Wednesday, September 30, 2009

2nd Is Like FIRST

Haven't heard from a frank friend for a long time...maybe because of time zones. Rare that I am surfing at this time, but Ondoy did change schedules and enforced priorities.

He was talking about his son's organization being disappointed at how difficult it is to donate. Yes, you read it right... difficult. To spell it easier, HARD.

It isn't about solicitation that makes it tedious. It is about dealing with the government about duties and taxes. That floored me. As the Canadians say...flabbergasted!

Frank knew that Canada, more specifically Toronto is my 2nd home. If I can spread the word please? Opening the website...I knew it was meant to be...

Please visit the kapisanan in Toronto :)

La Traviesa

Sa Kabukiran of DZMM is conducting seminars nationwide and has requested us to join them in the bandwagon.

Next stop will be in Gen Trias, Cavite. October 4, Sunday, La Traviesa Resort. Doc Rey will be scheduled for 9am, Raising Sunshine Chicken.

This will be FREE.

Twit Twit

There are some new things I prefer not to get into as a way of simplifying life. But then again, there are some things you can't delete as you get invites all the time.

So ok ok...let's try to twit twit.... twit sunshinechicken twit twit

Plastic

Did you feel alluded to? Take a bow then....

I was referring to the material plastic, that was hanging and lay everywhere after the flood had subsided.

Which comes first, the chicken or the egg? Which caused what in the global warming and change of weather? We know how garbage and synthetics in our midst played a major part in the earth's warming.

As I was watching the relief operations on TV the other night and having the picture in my mind of "The Day After" when we went around Marikina and San Mateo....

I noticed first that..."geez...they take the effort to show their organization's sando bag printing as they hand over their help"!

Switching stations...ok, this time, there were no named in the sando bags, just plain white.

Then it dawned on me....YIKES plastic bags again to the relief centers. With this volume, its like the same percentage of the one month's rainfall in 6hrs that September 26.

But I know, how will it be transported and thrown to rooftops without getting wet and torn?

I pray that there is a group tasked to at least deal with all this plastics.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Where Were You Yesterday?

I was still going to continue my colorful day. Started real early, oblivious to the previous night's supposed to be continued rainfall. Acknowledge Ondoy, the storm.

I got a text from a customer who loaded Friday. He says that day1, storm and a cat attack. I texted back that his resourcefulness will be put into test...not realizing that dawn really was already pouring. We have a concrete roof over our heads, so there is no noise of splattering rain.

Cleared some sections of my cabinet of clothes that will never fit me again. Brought those to a friend who may have some use for it. I not only accepted the fact that reality is I am now BIG, but also, clearing makes way for new ones :)

After, I headed towards CP Garcia to go to Makati or Greenhills via Katipunan. That was my main problem of the day (embarassing). Strong rains and flood wasn't a obstacle when you are in a truck. Traffic is! When the cars infront won't nor can't move, that is the one that held me at CP Garcia for about 2hrs.

I decided to go back and that was when I saw that Elliptical Road was almost not moving as they can't get to Commonwealth as flood waters were high and frightfully rushing. Doc Rey egged me to go through the waters. "If the buses can, you can"! There was no traffic the long stretch of Commonwealth as people were stuck at both ends of the long highway.

Problem started when I got to the entrance of Fairview. Traffic wasn't budging as small vehicles can't go through. I was like stuck for like 5hours. But, listening to the radio, I felt so thankful that my ordeal was just being in traffic. Restaurants were around that I can get food from. I had rain boots around and won't have to wade in garbage water. A tankful of fuel allowed me to have airconditioning the whole time. Laptop and a Globe Visibility kept me happy. Meantime, Doc Rey kept calling and said I should just leave the car when I see water rising. I was in an elevated area! Galant as he can get..... he asked driver to drop him at the traffic point on the other end of Commonwealth and walked walked and swam to get where I was...for company. Really a reliable partner!

Seeing all that happened around our area...Marikina, Fairview, San Mateo, Batasan...you do a double take to say "thank you". All my family and friends are relatively OK. I have a friend whose house got washed away and he lost everything, but his family is all alive.

Today, our seminar pushed through. Coordinating with our breeding farm, everything is perfect. Great that our chicks arrived from France Friday and not scheduled yesterday.

The mere fact that you have the time to read this, apparently, you also have everything to thank for too :)

Friday, September 25, 2009

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 :)

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Oh BOY!


I didn't understand the excitement about a battery operated back pack spray.

Why will it be worth buying it? Easy to operate. No exertion to get the product out to spray. You get a constant pressure, irregardless of volume inside tank.

