HOW TO MAKE SOYAMILK

When people think of milk, they usually associate it with goats, cows, or carabaos. Seldom will anyone think of plants as a source of alternative milk like soya milk.
Soya milk is cheaper than dairy or animal milk. It is also low in fat or lactose, whereas cow’s milk can have as much as 4%-5% saturated fat. What’s fantastic about soya milk is that it is high in protein and free from cholesterol.
According to the book Tofu & Soya, soya milk has the same protein content as goat’s milk and the same level of calcium as cow’s milk. A 100 ml of soya milk contains 0.63 mg riboflavin, 3.2 mcg vitamin B, and 1.5 mcg vitamin D, and has a total energy of 430 kilocalories.
Soya milk is just one of the popular products of soybean. Our Asian neighbors, especially the Chinese, have known about the value of soybean for over 400,000 years. But for most of us Filipinos, we only realized its value these past few years.
For instance, in Negros Oriental, our province, there have been soybean farms there since the `60s. But what farmers only knew about soybean then was that it was used to make plastics, soy sauce, or feeds for poultry and pigs. They did not know then that it was a highly nutritious food that can be processed into milk.
Another instance was during the height of Imelda Marcos’ Green Revolution Program. Our school was growing soybeans, and a German agriculture consultant gave us seeds to grow. He was probably thinking that being Asians we were familiar with the uses of soybeans. Unfortunately, due to the ignorance of most, our soybeans werejust wasted for nobody knew back then how to prepare it either as food or beverage.
As for me, I only learned how to make soya milk when I worked in Hong Kong in the `90s. And here’s how.
1. Wash 1/2 kilo of soybeans for two to three times. Put it in a large basin and add water of about thrice the volume of the soybeans. Soak overnight and then drain.

2. Rinse the soybeans and drain again.

3. Put 1 cup soybeans in the grinder. Add 2 cups boiling water. Grind or blend until transformed into a puree. Repeat until all the beans are pureed.

4. Put the puree into the muslin cloth then squeeze it to extract the milk. After squeezing all the puree, add 1-2 cups of boiling water to the pulp then squeeze again to extract more milk.

5. Pour the extracted milk into the big pot. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes.

6. Put the soya milk in a clean container or bottle. Cool and then refrigerate.
Because soya milk has a bland taste, add sugar or honey. You can also add fruits to it, or if desired, add flavoring. And one more thing, after extracting the soya milk, the pulp need not be thrown away as it still contains nutrients. Mix it with little flour and seasonings, and fry it as patties or meatballs.

Making Coconut Shell Candle in 3 Simple Steps

Here’s another unique business idea to help you earn more!
Materials needed•

Coconut halves• Wax (soy, paraffin, beeswax, etc)• Scent cubes• Wicks• Belt sander (optional)• Sand paper• Aluminum soup can• Pot for boiling water• Stove• Stirring device (like a knife, etc)• Oven mitts• Coconut stabilizers

Prepping:

your coconut You have a choice. You can either leave the fiber on your coconut halve, or sand it down. Some choose to sand it down using a belt sander and strip the fiber away, and then use sand paper to really smooth it out.
Clean the outside of the coconut with warm water. Once dry, rub a little piece of your wax on the outside of the coconut. Use your fingers to rub the wax in and evenly. Your coconut should now be a pretty dark brown. Set your wicks at the bottom of your coconuts. Don’t worry if your coconuts are at an angle.
Wax time:

Fill your pot half full of water (The can will displace water). Put it on the stove and heat it slowly. You do not need it boiling.
Once water is hot , place cubes of wax in the aluminum can. With knife, stir the cubes until completely melted. Add scent cubes, if desired (follow direction on package). Stir again. Put on oven mitts and prepare to pour wax. After, start the process again until you have finished making the candles.
Pour the wax:

Stabilize your coconuts on the plastic containers. If you wanted the coconuts to be horizontal, but they still tilted when finished; this step really is more about the coconuts being stabilized. If you pour carefully, you don’t need to use the containers.Slowly and carefully pour the wax in. You may want an extra hand to hold the coconut or wick. Let the coconuts set for a few hours.

Repeat from Step 2.
Coconut Shell Candle Holder:

You will need 3 half coconut shells and some joining wire. Drill two holes in each shell. Join shells with wire. This works great with tea lights or any pillar candles.

