 | About Me | Feb 20, 2007 |
 | CRH | Apr 8, '09 7:20 PM
for everyone |
 Carbonized Rice Hull Some people really make CRH for use in organic fertilizers. In Isabela where we are based, we have the luxury of CRH from the many rice mills around. The coveted CRH is a byproduct and can be taken with a telephone call :) How do you, as a raiser of free range chickens, acquire for yourself? You may use some charcoal and rice hull as alternative source of heat. Put holes around tin pails/drums. Have rice hull and some charcoal and ignite. The burning rice hull will give off heat. You may also burn coconut husks or shells :) Instead of throwing away the resulting material inside your drums, mix them with sand and make them as beddings in your brooders and pens. Very good for diarrhea prevention...remember your own medication? I like Black..looks clean to me. I also like the caring detail the grower here has given to his babies. He built them a perch stand! Thoughtful that it is natural for chickens to want to perch and that also helps them safe from predators. Incidentally, you may even sell your organic fertlizers to your neighbors, from your Sunshine's waste :) That best describes our schedules :) Not that I'm complaining.
Yesterday, we were supposed to have driven back to Isabela for a quick trip before we fly to Davao. Holidays gave us the alibi to just work in our computers inroom and was too lazy to pack and go. Also, staff will be on break too so many things to check before they leave.
What wakes us up this morning? A request for a seminar tomorrow morning. Several out of town deliveries ordered today! We also have to make some deliveries as there is only one driver left in Manila. Well, Tuesday is not a regular delivery day for us, so we are not manned for this. But, we are very flexible and always ready .... used to the unexpected, expecting already the unpredicatable and making do with situations :)
A Mandaluyong delivery crops up....hmmmmm I remember wanting to try 1521 Restaurant...hope to experience their cooking. Due to demand we are scheduling one tomorrow.
WHAT: Raising Sunshine Chicken
WHERE: ORGANIKA; Regalado cor Quirino Hway (across Regalado gate of SM Fairview)
WHEN: Wednesdy, 9am, April 8
WHO: Doc Rey
FEE: PHP350
You may register at the door. See you :) Surprising how many people do visit our blog. Well, surprising shouldn't be the right term, as we get website statistics and surely we are able to gauge our visitors in terms of their location, what they read, what time of the day etc. You may not believe this, but these days we get over 550 pages read every day, by about 150 visitors daily. The statistics show average. So that is from day1, when there were no readers.
I get comments from people I just met, who upon realizing the product represented (well I am always in uniform), blurt out that "I read you a lot". They are from food industry, farming, hobbyists, entreprenuers and yes, from bored people also, whose source of entertainment is sufing :) Almost 30% of daily visits are from returning readers. Thank you :)
A lot of you comment that we are all around, all the time. How do we do it? It must get tiring!
Well, for some points:
1) The company we keep when doing the trips to farms, is always enjoyable. Its just like dinners and lunches, I don't do business stuff. So, rule #1, make sure it is a pleasurable group...the business aspects should just fall into place, and NOT the core of the company. IF it has to be....ok...we may travel in separate cars :)
2) Always look at it as pasyal. Long drives...time to enjoy the scenery. Have you really taken time to drive down old and coastal roads? Instead of doing all the fast express ways that offer you field fires as views?
3) Opportunity to eat and discover new things. I love going to the markets, or stopping by the roadside stall to buy sea salt or dried seaweeds. Asking vendors how to best enjoy it, how to prepare them.
4) Meet your growers upfront. Does a lot when real rapport is created. Let them know you. At the end, you get other insights and learn a lot....that takes away your aching muscles from the trip.
5) You may travel comfortably. I have mastered packing the things we need, and doing it lightly. On the plane, we take a big suitcase half full and stock the carry on with the projector and laptop inside. When we get to the location, I still have a small case with wheels to lug around my laptop and projector. Going home time, they fit back inside the check in luggage.
6) Lastly....the first step is, know that you WILL LOVE IT!
Hmmmm just thought about a travelogue. Why? I just got an email from a travel agency, if they can post an ad on our website hahahaaha. Hanged  Or set on hollow blocks  Charcoal may be used to keep your chicks warm. Burning rice hull or ipa, may also be used as alternative source of heat. Compost material is also a good idea for keeping your chicks warm and close to their natural brooding temperature. Just make sure that the chicks can't be burned :) Doc Rey suggests that if you are using electric bulbs or gas brooders, have on standby, alternative means to brood. The time spent thinking, planning and preparing may mean that they start crowding and piling up one on top of the other. Wanting to get heat and pushing against one another, extols a lot of pressure on them. That is the Philippine International Flora and Fauna Garden Expo 2009.