We are distributing this product and will be available at all our Solraya Enterprises stores in Manila, Solano, Santiago City and Vigan. Suggest price is PHP6,800

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

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.

FAME

This morning I saw on TV that there will be a remake of that old movie, it was my generation, FAME. Almost everyone wanted to be a dancer and a welder back then. Maybe not a welder! But it opened my eyes to using large abandoned spaces and things...remember her apartment? It was an old warehouse.

Anyway, weeks ago, I got an email from CITEM, inviting Sunshine Chicken to exhibit in the Golden Edition of the Manila F.A.M.E. International. They are opening a new section for Health and Wellness.

Forgot all about it, buried in paper work was the application I had filled out, waiting to be faxed.

Good thing I saw the news on the remake of FAME and called up CITEM today.

See you there...They will have the big event at both the World Trade Center and SMX Convention Center.

Sunshine Chicken will be at the World Trade Center...Oct 15-18.

Let's support what is Pinoy. CITEM also works hard for us :) In turn, all the shows we join are meant for consumer awareness to benefit our growers.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

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.

Monday, September 21, 2009

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?

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Guess What?

Can you think of what new strains we are adding to our Sunshine Dayold Chicks line?

This week we get our new Certified Parent Stocks. When we say COMING SOON, it is, because it will be landed. Just like birth certificates, they are named as Solraya babies.

We are named as importer and not just the trader nor salesman :) So you know you are dealing with us directly.

We will be happy to show you our importation papers, naming Solraya as the importer and verifiable with the Bureau of Animal Industry.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Reason To Smile


We are so happy that slowly, more and more rice farmers are converting to organic fertilizers. Now that they have seen that by just using a commerical bio-organic fertilizer, they have increased their yield from last cropping.

It is so hard to explain to farmers who got the bad ends of deals when buying so called organic fertilizers. You have to be an example and show your own yield.

The photo above, taken at Brgy Salvador, Santiago City Isabela, shows the fields that used plainly Durabloom Bio-Organic Fertilizers. Just that simple. They didn't even follow instructions well.

Computing yields last night showed that even without following instructions...and nature related disaster...the yield was better than last cropping.

Now, we can talk about asking them to attend Natural Farming seminar on rice production by Andry Lim. I was telling them last night about low farm inputs following the Korean principles.

Now they ask Where and When! Makes us smile....We hope to encourage more.

Oh yes, you can use the manure from your free ranging Sunshines.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Agrilink Is Coming!

Read about it here.

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

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

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

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

Ultimate Test


September 13...lucky 13 for me....do I or not?

The Ultimate Test Test #2 by Anton and Rache of Our Awesome Planet a tour and food blog.... to do or not to do.

Pressure...this may be a make or break thing. But, I recall Cory Aquino say, when she wanted a group in Luneta, her advisers were saying it was easier to fill up Makati. Cory said...she wanted to know now if the Filipinos were for her, that is why she wanted Luneta.

So then GO for it. If for anything, if I get negative reviews, it will be constructive for me. So any way it goes, WIN!

But, how do I do a taste test? We sell dressed chickens, I don't have staff..hmmmm.....I would have wanted to do a Tinola but hard to transport and serve. Do I bring my rotisserie? Hard to cut and serve.

ADOBO!!! We've had this good home cooked style that we know is closest to your comfort zone.

Day before, the 12th, we did the Adobo. Got to Two Serendra, the venue at exactly 10am. We were the first to arrive :)

Nervous, as every other booth looked prepped and attractive. We were simple and just that, simple. But then again...that was how we wanted to be...we were simple, easy and back to basic. No frills, just good!

Soon after, people were coming back for refills. People were walking up to say that we tasted good. The organizer said he was hearing feedback that the chicken was great. A lady walked up, after several repeats...to say that our table was her favorite.

I don't know what the reviews will end up saying in paper. I got my fill for the day. If I don't get good rating in paper, then maybe the ones who ate Sunshines were too full to fill up their exit review papers ahahahhahahah.

I'm glad I did it. Thank God there was no landslide to stop us from taking the Ultimate Test Test. Thank you to Anton, Rache and Ivan...and of course to the foodies who took time to go. Thank you too to my friend Jessica, Vivian who helped and Doc Rey who was very supportive.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Isabela Seminars

Free to everyone to attend :)

September 17, 10am
Cabatuan Community Center

September 21, 10am - POSTPONED, will post details again. Updated Sep19
San Fermin, Cauayan
CVPMDC Compound, beside LVO Lumber

Topic: Raising Sunshine Chicken
Speaker: Doc Rey

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Take Time To Learn

Often been asked how I am able to keep up with marketing and being able to run with times.....