Strawberry farming: gains popularity in northregion in Bangladesh

BANGLADESH - Strawberry farming has started gaining popularity everywhere in northern region for the last couple of years as the fruit has tremendous economic prospect for the grassroots farmers.Many farmers, including the amateur ones, have been showing interest to cultivate strawberry and searching for its saplings during the current plantation season that will continue till middle of this month. Talking to BSS on Monday, concerned experts said the growers' level extension of strawberry cultivation as well as its higher value could bring a new dimension to the country's agriculture. Referring to the bright prospects of strawberry cultivation in Bangladesh except the coastal districts, the experts called for an effective motivational campaign for commercial farming of the soft red-juicy fruit. Professor Dr. Monzur Hossain of Botany Department of Rajshahi University, the pioneer of strawberry research and variety innovation in Bangladesh, said huge enthusiastic growers are coming here from different parts of the country to collect strawberry saplings every day. "We have already sold 45,000 saplings to 105 farmers out of around 75,000 to 80,000 saplings produced at my farm against the estimated demand for about two lakh," Dr Hossain said adding, "We were astonished by witnessing the farmers' interest in this field. Whereas, he said some 3,500 saplings were sold to 35 farmers during the last season. The cultivation process of the cash crop is similar to potato, tomato and brinjal, but its market value is much higher. He said Genetic Engineering Laboratory under Botany Department of RU innovated three varieties of strawberry through applying tissue culture method for the first time in Bangladesh. In the demonstration plot, they were found suitable for the country's soil and environment. Joint Director of BADC Sarder Salahuddin, who is the president of Bangladesh Strawberry Association (BSA), said one kg of locally produced strawberry is being sold at Taka 1,000 to Taka 1,200 in different markets in the capital city at present. Strawberry is rich in varieties of lifesaving proteins as well as vitamin A, C and E, folic acid, selenium, calcium, polyfenol, alagic, feralic and kumaric acid and cuertcitin, janthomycin and phytostebol. Some of these nutrients can prevent cancer and AIDS, he added. He said emphasis should be given to dissemination of technological ideas about strawberry farming and its marketing process side by side with innovation of ways and means for further expansion of cultivation of this cash crop. "We have no alternative to bring diversification in the agricultural activities and to detect the potential fields in the greater interest of bolstering the agricultural economy," Sarder Salahuddin viewed and suggested more need-based supports for the farmers to make the strawberry farming more popular in the country. Due attention should be given to proper utilisation of the existing natural resources in the agriculture sector for socio-economic development of the countryside, he said. Source:The New Nation 2008
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Corn : The Early Bird Advantage

We have tackled on planting corn in the off-season and the risks and benefits associated with it. But you may ask, how about planting early or ahead of the regular season? Plenty, of growers have this belief that it is good to be an early bird. Planting early can mean better environment, lesser pest infestation, better crops and better yields. Oftentimes, nothing can beat a corn crop planted ahead of ‘the regular season and farmers would rather opt for early planting than doing it in the off-season.

Farmers in Mindanao took advantage of the early rains in February and planted right away when the weather permitted. Last year, some corn farmers from Luzon planted as early as September and October for the dry season. Why not? A large percentage of our corn areas are rainfed and planting ahead is an insurance of avoiding losses due to drought in the later part of the season. Grain prices are likewise very encouraging, staying for most part of the year above P 10/kg.
PLANTING PERIODS
The optimal planting date for corn across the country varies. Being a tropical country and with four climatic types, planting corn all year round is possible. In general, Luzon’s planting calendar for the dry season starts in November while September in Mindanao. The wet season, on the other hand, starts June in Luzon and March in Mindanao. Those planting weeks before these months can be considered early plantings and results are usually better than the regular and off season crops. In the US, yields begin to decline in general if corn is planted after the optimal date due to the limited planting window they have.

LOWER PEST PROBLEMS
It has been proven that there are lesser insect pests and diseases to manage when you plant early. In fact, it is a standard recommendation to plant early to save on expenses from pesticides and other control measures. This can be explained by the fact that first generation corn borer populations are just starting to build up. If one happens to plant late, the second generation of borers would have increased dramatically (normally a month later), eventually leading to serious infestation. The early crop would have evaded this problem already. Hence, late planters are strongly advised to plant Bt corn.

BETTER WEATHER
If one plants corn early in the dry season, minimal rains can still be expected which can give the young crop a good headstart. Fertilizers can be dissolved and absorbed properly. Weeds can be managed by an early ground cover. Healthier crops can manage drought and diseases better than malnourished corn fields.

Planting early means early harvest. This translates to better conditions for drying grains just before the wet season.

AVOIDING DROUGHT
One of the most compelling reasons to plant early is the risk of drought. If irrigation is not possible, planting early is the best alternative as soil moisture is still enough to support a good first 40 days in the corn plant’s life. Drought just before and during pollination is the worst problem a farmer would have in absence of any source of artificial irrigation. It can lead to total crop failure and loss of income for the farmer. Lack of rain can also interfere with your fertilization schedules. One can be forced to defer side-dressing of nitrogen fertilizers when soil moisture and dry weather do not favor root absorption. Indirectly, most late planted crops suffer nutrient deficiencies induced by poor nutrient absorption.

TAKING PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES
While it is best to plant early, there are some things we need to consider when planning to be ahead of the others. One consequence of planting early is the shortened fallow period. This is especially true among corn-corn cropping systems. Such “rest” for the field is normally done to ensure that the soil can somehow regain its fertility and sustainability by allowing a portion of the time for other crops such as legumes to grow.

In disease-prone areas, early plantings may not be advisable all the time without a fallow period. The fungi causing a number of diseases in Mindanao can survive on crop residues and their spores can be dispersed and transported by air. I have heard of reports coming from farmers getting into trouble with northern leaf blight after foregoing their usual practice of fallowing.

Benefits of Planting Early
In general, early planted corn results in better yields. Germination is expected to be better due to favorable soil moisture levels. The early vegetative stages can be supported likewise by an environmental condition of less pest pressure. With an early and healthy plant emergence, ground cover can be quickly established, saving precious moisture for the possible dry conditions in the later stages. On top of this, manual labor won’t be as difficult to find as demand for it is yet to peak.

Management Tips for Early Planting
1. Manage your crop residues. With the expected high yields, a good amount of residues can be returned back to the soil. Upon decomposition, these residues shall aid in maintaining the soil’s physical and chemical properties.
2. Plowing the crop residues under the soil shall minimize or lessen the possibility of diseases moving on to the next crop.
3. Select high-yielding hybrids with good vigor and disease tolerance.
4. Know your local weather.
5. Early planters may have another opportunity of the off-season crop.
6. Talk to your Pioneer agronomists on more tips when planning to plant early.

