can get into in the food industry.

Best lessons we need to learn to get us through are learned during kinder. I always refer to that line and its like a comfort saying for me. Being in a retail zone of a trade show gives you the jumpiness of other entrepreneurs. When you are exasperated with slow learning employees...you know you are with entrepreneurs when you feel the " GO GO GO". From ingress, opening of doors every morning, walking around the aisles....you know an entrepreneur when you see one. I guess they are really born and bred to be one...not learned in university.

Classic example is the booth across us...selling ChocoMani.....I even dream of hearing their voices! I will never forget that in one of the brownouts...in the pitch dark of things...I heard her voice... "free taste....free taste Choco Mani".

As usual, the stars whenever we join tradeshows? Our decor!!!! Literally, people always ask for our cuties. Several tradeshows old now and we have learned to pack up light as we giveaway all our stickies, hangies and props of flowers and chicks.

Can't wait for the next food exhibits.....

Roast Capon

3 month old Sunshine Capon, 3.5kilos....slow baked....seasoned with salt and pepper.

Joey and Doc Mitzi will want to grow to the standards of 7kilos. We can't wait to visit their farm soon. Watch out for their show products during Agrilink 2008.

They will load to serve their Christmas orders. Book for your feasts :)

IFEX, DTI, OPTA Coop & Zac

Bumped into Lina Tan of OPTA Cooperative while going around the exporters' booths. Behind us was Zac Sarian, editor for Agriculture of Manila Bulletin. Zac was telling Lina about capons for Christmas. He knew that the OPTA Coop carries Sunshines from TJ so suggesting great ideas for gifts.

Soon after, Lina brought DTI representatives and other guests at our booth to sample the Sunshines!

Read about the sampling at Agri Plain Talk, inside the business section of the Manila Bulletin today.

We really joined the IFEX for our growers, so they get exposure and able to market their Sunshines, since IFEX is really a food exhibit. I was amazed at the turn of inquiries for our day old chicks.

Sunshines Available In Cebu Supermarkets

Remember Hector Ching of Asian Vegetables & Chicken? He was featured in the Agri Plain Talk of the Manila Bulletin, May 01.

He is growing in the pace that he has planned for Sunshines. First batch was a trial of 200 that went in 4days, 2nd batch was 500 that is ripe for harvest today, and a 3rd batch now ranging is 1000. A new ranging area is being prepared for the next loading of 2000.

Since he had been supplying Fooda Savers Mart and Metro Gaisano, two of the major supermarkets in Cebu, he didn't encounter resistance when he offered his Sunshines. When we were in Cebu, we went to the Fooda Savers Mart that sold his 200 heads in 4 days.

It was so nice to hear the meat section to be saying that the Cebuano clients were asking about it as it was really tasty...."lasang bisayang manok". It was diplayed in the center of the chiller section, side by side with the known commercial chickens!

Good Luck to Asian Vegetables & Chicken. He worked to make his captured market see his other products.

Capon Lady

Females can't be capons...but they can do it.

Have you read Agri Plain Talk in the Business Section of the Manila Bulletin today?

Photographed was the lady responsible for the Sunshine Capons.

Won't say more...read for yourself.

TJ Is Sweeping Sales

OPTA Cooperative had been getting their dressed chickens from TJ for sometime now. The ones running the store said their customers have been giving very good feedback since they had been ordering Sunshines from him.

Politics have a way of murking things and we thought TJ will lose that segment. We decided to smile, smiled and moved on :) Lo and behold....orders from that quarters even soared!!! Then today during ingress at IFEX, I ran across the booth of OPTA Cooperative and asked about their Sunshine chicken sales.

She just started with a smile and I know where it would lead to.... TJ's Sunshines are the head sellers! May go unmarked or branded differently...just make sure you ask for the Sunshines from TJ.

Don't get confused with rice sweepings and sweeping rise in sales. TJ isn't, as he has both.

Ingress IFEX Philippines 2008

Thankful that I was able to rebook flight back to Manila as I wanted to see how ingress was at IFEX.

I really appreciate that Raymond and AANI help to set up our booth, just to make sure its done if I got delayed.

See you May16-18.

Problems And Anxieties Are God's Gifts

I sounded cool in that earthquake scare? Nahuhuh......I searched on the scare on the internet and exited my browser after being calmed down by notes on the hoax. Then I went by my real assignment here in Cebu :)

Really glad I made this trip, because it brought me down memory lane. My cousins not seen for ages were honestly happy to see a relative on their mother's side. I was the only one, they had no choice. My sister said it will be a nice feeling after...she was right.