Never ending reinvention of yourself. You are your own competitor, supporter, ally, critic. If you are blaming someone else for your slow turns, you may need to read self help books instead :)

I took the first offer of The Power of Pen. No, it didn't make me a better writer, but I think knowing what you don't know helps???

You might want to attend the next :)

Tuesday, September 08, 2009

Great Holiday


September 07 was declared a national holiday, but the seminar at Central State University went as scheduled. We were given a timetable and Doc Rey was to start at 8:30am. By 8am, Ariel, the coordinator was already texting finding out where we were. We are almost always on time so I appreciate it when people do stick to schedules.

The registration was very well organized and same may be said about the welcoming committee. As we were driving by the auditorium, they knew who we were...maybe we were bright as the sunshine :)

There is something about school organized seminars that are very rewarding for our team to do. The organizers are sticklers to details. They are passionate. You were invited because they thirst for knowledge. It is made open to the public and they invite farmers for the information exchange. Conversation is about advocacy and real honest interest to do better. It is offered for FREE to all.

We finished the day at CLSU feeling light hearted and knew that we will be glad to go the next time they ask. Rain or shine, holiday or not. We really thank the organizers of the Central State University's (CLSU) seminar.


Headed for Isabela after a very good lunch at their canteen...by 4pm, guess where we were???? Just before reaching Caranglan, there was a long line and the police were saying "not to move" as there was a landslide upfront. Not move up? But the landslide area is way up, like another 20kms away....

We inched our way up to the site. Thanked Zac Sarian in our minds, for giving me a bagful of sweet Rambutan from Teresa Orchard. He may have had a premonition, as he specifically said, it was to be eaten for today's trip!

The Caranglan landslide was open at about a little past midnight. Thing is, the vehicles from the other side, going to Manila, took up 2 to 3 lanes...some drivers even slept and was left obstructing the highway :) There was a more zigzagy road, in the already steep and curly roads of the mountain range....as you maneuver around the bigger trucks that created an obstacle course.

For some reason, God played a trick and speakers of the radio won't work during that long wait. No news nor music to listen to, strong rains that prevented you from mingling with other stranded motorists, poor cellphone signals....turned out well. Gave you quality time for talk :)

Thursday, September 03, 2009

So Much Time In My Hands

The past days..it was all about time.

We are in Vigan for an extended stay. Doc Rey working, while I had been going around Vigan on foot, driving around and feeling the little old world that it evokes.

Watches...I revived my love for old watches and bought some antique ones and gleefully asked a staff to take it to watchmaker. It took all of PHP80 to make it work. Sometime ago I saw a watch on a friend's arm and made a mental note to ask her about it. As I said, time is now my topic....I called her to please reserve it for me.

Another about time, this time Bohol time. I was told by our host in Bohol that we will be staying in homestays.

As I now have the luxury of time to surf...see where it brought me...WOW, can't wait to fly to Bohol's time.

I've have always wanted to visit Bohol but time didn't allow. Really thankful that work takes us to wonderful places and experiences.

Wednesday, September 02, 2009

Find The Time

....to give back time and make nature work for us.



Natural farming and money

By FLOR G. TARRIELA
Manila Bulletin
August 31, 2009, 7:01pm

Here's the link:

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/218503/natural-farming-and-money



otherwise, here's the complete text:

Natural farming and money

By FLOR G. TARRIELA
August 31, 2009, 7:01pm


Last week, at the Attracting Wealth Seminar sponsored by the New Life Alabang Christian Center, one of the speakers was Dodong Cacanando of Moriah Farms one of the, if not the biggest lettuce farm in Bukidnon supplying Mcdonalds and KFC. His story is quite amazing, migrating to Bukidnon with his family to plant lettuce when everyone else told him it was not possible. Until recently, all lettuce we ate in the Philippines were mainly imported, as to grow lettuce is quite delicate. To grow them, most used covered nursery to protect the precious leaves from the elements.

When the price of oil shot up last year, and everything else with it, including fertilizers, production
costs went up so high, his profit margins were cut. The cost of fertilizer requirements almost doubled. But he didn’t want to borrow to finance the increased cost of production. He therefore had no choice but to live with what he has in the farm.