Invest In Goat Farming

Looking for a farming venture that is not only environment friendly but profitable as well? PCARRD suggests raising goats

Goats are very popular among Filipinos because they require low initial capital investment, fit the small hold farm conditions, and multiply fast,” explained the Laguna-based Philippine Council for Agriculture Forestry and Natural Resources Research Farming and Development (PCARRD) in its investment briefer. “Culturally, goats are integral to every special occasion such as birthdays, baptisms, weddings, and fiestas. Hence, they command a higher price compared with other meats in the market.”

Goats require low maintenance because they eat tree leaves, grasses, weeds, and agricultural by-products. “Goats require less feed than cows and carabaos,” said Rowe Celeste, the livestock supervisor of the Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC) Foundation, Inc. in Kinuskusan, Bansalan, Davao del Sur.

About 10 native goats can be fed on the feedstuffs sufficient for one cattle. And about 6-7 purebred dairy goats can be fed on the feedstuffs adequate for one dairy cow. “Although a goat is small, it can produce as much as four liters of milk a day if it is purebred and is given a ration to meet all of her nutritional requirements,” Celeste informed.

In a study conducted by a government agency, it was found that goats are multi-purpose ruminants producing 58.4% milk, 35.6% meat, and 4.3% hide, and 1.7% fiber. According to them, these small ruminants can provide the answer to improve nutritional requirements of the predominantly rural farm families scattered all over the archipelago.

As goat production requires low initial investment and small risks compared to other livestock, it is therefore an attractive undertaking among resource-poor families. In addition, women and children can raise the animals, making it a sound option to augment the country’s programs on livelihood. Goats provide livelihood to about 15 million Filipinos across the country, according to PCARRD.

Despite this, goat farming is still not very popular among Filipinos and no one exactly knows how many goats are there in the country. PCARRD claims that the total goat inventory is “steadily increasing” at 2% per year. This supply is still not enough to meet the current demands. “We expect that the increased demand will last to 2020 when the project supply can meet the demand of the consumers,” PCARRD said.

The optimum potential of goat as one of the main sources of milk and meat has not been fully tapped in the country. The Bureau of Agricultural Statistics of the Department of Agriculture reported that the total number of goats in the country is about 3,355,574. Most of the goat farms are concentrated in Southern Luzon and various parts of Mindanao.

In Mindanao, goat farming is considered a “sunshine industry.” The country’s second largest island has a large Muslim population and goat meat is considered Halal food. There is also a big demand in the international market, particularly the Middle East.

In Davao, more and more people are raising goats in their farms. Take the case of Darwin Tinasas, a young marine engineering graduate who decided to raise goats as his main business. lie does not only raise goats in his own farm, he also disperses breeders to farmers who would like to raise the ruminants.

Aside from providing him a steady income from the milk and sales of breeding stocks, he discovered one thing about the animals. “Their manure is a good source of fertilizer,” he said. His stock of about 300 goats provides organic fertilizer for his four farms in Davao City. He plants rice, and grows pummelo, coconuts, durian and other fruits on 30 hectares. The 34-year-old Tinasas noticed that more and more farmers - particularly fruit growers - started raising goats, not only in Davao City but also in their provinces. “Since fertilizer costs have gone up, more and more farmers are turning to goatraising,” he said.

Antonio Partoza, who had raised chickens and mixed chicken manure with commercial fertilizer, said raising goats is becoming more profitable. He has 85 goats on his 15-hectare and 10hectare farms in Davao City where he grows durian, passion and mangosteen fruits. “I must be saving about 30% of what I would spend if I used pure commercial fertilizer,” he said.

There are at least 12 known goat species but only a relatively small number of breeds are used economically. The Philippine or common goat is small but hardy. It weighs about 25 kilograms at maturity. Its average daily milk production is about 35o grams, with a butterfat content of around 4.6 percent. Its color range is either red or black or a combination of these colors.

The Dadiangas goat is common in Dadiangas (now known as General Santos City), South Cotabato. The breed is a mixture of native, Nubian and Jamnapari goats and some animals may even have some Alpine or Saanen blood. The milk production and butterfat content are marginally higher than native goats and they do best in the drier areas of the country.

Of the introduced breeds in the country, Anglo Nubian performs the best along with the newer introduced Boer goats. The dairy breeds such as the Saanen, Toggenburg and French Alpine perform relatively poorly.

“If you cannot secure purebred stock, you can start with the best female goats available in your area,” Celeste suggested. “Breed them with purebreds or upgraded stock. Then, select only their offspring and discard the undesirable ones (you can either sell them or butcher them for meat). Continue this procedure each year, and you will soon have desirable goat stocks.”

To start a profitable goat venture for backyard operation, you need the following production inputs: investment (goat house and breeding stocks), operating expenses (veterinary medicines, vaccines, concentrates and additional feed supplements).

For commercial or large-scale operation, the production inputs are aplenty. Fixed investment includes land, goat house, fences, pasture area, water pump, feeding trough, spade, wheelbarrow, and ropes. You have to buy breeding does and breeding bucks. Operating expenses include veterinary medicines, drugs, and vaccines; feed supplements and goat rations; and repair and maintenance of goat house, fences, equipment, and pasture. Fixed and seasonal labor is also required.