Must be a different humor in this pleasant island...but I don't remember laughing in a sermon for a wake. My aunt passed at age 84. The priest recounts how a strong woman she must have been (and she is, trust me!)....1st World War had her at 6yrs, by 2nd World War she was about 14, she saw 7 Popes, and ALL the Philippine presidents. The priest continued to say that she was lucky not to have heard the earthquake scare. I can't really control laughing. Good that my cousins also saw the funny side to all that. Most didn't :)

Age isn't just a number, it does really change us in a lot of ways. We all look like how our aunts/uncles and parents did 30 years ago. Where are their kids...I asked. Well, home, doing their own things. Just like how we were when we were teeners, and now we act and sound like the adults we didn't want to be around us. They were making sure a Manila cousin was to look after their college students.... am sure the same way their mom was making sure a relative watched as they were sent to UP Diliman :)

So scared about coming to this trip alone, I met a lot of "small worlds" in that couple of hours! From exes, classmates, friends.... The tickling thing was when someone asked me what I did for work...I fumbled for words to start off "importing chicken"..and he smiled and jokingly said..."Sunshine Chicken"...OF COURSE, how did he know???? He said he had called me already and spoken over the phone after he read the cover story on the Agriculture Magazine. Good timing that our growers are harvesting now so I was able to refer them.

Back at the hotel, check on email right away. You won't believe this but several emails inquiring about Sunshines after they were led to the blog by their search on the earthquake scare in the Philippines. I immediately checked on the blog's statistics and true enough.....a lot of visitors came, led by their search on the earthquake.

My best presents come in doggie bags.

Tomorrow is a new day that shines :)

Did You Get That Forwarded Text On Earthquake Prediction?

I have to make this unplanned Cebu trip for the memory of my father. His sister passed away and I am representing family.

No preparations, I take a Cebu Pacific flight this morning. On the way to Park N Fly, my cousin in Cebu texts that the family will understand if flight will be cancelled because weather is bad. Well, bumps on air won't stop me as I know my father will make sure he is represented here.

Flight was delayed...OK...patience. Finally, boarding....runway...oooppps....we are pulled back to parking bay. Announcement that some minor repair had to be made. Mechanics went onboard. Hmmmm....my cousin's text, delayed flight, minor trouble...I thought, one more and I take the cue!

I turned off my cellphone of course, but there is a continous beep I hear. Maybe my neighbor didn't turn off her phone.

But, we took off in 30mins..everything went well. I got to hotel, they can't find my exact booking. Waiting for everything to clear..I still hear that beep. Got to my 18th floor room...still that beep beep beep. I remember I heard it also on the way...gosh...I had an idle sim card in my old phone being used to transfer my phone contacts.

Realized that was the phone that was alerting me to be read. YIKES! It was a forwared message about an earthquake prediction for the Philippines tonight.

Not bothered with it, I rebooked to an earlier flight to go back to Manila as I wanted to be around for IFEX ingress.

Few minutes later, my sister texts that she got a forwarded message about the earthquake too. Can't be from a common friend, because the sim I got was an unused one.

Oh well...I hope that's the end of my "different day" today.

Quite Quiet?

In the blog, quiet, yes...but not a few steps away from this desk!

Unforseen turn of events have me flying to Cebu tomorrow, after a breakfast meeting with my breeder partners at the Park N Fly building.

Hopefully it isn't raining in Cebu so we can take updated photos of growers' ranging areas in the afternoon.

Back to Manila for ingress of IFEX....or so I thought :( Just realized after opening emails that ingress is only until 7pm. Well, option#1, I ask Raymond to fix booth himself. Option#2, we fix booth real early Friday am.

See you at IFEX Philippines 2008. We we will be at the Retail Section, Booth A10. You can't miss us, strategically at a corner. Sunshine as most times, partners with Raymond Rubia of Daily Dose Farm and Chef Bert. Our featured growers for this show will be Rumandan Farms of Batangas, and Sunshine Capon of Joey Rigor in Victoria Tarlac.

Sunrise To Sundown

The schedule today was packed and went as expected. Full of activities, but looked forward because it didn't look like work at all as it will end with working friends.

7am saw us at Market At The Hills. I went by that site early in the week, but I wanted to see it in action. Liked what I saw so booked a space, to start after IFEX as we will be very busy for next weekend.

Doc Rey gave a seminar in conjunction w/ the Atovi gang. I did my "relax time" from 11am-3pm. We just met up at Araneta Gateway for Sunshine Capon's inihaw. Great timing as Zac Sarian gave a seminar so the gang was there, to have light chitchat over the really tasty capons.

After seminar, we still continued the kwentos at Cafe Bola. Meals capped by the great fruit shakes of Langka for them and Chico for me. We didn't miss having the Bola Flan too :)

Here I am now....waiting for the IFEX booth tarps....good thing I always have my laptop and my reliable Globe Visibility.

Tortilla Wraps

IFEX Philippines 2008 is coming up for May 16-18.