This led him to a technology, the natural farming technology of Dr Hans Kyu Cho of Korea, taught locally by Andrey “Less Is More” Lim, Founder/Consultant, Tribal Mission Foundation International Inc. whose passion is to improve the lives of farmers. This new technology is revolutionary since you just leave nature the way it is. For example, no tilling of soil. The key to good plants/vegetables is enriching the soil though beneficial microorganisms, using natural materials (like leaves, grasses and weeds) readily available in the farm. Andrey manages a 30 hectare Helen farm in Davao using
the natural farming way. They have about 800 pigs and they do not smell. Yes, they don’t smell, they don’t even take a bath, so less water, thanks to these beneficial micro organisms.

What is natural farming? It is farming by using natural materials , non chemicals , that promote the growth of beneficial micro organisms in the soil. Don’t feed the plants, feed the soil to have healthy plants. When plants are healthy, like people, they are more resistant to diseases , and will be stronger. So that plants and vegetables we eat will have nutrients for our body. One school of thought why we have more cases of cancer nowadays, affecting even children, is that the food, plants and vegetables we eat no longer have the necessary nutrients we need due to depleted soil.

With Dodongs farming experience, his Bible readings saw a new light from which came out his new business philosophy . For example, he says that from the seed, develops the roots and then the leaves and back to the roots etc. When the plant grows to maturity, it produces a lot of food. What to do with this excess food generated? The plant stores it in a special container we call fruit. And fruiting comes in the proper season, at the right timing. He says , we can’t rush the growth of a tree. Even if we want to and just bombard it with watering and fertilization, when it is not yet time, it just won’t bear fruit. Or if it does, the tendency is for the plant to die at an earlier age.

Just as fruits are the by- product of a healthy plant, it’s the same in a business where money/profit is the by- product of a healthy business. I recall Topax Colayco in the Finex Seminar “Riding through the Crises”, he said, “ the fastest way to get rich is to get rich slowly”. We just can’t rush getting rich or fast forward trees to bear fruits before its time. There will always be repercussions.

Today, Dodong says that his lettuce is growing very well and in the wide open, beating all odds. For when he started in Bukidnon, everyone said he cant grow lettuce . Much more now that he is not using chemical fertilizers. Dodong’s story is just an example of being successful using the natural farming way. I recall being told after knowing that I was an advocate of natural farming, “ I pity you, for it won’t work”. I answered , “on the contrary I sincerely believe it is the answer to our farmers plight, their ability to make their own input requirements and being empowered”. And Dodongs lettuce story is one of the best example as with many others whose lives have changed moving to the natural way of farming.

This natural farming technology is taught locally by Andrey Lim, the 2009 Secretary of Agriculture Awardee for Outstanding Organic Agriculture Initiative (Individual Advocate Category).

Do you want to know more about natural farming, to be healthy and save our environment?

Learn how to enrich your soil using natural materials!

Learn how to make your own fertilizer, insecticide and pesticide from natural sources!

Learn how to make your own feeds using plants and herbs!

Learn how to grow pigs with no bathe and with no smell!

Learn to raise organic free range chicken without the use of artificial heater!

Learn recycling techniques to and turn wastes to good use!

Then Do Not Miss the Natural Gardening and Farming Seminar on October 24!

Sponsored by Finex in cooperation with Flor’s Garden.

The seminar will t be conducted by Andrey Lim at Flor’s Garden in Antipolo.

Please Call Cherry of Finex at 8114052 or 8114187 now! First come first served! Limited seats available.
----------------------
On Money:
I like to share these Chinese proverbs. A good reminder to put money in its proper perspective in our life. Money can usually act as “oxygen to our lives”, and certainly has a “calming effect” but it is not the answer to everything.

“Money can buy you a house , but it can’t buy you a home

Money can buy you a clock, but not time

Money can buy you a bed, but it can’t give you sleep or peace of mind

Money can buy you a book, but not knowledge or wisdom

Money can pay for a doctor, but it can’t buy you good health

Money can buy you blood , but it can’t give you life

Money can even buy you rank or position , but not respect

Money can buy you sex but not love”.
-------------------------------
Ms Tarriela is Chairman of Phil National Bank. She was formerly
Undersecretary of Finance and the first Filipino lady vice president of Citibank N.A.







GIL S. CAGALAWAN

Mailing:
c/o Life 4 Water, Inc.
2/F Obach Res. Bldg.
0019 Agoncillo cor. Araneta St.
9200 Iligan City
Philippines

Tel. No.: [63 63] 492-3566
Mobile : +63 905 969-7695

Website: www.geocities.com/life4water

Tuesday, September 01, 2009

Batangas Seminar

We might be headed for Batangas on the 3rd week of September for a free seminar, hosted by LGUs.

Will keep you posted.