We joined this trade show last year and found the market to be very receptive.
Got a good location. Corner. Fronting a special landscape setting. Diagonal to the stage area. Sunshine growers are welcome to come and use the venue for marketing their products.
See you at the World Trade Center on July 16-19 :) While doing our bookings just now....it crossed my mind to make a sidetrip to Cebu from Davao, before planing back to Manila.
Seminar in Cebu? Anyone? For April 15 evening. Text me if you are interested so we may swing a schedule there. (0917) 847-2639  Often been asked about choppers/shredders. The ones out in the market before were very expensive stuff but useful to have around as it allows you to concentrate on other issues other than personalities when you have a lot of manpower. At PHP35,000, this is a good buy. 6.5hp and shreds 500kilos/hour...not bad :) If you have little space, then cut and carry should be it for your Sunshines. A chopper will be handy for you. Making your fermented fruit and plant juices will be sisiw now wehhhehehe. Solraya will be carrying this and may accept orders from you. Yesterday was week2 of the 5000 heads in a brooder of an entrepreneur. At week1, Doc Rey already suggested moving some to ease up space. They were using pig pens and Doc Rey was instructing to open up the walls to let fresh air in.
At week2, the farm manager was alarmed that the pens were crowded as the Sunshines were growing fast. He said the ranging pens were ready. Doc Rey said he will check that day.
When we got to the farm, the chicks were ranging, happily! We caught the farm manager nervous as it was starting to rain and the skies were gloomy.
His nervousness was right and with basis!!!! If he took time and waited, he will have had several options:
1) Doc Rey may have suggested to open up the brooding area more
2) Just release in the ranging area the number o Sunshines that will ease up the space in the brooders
3) Have rice hull (ipa) as beddings in the shelters
4) Elevate or install bamboo floorings for the shelters
Why?
1) They are just 2weeks old, they would be better off inside brooders for protections from predators.
2) They need the heat from their beddings
3) When ranged, even with adlib feeds, they will still prefer grass. They will prefer to play, instead of ensuring that they be able to get first their nutrition for the 21days
4) Rain water will make the ground wet, so elevation will be a good idea
Everything said and done, the farm helps had to work double time last night. So far, no calls. No news is good news :)
Moral of the lesson....don't be too excited and in a hurry. Assess situations. There are no rules to follow in natural farming...but let common sense guide you. AND, when asked by your veterinarian to wait...surely he knows that it isn't a life or death situation yet. One of our Sunshine growers in Gen Santos, is the hubby of the former executive assistant of a very good friend of mine. That was eons ago....the years that we were still golfing, gulping, jetting and all other INGS.
I have not seen Patty in maybe 20yrs. Agrilink 2007....we were both like "huh...I know you..." Ayun, she used to be the executive assistant of Vic at PLDT. You know her job...she was the ONE we all bugged for the small needs we had. She retired, I guess her hubby decided that she assisted him instead of getting bombarded by Vic's friends anyway. Now, as pastime, she and Rene are into farming in Gen Santos.
You think they raised Sunshines in 2007? Nope! Agrilink 2008...now it was just Rene who comes up to me an introduced himself as Patty's hubby.
Point is....he took time to think and prepare. He started with 100. Now, we are at 200 every 2weeks.
Am not sure if it was because he read about my business idea post on "ready to range" chicks, or did he read Zac Sarian's article on a good endeavor? Or must be both! Rene was asking about meeting him to discuss the "ready to range" prospects.
Time and schedules haven't allowed us to meet..that was about 2weeks ago.
Today, before lunch, I got a text asking about 1week old Sunshines for Gen Santos. I gave the texter Rene's number. Late this afternoon, Rene texts that he sold 100 "postbrood" Sunshines, for PHP90 each.
See....very me. Why discuss feasibilities and pencil pushings. Easier to get to practice pronto!
Nice new term..."postbrood".
Looking forward to visit Patty's Farm. We know we have full schedules ahead as next week we visit growers in the Northern Luzon area.