I have to discuss with Raymond Rubia of Daily Dose Farm and Chef Bert how we will be presenting our Sunshines, Veggies and Herbs.

Reading through the food blogs in my bookmarks, I went through Connie Veneracion's Pinoy Cook....a simple but really doable way got to me...."you can have tortilla wraps with pretty much anything in them"...
.....thank you to Rose :)

Grey Goose Vodka

I am not a vodka tonic person. I remember way back, a friend introduced me to beer and vodka, but no big deal. Last night, my order was preempted and was given vodka tonic. We had what seems as never ending bottles of Grey Goose Vodka.

L'Opera was perfect for a birthday celebration of a good friend. Parking was easy. Nice and quiet, we heard ourselves and surely everybody else around heard us. We had so much fun and laughter that I didn't get to really notice how my Steamed Sea Bass w/ Lobsters were. I liked my Panacotta and coffee..but I always taste my desserts more :)

These friends and meals started the Tsukiji lunch, last night's L'Opera and Monday's dinner at Tivoli!

Next days will be busy for me at IFEX so...ok ok...good things comes in 3s too...so after Tivoli, we rest our tummies but our hearts and minds will be so healthy...ehem, not obese please.

Food & Friends

The simplest foods and surroundings are the best comfort zones one can get when shared with "who cares what they say" company.

Working social events may serve the best and the freshest...but it doesn't count in memory banks because the people you can really laugh with aren't there.

Lunch at Tsukiji Pasay Road the other day was different. Friends from the 1970s (although we never lost touch) had lunch. Impromtu calls make it easier to snap up schedules together.

Yes, Tsukiji does have good food...but what I am trying to say is....you deposit it in your heart when paired with friends.

Between the five of us: several bottles of cold sake, hamachi sashimi pls! staple salmon sashimi, grilled prawns, seaweed salad, wagyu steak of course and fresh fruits to cap it.

The bonus with friends? No need for intelligent conversation. The song of Billy Joel (yes 1970s) comes to mind..."don't go changing..."

Why did I write this today? Because we are meeting up again tonight at L'Opera at The Fort.

Chef Bert, The Boy Scout

I arrived at the Bonsai Show at about 1pm, took my time to walk around the mall.... a rare thing for me. Realizing that it was past 3pm, I went back to my post as Chef Bert should be there soon. Sure he arrives on time, a little past 3pm as the cooking demo was for 4pm.

Where are the Sunshines? um er hm ah (I forgot to thaw them, geez). That's why I love working with these men....all cool and composed under bad times :)

They figured out how to thaw it .... weheheh and was just to use the breasts in thin slices. Seasoned with Salt and Black Pepper. The Sunshine's breast fillets were wrapped in Prosciutto Ham, and held together by a toothpick with Sage as corsage :)

While Chef Bert was wrapping all those, he remembered he forgot to bring Olive Oil.....someone ran to get some. In time for the frying! The put together pieces were fried and set aside. Now came another test...he forgot to bring a spatula or whatever, to turn his fillets while not ruining his pan.

Came another to the rescue, getting some stalks from plants (we were in the parking lot), and stripping the ends...voila...naturally fresh chop sticks!

Instead of washing off the used pan, Chef Bert put some Capers, Garlic, Sage, Salt and Pepper, and Bignay Wine. I notice that Chef Bert uses this particular wine a lot. He said it leaves a sweetish taste to sauces, and the wine tastes good when drank.

Slices were passed around. It was really good and you know it was a success as people's conversations drifted to the different ingredients used. When asked what he cooked... Chef Bert replied "Sunshine Chicken With Sage".

Pol Rubia remembers that only the breasts were used, so he asked one of his guys to season the remaining Sunshines and barbeque them over charcoal.

The conversation back at the AANI booth and our charbroiled Sunshines were perfect caps for the afternoon.

Let's see how Market At The Hills go...and watch out for new signs at Hobbies Of Asia....coming soon :)

Can't Wait To Have Capons Again?

Sunshine Capons will be available again on Saturday, at the Bonsai Show, Araneta Gateway.

The heat is too much for most of us, so it was decided that we ihaw the capons in the afternoon.

Experience the eating pleasure of what Zac Sarian had been raving about :)

Have You Been To Camiguin?

I haven't. The closest I get to Camiguin is via Lanzones.

Agnes, my Camiguin grower, is reloading 1000 soon so she texted to make sure of schedules so she can time her plane trip back to her eden. Then she mentioned that she had been reading about the other Sunshine growers and that she hopes her Sunnies get to be photographed too.

Ehem ehem. Of course all our growers will get the rounds for farm visits, marketing support etc. Which translates to marketing and media features. Are you wanting to get those too?

Visiting Camiguin is work? See for yourself.