Goat is highly profitable, PCARRD said. With minimal initial capital investment of Php67,250 for 25-doe level; Php174,500 for 60-doe level; or PhP349,000 for 100-doe level, positive net income and return-on-investment (ROI) are realized, even as early as the first year. The ROI for five years is 67% from a 25-doe level operation under semi-confinement scheme and 60% from 50- and 100-doe level operations under pure confinement system. Payback period is two years.

Pigeon Pea : A Nutritious Drought-Resistant Crop

Pigeon pea better known as “kadios” in Tagalog and “kardis” in Ilocano, is a minor crop that is usually grown in backyards or some insignificant portion of the farm. Actually, however, it is one crop that has a big potential, both for small-scale and large-scale production.

Dr. William D. Dar, executive director of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), believes that pigeon pea should be promoted not only as a vegetable crop but also for other agricultural purposes. He calls it a super crop for dryland agriculture. He explained in an interview sometime back that pigeon pea is an excellent animal feed aside from being a protein-rich human food. It is also useful in increasing soil fertility, in preventing soil erosion, and in suppressing weeds in upland farms.

Of course, the main reason why pigeon pea should be produced by more farmers is its importance as nutritious food. Young pods as well as mature fresh The pod with four seeds are cooked in dishes together with seeds is pigeon pea while other vegetables. In other countries, the the other is that of soybean. dried seeds are also prepared into different food preparations like noodles, baked products and even wine, according to Dr. Dar.

Pigeon pea is an important source of protein and is consumed in big volumes in India, said Dr. Dar. In fact, although the crop is being produced in big quantities in that country, it still imports three million tons of the commodities every year. Thus, if the Philippines can produce in excess of its requirements, it could export the same to India.

Pigeon pea is one crop that will thrive even in areas where the rainy season is short and dry periods are long, like many parts in the country. It will grow even in hilly areas where many other crops will fall. Pigeon pea is drought-resistant because it is deep-rooted. Being a legume, it can fix nitrogen from the air into the soil, hence enhancing soil fertility.

It is fortunate that a Filipino is the head of ICRISAT that is based in India where research studies on pigeon pea and other crops for drylands are conducted. Thanks to Dr. Dar, new high-yielding varieties have been introduced in the Philippines. A local program has been started to promote the production of this crop. Dr. Heraldo Layaoen of the Mariano Marcos State University in Batac City has been involved in the program.

After testing several introduced hybrid varieties, Dr. Layaoen said they have observed two to be highly suitable for Philippine conditions. One is called ICP7035 which is a perennial plant, meaning it will stay productive for several years. It produces a lot of fruiting branches resulting in high yields. The fruits come in bunches.

   The other hybrid that grows well in the country is ICP88039. This bears fruits throughout the year as it is not sensitive to the length of daylight. It is very resistant to drought because it is very deep-rooted. Seeds of these two recommended hybrid pigeon peas are now being multiplied for sale to other farmers from other parts of the country. Some farmers in Ilocos Norte are making money by producing seeds which are sold through the help of Dr. Layaoen. Rue Ramas, a livewire do-gooder from General Santos City, says she has been ordering a lot of seeds for planting from Dr. Layaoen. She distributes the seeds in Mindanao.

Other countries, China in particular, are discovering the advantages of growing pigeon pea, using hybrids produced by ICRISAT. Dr. Dar said that in 2000, China had only 5,000 hectares planted to pigeon pea. Today, the area has increased to 150,000 hectares. It is being planted even in rocky mountains, river banks and other wastelands.

According to Dr. Dar, the Chinese process the seeds into noodles, snack foods and even wine. The lcaves, on the other hand, are fed to rabbits, cattle, chickens and even fish. The young leaves are gathered and thrown into fishponds.

Meanwhile, Dr. Dar said that the growth of pigeon pea is affected by the time of planting. When the seeds are planted at the beginning of the rainy season (May and June), the plants will grow tall up to four meters. On the other hand, when it is planted in September and October, the plants will grow up to 1.5 meters only. That’s the personal experience of Dr. Dar himself in his own mango farm in San Miguel, Bulacan.

After harvesting the last fruits of the tall plants, Dr. Dar recommends that the plants he cut back to about one meter above the ground. New growth will develop for the next harvest.

While pigeon pea will grow in marginal lands, it will grow even better under ideal soil conditions like well drained loamy soils. At planting time, there should be adequate soil moisture so there will be uniform germination of the seeds.

So far, there are no disease problems observed to attack pigeon pea in the Philippines. It has been observed, however, that when the plants start to flower, leaf-eating insects are prevalent. To prevent or control insect damage, the experts recommend a weekly spraying with insecticide like Decis, Lannate and others.

Pigeon pea is one crop that is easy to produce. It does not require a big capital. A kilo of seeds for planting costs just about a hundred pesos. More farmers should take a good second look at this vegetable crop. Even urban dwellers should consider planting some in a corner of their backyard. A few plants could provide them with protein-rich pods for use in their own cooking.

Loss Of Crops Due To Rat Invasion: 50pc people in Rangamati out of food security – RHDC, UNDP to conduct survey of affected people

Shantimoy Chakma, Rangamati||

“Only God knows what we will eat after a week. The Tk 1000 given by the government will provide for only seven days’ food,” said Samor Singh Chakma, an indigenous farmer while receiving the relief money at Thegamukh, a frontier village in Barkal upazila in Tangamati district.