So Sunday afternoon, decided to take a good night's sleep and start off early Monday for a relaxed schedule. To do what? To visit new growers' ranging areas and dealers. HAHAHHAHAHHA...yes I hear a big laugh! But its different when there is no schedules, no hotel bookings...like stay and do whatever :)
First stop yesterday....a new ranging area in Bulacan. We thought that we will see the brooders here. Doc Rey wanted to check on it because they got 100 on day1, 100 on day2 and wanted to get 700 the 3rd day. Doc Rey just alarmed him on the space requirements, so he opted to get 300 on the 3rd day. His brooding HAD to be checked. On the way to the farm, we realize that he was brooding in the Metro, but we may see the ranging area he was preparing.
Perfect location. Very near Metro Manila....logistics play an important role.
Anyway...what's my story here...
I was surprised to see a young man. I would say he looks 20s to me. He is a Medical Doctor but really wants to be an entrep-farmer. He followed his parents' wish first. Now, that he has proven himself, became a successful doctor...he now wants to do what he really wants :)...farming and business.
His profile as a doctor, entrepreneur wanna be, his wife's business - all those were different from the other growers - our talk also brought out great business ideas from moi! I will discuss those in other threads. Interesting ideas...promise :)
Wait! Am sidetracked here.....my heart's blab here is the "FOLLOW FIRST"... "OBEY FIRST" Been getting a lot of texts for Davao area:
We are working on an April13 seminar in Davao City.
Chances are, we are doing the April14 seminar in Mati City.
Will post final schedules as soon as we book hotels and airlines :) If you see our growers featured in agriculture magazines, you may want to know that we equally market the restaurants that use our chickens :)
For the Jan-Feb 2009 issue of F&B World, when we were interviewed and featured, we invited the crew to sample Sunshines at Zucchini's restaurant. F&B World mentioned them in that issue and the next issue of March-April had Zucchini's featured too :)
Now to Genaro's.... they are based in Santiago City, Isabela where we are based too. Having lunch by drive thru, at their gate side grill, is normal for us. I always ordered fish as the name connotes, is supposed to be their specialty.
Sometime ago, rare time that we go there for dinner and decided to dine in. Oh they have native chicken and Monterey pork too. I order for Sinampalukang Manok, only to be told that the supply is very erratic. Hmmmmm.....small talks that led me to talk about Sunshines. And yes, send her 10 chickens the next day for testing.
That is history. They had been ordering consistently.
About 2weeks ago, I thought of making "Sunshine Chicken is being served at Genaro's Bangus Grill" as our tagline for the radio ads for Region2. Really worked! The sales have doubled. And Grace the owner, appreciated the fact that we made effort to look after marketing too. Obviously, she makes good, I do too :)
Last night, brainstorming about employees handling tips and how to cut down on workload as Grace did the cooking...we brought up the idea of new recipes, ones that stir far from the inasal every corner available. Oh yes, keep the classic tinola and sinampalukan...but get going with offerings that only you have, at least for the moment. Offering that you know you started.
That brought the conversation to my smoking chicken. I shared a recipe of a relative, that I amended to make it easier for me to do. We now look forward to introducing Smoked Sunshine Chicken at Gabriel's of Genaro's.
Gabriel's of Genaro's...That is their new outlet. Strategic, along Maharlika Hway, across the 24hr Mercury Drugstore in Santiago City, Isabela. Planning marketing is my main duty now for Sunshine Chicken. It is a hair line away from selling. Marketing is harder in my eyes, as the selling comes after you have projected and made known your company and product.
Always going, straight lines and circles...of course we have to forever compliment the marketing for our growers too. We plan to embark again (as if we don't always do weehehheheheh) on farm visits for our growers that may be featured for agriculture news.
Which made me recall an incident last Sunday. I was at a weekend market where we participated. As I was walking around, I saw another booth selling dressed chickens from free range SASSO. Surely I know all my growers...so I approached the man who owned the booth and talked to him about using the name SASSO. Surely his supplier didn't say that what they were selling him were SASSO chicks!!!
Maybe out of lack of anything better to say, he asks me about the proper raising and pricing. "I can't be involved as it will be unethical...I am just here to catch your attention about your claim on using SASSO" :)
Geez...this was may beyond me! He said he thought that his supplier might be the better one because they more expensive. YEOWWWWWW...this is exacty the market I am not targetting. The one that thinks that expensive is better. Hello? Yes, I may be from another world, but thank you, I prefer to be where I am. Give me an original Crispa T-shirt anytime please.
Yes also, I am focused in my marketing. There is a certain genre I want to keep and satisfy.
We work hard to give quality and cut costs. We have the numbers to give you lower prices.