We are scheduling our Pampanga/Tarlac growers next weeks. Resting now from our Cebu trip, while attending to our trade shows for May.

Scouting For A Market At The Hills

From a Pasig property which I was scouting the area for some vibes...I was just riding around the area. Passing White Plains, I headed towards Temple Drive. That is the street where you have Rustan's and Starbucks, behind Corinthian Gardens. You find Corinthian Hills on that street.

A series of signs caught my attention. I stopped by the last one and hmmmmmmm, it interested me. Am sure it is still slow now as they are still new in the area, but I like the Chef's seasoning to this market. You get to go shop around for food you can eat there or take home. Exciting flavours and blendings await you as chefs' innovative and creative juices are employed.

If plans push through, expect Sunshine Chicken to be made available there at affordable prices.

3rd Importation Of Parent Stocks

We have decided to import the 3rd set of Parent Stocks from SASSO, earlier than the 6th month. Now looking at mid-June. Aside from importing earlier, we are beefing up number of breeders, to cope up with demand.

Maraming salamat sa pag patronize ng growers ng Sunshines. Makikita nyo rin naman ang full support namin sa inyo, na mga raisers at dealers. Tulungan lang talaga.

Inihaw Sunshine Chicken Capon

Joey Rigor of Victoria, Tarlac, our Sunshine Capon grower brought live and dressed capons to the Bonsai show yesterday.

Close to 90days, the capons were about 3-3.5 kilos in dressed weights. The dressed were chopped at the site and seasoned simply with salt and pepper rub (just like how I do my regular inihaws). We believe that great tasting meat will standout with basic seasonings only.

Low fire, slow cooking. The charcoals were started and the Sunshine capons were set on the open grill as the right heat was achieved. See how the freshly dressed raw meat looks hefty?

You should have experienced the aroma. As Zac described to be "the kobe beef of poultry".... the marbled chicken meat was cooking in its own juices.

Looking at the meat, knowing that it is almost 90days old....not much expectation.

As the AANI people took the first bite, the expression on their eyes and faces have told me that Joey and Doc Mitzi did a great job! My friends from the US arrived and tasted. They can't understand how chicken can be that delicious.

Zac was late because of unforseen customers, traffic to Cubao and the strong rain. He missed the barbecue. In todays radio program, over breakfast...he had to be reassured that we will have Joey again at the Bonsai show and at IFEX....and YES, we will visit the farm :)

What's my favorite part of chickens? The tail or ass! OMG, I had to ask that it be cut and given to me. Hahahahhhahah....never had a mouthful of this! It was huge.

Sunshine Capons are available to consumers. Check him out also at IFEX's Sunshine Chicken booth, May 16-18, SMX.

Monthly Seminars In Fairview

We didn't expect the response we will be getting for the monthly seminars held every 4th Sunday.

Starting May 2008, we will limit the number to a total of 30 participants.

Pls reserve and pay for seminar fee so we can have a cutoff for slot acceptance.

This move will benefit all so we can be more focused.

Also, we remind all that please come before 2pm. Doors close at 2pm. Refrain from leaving and re-entering the room during the seminar.

See you there.

Organic Agri Kapihan At Bonsai Show

Doc Raffy Barrozo will host the Organic Agri Kapihan on May 10, Saturday, Bonsai Show, Araneta Gateway. Starts at 9am. It will cover several topics as he has invited industry leaders to answer your queries.

See you there.

Free Layers & Sunshine Chicken Seminar

The manufacturers of ATOVI is giving a free seminar on layers and have added a Sunshine Chicken seminar. The layers segment will be handled by Eng. Aldrich, while the Sunshine segment will be given by Doc Rey.

This will be on May 10, in the Muntinlupa/Alabang office of Atovi.. Pls contact Eng. Aldrich for details at (0917) 811-6529

Sunshine Chicken In Cebu

That's the title of an article in today's Agri Plain Talk of Zac Sarian, Business Section of the Manila Bulletin.

I woke up thinking ... "Oh no, May1 already"! Our May is fully booked in terms of activities, seminars, trade shows (Bonsai in Araneta and the much awaited IFEX at SMX).

Rushing to go to work as we had to drive to Manila later, we drove by to get our Manila Bulletin, scanning it....pleasant surprise...

There were pictures of Hector Ching of Asian Vegetables and Chicken, of his caretakers feeding the chopped veggies and fruits to his Sunshines and the very charming corn dealer of the freshest and sweetest corn we had partaken for some time. We were excited to find her on the roadside as we were going down the mountain. Heavy lunch and the impending big dinner didn't stop us from having our own Mini Corn Festival.

I am so happy that my Sunshine growers are getting attention and growing. This will also encourage their clients who resell them.

Can't wait to revisit Cebu....honestly.

Read today's online Agri Plain Talk here.