“We have nothing to survive as most of the crops including paddy have been eaten up by rats this year”, he said.

The government relief is too scanty as there will not be any food crop in the hills in coming months, said Gayana Ranjan Chakma and Bhottya Chakma.

They are a few of the scores of victims of the rat invasion in Barkal and other areas in Rangamati and two other hill disticts.

The loss of crops to rat invasion followed a massive flowering and fruiting of bamboo clusters this year.

The CHT affairs ministry has allocated Tk 7 lakh to face the food crisis in Rangamati. Of the amount, Tk 5 lakh were distributed by Rangamati Hill District Council (RHDC) to 453 families in Hupbang, Thegamukh and Kukichhara in Borahorina union. The rest Tk 2 lakh has been allocated for affected people in Sazek union in Baghiachhari.

Each affected family got Tk 1,000.

RHDC chairman Jagat Jyoti Chakma, its member Bihari Ranjan Chakma, along with local Union Parishad (UP) chairmen and members and law enforcers distributed the relief in last few days.

Many affected families are still out of relief programmes in different areas.

Sources said only about fifty percent of the hill people could be covered under the current programme taken up by the government in Rangamati. The rest will remain out of food security, they said.

The government’s special relief programme in Rangamati covers Sazek in Baghaichhari, Hupbang in Barkal and Borthalipara in Bilaichhari upazila. Other parts of hilly areas in Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachhari are still out of the food safety net.

As a preliminary step, UNDP is distributing 20 kilograms of rice, edible oil, one kg of salt and a rat killing tool to each family in some areas.

The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) are training farmers in rat killing, said its official Kajal Kanti Talukder.

Talking to this correspondent, Borahorina UP chairman Binoy Krinchna Chakma said, “I can give only some quantity of rice under VGF (vulnerable group feeding) and VGD programmes. But it is very limited.

“After finishing paddy, swarms of rats are now eating banana, ginger, turmeric and other fruits and crops,” said Pulin Karbari of Thegamukh.

Many families in different areas of Barkal upazila left homes in search of livelihood, he said.

About 35,000 families in inaccessible Sazek union under Baghaichhari upazila of Rangamati district are in utmost food crisis. A famine like situation is prevailing there, the village headman said.

At least 200 families in Sazek union left their homes for Mizoram and Tripura of India in search of livelihood, local public representatives told The Daily Star correspondent.

About 35,000 families of five ethnic communities– Chakma, Tripura, Pankhua, Lusai and Riyanglive in 607 square kilometers area in Sazek union. Cultivation and collecting bamboo from forests are their main sources of survival.

Earlier, the ministry of CHT affairs allocated Tk 15 lakh for the three hill districts, which has already been distributed among affected farmers.

RHDC executive officer Tarun Kanti Ghosh said a decision has been taken to allocate 700 metric tones (MT) of food grains for food for work programme in Rangamati. Of this, 300 MT will be distributed in Sazek, 200 in Bilaichhari, 150 in Barkal and 50 in Jurachhari upazila. Other development schemes are also on cards, he said.

Jagat Jyoti Chakma said RHDC along with UNDP will conduct a survey soon to assess the exact number of affected families. World Food Program (WFP) is also contemplating resuming RMP (road maintenance project) projects as a long term assistance program for the affected people.

“We also submitted two projects to CHT affairs ministry. One is raising mixed fruit gardens and the other is goat rearing project,” he added.

Duck Meat and Egg Production

Have you been wanting to start your own duck business? Here’s a no-nonsense guide to jumpstart your way to success.

Vaccination and medication programs must be administered to the animals to prevent viral infections and bacterial diseases. Ducklings at age one day to seven days must be administered with antibiotic or sulfa drug preparation through drinking water to prevent bacterial infections like salmonellosis, collibacilosis and staphyloccosis. At age eight to 14 days, ducklings may be given antibiotic-vitamin-mineral mixture through their drinking water to increase the animal’s resistance against bacterial diseases. Ducklings aged 21-28 days may be given multivitamins to increase their resistance.

During stressful conditions like a change in climate, ducks at age two to four months may be given antibiotic vitamin-mineral mixture to be administered through their drinking water. Fowl cholera vaccine may be given to the ducks at age four and a half months by way of intramuscular or subcutaneous injection. An antibiotic vitamin mineral mixture must be given to the animals three days before administration of vaccine and again three days after to combat stress. During the laying months, antibiotic vitamin-mineral mixture may be given when needed. Sulfa drugs should not be administered during the laying period unless absolutely necessary.

Disease prevention and control

Although much of chicken raising techniques and information are applicable to ducks, they are more resistant to diseases than chicken and other fowl. Proper management, sufficient proper feeding and housing, strict sanitary practices and an effective medication and vaccination program can prevent loss from a variety of causes. Diseases are a major cause in losses even in duck farms using precautionary measures. It is therefore important to be knowledgeable on disease prevention and control in the duck house.

Two kinds of diseases are infectious and non-infectious. Infectious diseases are caused by pathogenic viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites. Noninfectious diseases are caused by chemical poisons, toxins, environmental factors and inferior rations.

Prevention of diseases starts at the selection of stock. Stock should only be purchased from reliable and trusted hatcheries. Only healthy ducks should be raised in the duck house. Sick animals should be immediately culled and properly disposed to prevent spread of infection. Dead ducks must be burned or buried immediately to prevent flies from breeding on the decomposing animal and prevent maggots from being ingested by other ducks.