I pride myself about planning and making strategies. I can't comprehend when someone rides on others' popularity and work. I am confident that we move forward and not just follow others' actions nor routes. We ourselves, and so does our growers, don't use the name SASSO in our marketing nor labels :) I get inquiries for on the job trainings and summer jobs. Mostly we get it through text and I have 90% ignored it because I feel that the request commands some respect and text messages are not the proper venue for it :)
Last week I got an email, from a Benguet State University student. I gave it a thought because:
1) we have had very good experience with our employees from BSU
2) our market has consistently grown in the Benguet, Mt. Province area
3) we need to educate people on the benefits of grass fed chickens
4) if she learns from us, even just a little...that knowledge will benefit all, as she may echo it
What will I give her to do? Store brooding. That is a far more difficult job, than ordinary brooding in farms. Merits a separate topic to discuss :)
Because we are taking her in...we will be open to the idea now of accepting students who want to learn from us. | Market | Mar 26, '09 11:24 AM
for everyone |
Where's the market?
A grower is literally going to the market....not wasting time looking nor waiting for the middlemen to find him.
They are getting a space at the local market in Antique and sell their dressed produce there.
He wants the locals to experience our claim of the taste of bisaya manok, in the Sunshine Chicken. What is a gold strike for me? When we get the entrepreneur raisers.
What do I mean by that? There are entrepreneurs. And they have a magic eye for what will move, decides on vibes and experience and acts fast. That is what differentiates them from the others :)
90% of the time we are asked, "where is the market?"............oh you know that person will take ages before he decides to raise some.
An entrepreneur wants to know why your product is different, why it will be worth carrying/using and makes calls to start his brooders while you are still finding that extra calling card to hand over to him. The more the reality is presented, the more he knows it is worth going into.
They don't ask where the market of the production is. They CREATE the market! Its not even finding the market...CREATING is the key word.
You ask now, but they may have the good eyes, but can they raise my Sunshines? YES....they have the talent also of choosing good people to work for them. And they look after their workers well...in turn, they reap back with an abundant harvest.
One can't be and do everything all the time. You may be able to raise chickens well, but someone else has to focus on the business side.
Yesterday we had the pleasure of sharing coffee with Jonathan. He is setting up several ranging areas. Strategic locations actually. Near the trading areas and have spoken with live chicken dealers even before he started brooding.
Incidentally, he is trained in pest control. He knows how and when to use his baits.
Jonathan, I wish your Sunshine ranges, "mushrooms" in number :)
In these trying times, you always seek ways to gain and save, learn to unlearn, move forward to go back to basics, withdraw to be able to give, meet problems to find solutions, find alternative routes in all aspects....
Presented with a problem of supply, some industrial consumers opt to raising their own consumption. Sunshine Chickens need the space for ranging and you look for land that is cheaper to buy. You find ways to cross rivers to get at the other side :) Don't worry, come rainy season, there is a road that leads to that land, though 20kms farther.
He had tasted Sunshine Chicken from our stocks of dressed chickens used for marketing purposes during trade shows. The go-go entrepreneur decided he can use this for new recipes he had in mind. Conservative start, he loads 5,000 heads as he will easily consume that in 3weeks, so he may cycle brooders.
One week after, we visit to check on brooding. We cross again the river....oh yes, this time I made sure I had batteries charged for my documentation :)
The Sunshines look great in 7days. The chicks are moving around comfortably. Well fed, enough space, clean surroundings and beddings...good start.
Yesterday was the first of a series for Rockwell's Sunday Souk.
Sad that I wasn't around to man my booth, as it coincided with our monthly seminars....but I liked the life that the area was showing at 8am, while the other vendors were still setting up.
I have to thank Bunny Fabella, my high school classmate, my Power of the Pen seatmate, and the owner of Gilmore Gourmet. She had been a booster since Philfoodex. Yesterday, she was calling me to make suggestions. A customer calls me today and says there was this lady at my booth that had been talking about how good such and such was. I will guesstimate.....that was Bunny :)
Got a lot of calls today. Of course the Sunshine Chicken is a given. Aside from that, peope were raving about out heavenly coco milk and our salted duck eggs. As described, the coco milk is non fat and is the stage before you get your virgin coconut oil. I would say it is a creamy buko juice, with a slight gata flavor. Our salted duck eggs are a real treat. The saltiness is barely there, cheeselike I would say.
I invite you to try it.
See you at Sunday Souk #2...April 5
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