Newly arrived stock should be quarantined for at least two weeks before introducing them to the flock as outbreak of diseases can occur by introducing carrier ducks to the flock.

Ducks fed with an unbalanced ration are prone to diseases, thus ducks should only be fed with properly balanced rations. Fresh, cool and clean drinking water should be provided at all times.

Waterers should be cleaned at least once per day. Dirty and polluted water is harmful to the duck’s health, affecting overall performance. Feeders should be strictly kept clean and dry. Ducks are highly susceptible to aflatoxicosis and wet feeders are prone to yeast growth and harmful bacteria, which are sources of mycotoxins like aflatoxin, ocratoxin and the like. Clean and dry litter should be provided at all times, as well as a well ventilated dry flooring or litter.

Pens should be constructed to secure the ducks from other animals like dogs, cats and rats that can be possible disease carriers. Pens must not be overstocked or overcrowded. Stress-causing activities should be avoided as these decreases production. Delivery trucks and outsiders should be prohibited from entering the production areas as they can be carriers of disease-causing organisms. Footbaths must be installed in strategic locations should entry of foreign elements is inevitable.

Live and mites may be prevented and controlled by spraying the ducks with insecticides at least once a year. This also controls other arthropods that can be detrimental to the health and production of ducklings. Decomposed feed must not be given to ducks at any time.

Production and health records must be kept and updated regularly. The farm should also be supervised closely.

Common duck diseases

Bacterial infections

Ducks are vulnerable to a number of bacterial infections. It is difficult to make specific diagnosis as some cases involve mixed infections with two or more pathogenic microorganisms. The following are bacterial duck diseases that have been confirmed to be locally present.

Duck cholera

Duck cholera is the most common disease afflicting duck houses. This disease may be acute or chronic. It may be a localized or generalized infectious disease that has a high morbidity and mortality rate. Duck cholera is principally caused by the microorganism Pateurella multocida. Other pathogens such as Aspergillus, Clostridium, Escherichia and Salmonella have been associated with the disease.

Transmission of this disease may be by direct contact, ingestion of contaminated feed and drinking water and blood-sucking insects like mosquitoes.

Duck cholera comes in four forms characterized by their clinical manifestations. These four forms are locally known as buto-buto, dapa, tanga, and tuyo.

Buto-buto is a chronic form of duck cholera. This form is characterized by hard swelling of the leg joints. This form can persist for long periods. Affected duck may have a limping gait.

Dapa is characterized by the infected duck’s egg-layiug posture, with its head and neck in stooping position. Other signs of this infection include ventro-lateral recumbency with twisted neck and head. Other symptoms are depression, weakness, appetite loss, excessive intake of water and absence of egg production. Infected ducks will refuse to leave watering troughs even if they are driven away. Morbidity can reach 90%, although mortality may be lower than that of Tanga form.

Tanga is the most acute form of duck cholera. This form of the-disease may cause the ducks to die suddenly, assuming a recumbent position with extended head, open mouth, and open eyes in a staring manner. Some dead ducks may appear like statues and only close inspection reveals they are dead. Mortality rate of this form ranges from 70 to 90%.

Tuyo is a chronic form of duck cholera. This form is characterized by progressive emaciation and dehydration, weakness, poor appetite, and ruffled feathers that lack luster. Ducks infected with this form of duck cholera are very thin. Infected animals are skin and bones, thus the term tuyo. Tuyo takes place after a dapa outbreak. This form persists for weeks or months before death.

Prevention of this disease may be done by strict sanitation practices, thorough cleaning of feeders and waterers, supplying clean fresh drinking water at all times, immediate isolation of infected animals, and administration of polyvalent vaccine.

This disease may be treated with a high level antibiotic and sulfa drug therapy.

Growing Potted Vegetables in Your Homes

Fresh, organic leafy greens can easily be grown right in the confines of your homes. In today’s hectic lifestyle, a healthy diet is still one of the best ways to combat stress and fatigue-related illnesses. And as our elders used to tell us, the key to achieving a healthy diet is in eating vegetables. However, the fast-paced life in the city can also be the same thing that can impede us from getting the nutrition our bodies need. Organic food stuffs can also command a hefty price at the supermarkets that carry them. Non-organic vegetables may also have been grown using pesticides and it’s very difficult to determine which is not. Sometimes it is just easier, cheaper, and safer to pick up the phone and get food delivery.

But fresh, organic leafy greens can easily be within your reach without running you to the poorhouse. Even if you live in a high-rise condominium unit, you can have an easy no-fuss healthy meal way before the pizza delivery guy reaches your condo lobby.

The way to do it is to have your own vegetable garden. Yes, right in your apartment or condo.


Growing your own vegetable garden does not necessarily mean needing a lot of space for farming your vegetables. You can still have your vegetable garden even if you lack a backyard.


You can grow a variety of vegetables and herbs in pot containers. If you have a little bit more space, you can even grow vine plants like cucumbers. In fact, the only vegetables you won’t be able to grow in containers are tubers. As long as your place gets sunshine, you can be well on your way to having a bountiful vegetable garden with the use of pots or containers.


Three vegetables thrive well in a potted garden: tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. Of course you can still grow other vegetables such as lettuce, cabbage and even a bitswelas or snap beans. Just remember to give your potted veggies the space they need to grow.

Simple steps to prep for your potted garden

1. Get down and dirty. Prepare a good soil mix composed of compost, aged manure and peat moss. These organic materials are a great help in growing your vegetables and are easily available in garden shops all over the metro.


2. Try it by size. Get containers or pots with sizes appropriate for the vegetables you plan to grow. Bigger containers can hold more than one plant. Just consider the root growth of the vegetables you want to have at home. Lettuce and a bitswelas roots do not need as much space as, tomato or cucumber roots. If you plan to have several plants in one container, bear in mind that lettuce needs 6 inches of space between them and tomatoes, peppers and broccoli require at least 12 to 18 inches of space between plants. It’s important to give the roots the space they need because plants whose roots outgrow their containers most likely will end up too dry. It’s important that your vegetables have room to grow and develop. The rule of thumb when it comes to pot size is, the bigger the better. Larger containers are therefore advisable.

3. Be practical. Choose plant pots and containers that are not only inexpensive, but will also serve you and your garden for long term. You can use wood, concrete, clay or plastic containers. If you decide to get wood plant containers, make sure to get your garden supply shop’s recommendations about the particular container’s ability to resist rot.


4. Hole it up. Punch in holes at the bottom or the lower sides of your container or choose a pot with enough drainage holes so that water does not collect at the bottom. Proper drainage is essential in growing your vegetables because it ensures that the roots get as much nutrients from the soil as they can and nitrogen build up is ensured. Also, when there is not enough drainage, too much water can lead to root rot.


The bare necessities
Sunlight - Your home grown vegetables will need at least 5 to 6 hours of sunlight each day. The great thing about having potted vegetables is that they are portable. You are able to move them around or rotate the pot so every part of the plant gets sufficient sunlight.


Water - Water your pot garden as frequently as needed. The roots will be confined, so the soil is more prone to drying out. You can also mulch the top of containers to prevent evaporation.

Creat a Organic garden

There are many types of organic gardening, from organic vegetable gardening to organic flower gardening. Many people have no idea what organic gardening really is. Organic Gardening refers to growing plants, vegetables, etc. without using pesticides or other harmful chemicals.

Organic gardening offers many health benefits and that organically grown food is much better for the human body than food grown with pesticides and chemicals. With such health concerns in place, it only makes sense to grow your fruits and vegetables organically in your very own organic home garden.



When I wanted to learn how to grow my own organic garden, I was unsure of where to start, I asked some friends of mine that are “in the business”. Mike told me about Organic Gardening Magic. Mike said that he had read almostevery book about organic gardening, and Organic Gardening Magic was the best one, it covers everything he wanted to know about organic gardening. Some of the topics it covers:

• What Organic Gardening is and how to get started

• The Do's (and Don'ts!) of Making your Own Compost

• The Secrets of Crop Rotation and Companion Planting

• How To Build Healthy Soil (Even If You Are Working With Very Unhealthy Soil To Begin With)

• Why soil pH is important, and how to correct it

• The Magic Mulch That Kills Diseases and Stops Weeds

• And much more!

Organic Gardening Magic covers all you need to know on how to start your own organic garden, how to grow your own healthy and chemicals free fruits, vegetables, flowers, etc.

One of the things I shortly realized is that not only that organic vegetables are healthier than those you can buy in stores, its actually much cheaper to grow your own vegetables and fruits! Claim your copy of Organic Gardening Magic, and start saving.

Here are a few easy organic gardening tips for you to follow to get you started off on the right foot.

Collect Your Own Rainwater

This seems like a weird thing to do, but it is actually one of the best tips for organic gardening. For this procedure you will need to purchase a couple barrels from your local hardware store. These barrels will be used to collect rainwater. By collecting rainwater you are conserving water resources instead of wasting it. Some organic gardening growers hook up elaborate system of piping and hose to their rain collection barrels and the system then waters the organic garden automatically. You can probably find a variety of instructions for these types of systems by searching Google. If you don want to get that elaborate you can easily use a small bucket to scoop the water from the barrels or better yet, get a barrel with a spout on it, to water your organic garden by hand.

All Natural Fertilizer

Fertilizer is the place where most organic gardening growers go wrong. You must choose your fertilizer carefully. Many brands of fertilizer produced today contain some type of chemical. Be sure to read the label for the list of ingredients. True organic gardening must use an all natural fertilizer. Even if it says All Natural on the bag, make sure you read the label for the ingredients.

Another source of great natural fertilizer for organic gardening can come from using compost. Compost will help improve the structure of your soil and at the same time help increase the soils water retaining abilities. The best part about using compost for organic gardening is that it is free if you have your own compost pile or box. If not, you can always start one by beginning to collect grass clipping, leaves, etc.
How to make an organic garden
This is a question that arises more frequently these days, as people become more concerned about health issues. They want to know that the produce they are eating is good for their health and safe for their families to eat. They want to begin an organic garden.

Growing high-value Fruits and Vegetables

Here’s an easy do-it-yourself guide to managing your own garden of high-value fruits and vegetables.



Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) is grown widely under rainfed conditions. High yields are obtained in areas with a total rainfall of 600 to 1250 mm, which is well distributed over the growing season. In Ilocos Norte alone, the total area planted to pepper in 1999 was 373.16 ha.

Growing bell peppers

Bell peppers can be ideal for planting in Philippine climate. Bell peppers love heat. This crop needs warm soil and air temperatures throughout the growing season. However in areas with cooler temperatures, plastic mulches, row covers and hoop houses may be used to grow this vegetable more quickly.

Bell peppers need high amounts of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. Soil must be well drained. It is recommended to grow bell peppers in raised beds filled with good topsoil, compost, and rotted manure mixture. A pH near neutral (7.0) is ideal.

Bell peppers grow into small bushes and need good air circulation. Bell peppers must be spaced 12″-18″ apart in rows at least 24″-36″ apart to give each plant enough room.

Start bell peppers indoors 8 weeks before the end of the cool season. Using a 2″ or slightly larger pot will produce larger bell pepper plants with better developed root systems.

Sow bell pepper seeds shallowly, about 1/4″ deep in a moistened lightweight growing mix. Keep the mix moist (but not wet) and warm - about 80°-85° during germination. Keeping the mix warm may result in a quicker germination and healthier bell pepper plants. Germination will take 6-8 days. After the first true leaves have appeared, thin the bell pepper plants to one per pot. If the bell pepper seedlings are outgrowing their cell-tray or pots, pot them up to 2″-3″ pots.

Do not use plastic covered seed starting trays to start bell pepper seeds.

They create a very humid environment that is too stagnant. Do not use peat pots as they tend to absorb and retain too much moisture for growing some types of bell peppers.

Wait until the soil is 70°-85° before setting the bell pepper seedlings out. Use black plastic mulch to warm the soil. Place it on the beds when you start the seeds. Bell peppers need consistent moisture during germination. Keep bell peppers evenly moist, don’t keep them soggy. Not enough water and the bell peppers will acquire a bitter taste. The use of mulches will help in keeping the soil moist. If you use black plastic mulch, plants will need more frequent waterings. The use of a soaker hose underneath the black plastic will save time and make watering the bell pepper plants much easier.

Pest and disease control

Diseases that may causes losses in bell peppers include European corn borer, green peach aphid and cutworm.

European corn borer larvae should be monitored and treated just after they hatch. Control is not necessary until the second generation and then only when fruit are present. There is a 4-7 day window when the eggs, which are laid on the underside of the leaf, hatch and the larvae feed on the leaves. The caterpillars then bore a pin-sized hole at the edge of the fruit cap and enter inside the fruit to feed. When applying an insecticide be sure to cover the stem-end of the fruit.

Aphids secrete a honeydew upon which sooty mold grows, discoloring leaves and fruit and making the fruit unmarketable.

Aphids also cause several virus diseases. Frequent use of, insecticides such as pyrethroids which are not effective on aphids may cause outbreaks by destroying natural enemies.

Viruses transmitted by aphids, affect a wide range of cultivated crops and weeds. Symptoms vary depending upon the virus involved, age of the plants when infected, and upon environmental conditions. As no controls are available once the plants are infected, cultural controls must be used to avoid infection and spread. Insect control does not guarantee virus control.

Bacterial spot (Xanthomonas vesicatoria) can be brought in on infected seed or transplants. Leaf, stem and fruit spotting may be mild or severe and can destroy the crop given warm temperatures, abundant moisture and water splashing. It is imperative to avoid planting symptomatic transplants. Affected and adjoining plants should be removed from the greenhouse as soon as they are identified. Bacterial soft rot (Erwinia carotovora) is not often seen in the field but often appears after harvest. The bacterium enters the fruit through wounds and rapidly causes a soft, watery breakdown of fruit.

Phytophthora blight may cause severe losses in peppers and vine crops. Root rot, stem canker, leaf blight and fruit rot may all indicate this disease. Prevention includes good drainage, rotation out of susceptible crops, and avoidance of inoculum from water sources and equipment.

Harvesting and storage Bell peppers are mature when they turn their final color. Most bell pepper crops are green when immature and can be harvested at that time. Mature bell peppers can be red, orange, yellow, green, or purple depending on the variety.

Harvest bell peppers as they mature by using garden shears to clip them off the plant - don’t pull them off. Continual harvesting of the bell peppers produces continuous fruit set so pick the bell peppers off your bushes regularly.

Wash and dry bell peppers thoroughly after harvest. Bell peppers will last up to three weeks if stored at 45°-55°, 90%-95% relative humidity. Bell peppers are very sensitive to ethylene gas so do not store them with fruits and vegetables that produce ethylene gas.

Return on investment Cash overhead costs in growing bell peppers include land rent, property taxes, insurance, employee wages, and office expenses. Operation cash costs include equipment and its maintenance, labor, seeds, fertilizers and pesticides. Bell peppers may be marketed fresh or processed. Profitability may differ on how portions of the crop are marketed.

Swine Raising for Meat Production in the Philippines

Here’s an in-depth look at the world of swine raising and the potential business you can get out of it.

Another biosecurity measure is, regular monitoring of animals for diseases. All incoming livestock must be tested and quarantined before transporting them to the hog house.

Waste management is a key biosecurity measure. Improper waste management in the hog house can inevitably lead to profit losses. Sanitation in the pens may be performed by dry cleaning or by using a power sprayer to minimize water usage in cleaning the pens. The use of slatted flooring also lessens water usage in cleaning. Pens should be built to maintain the pigs’ temperature levels to minimize the need to wash them. Trees and foliage may be planted in the vicinity of the hog house to keep the animals cool in hot weather.

An anaerobic process called biogas production may be used to extract methane gas from the animal wastes. This greatly reduces waste odor in the hog house. Another anaerobic process that can be adapted is the use of a septic tank, commonly known as the poso negro. A lagoon may be built with aerators as an aerobic process of waste management. Solid wastes may also be mixed with plant residues with effective microorganisms like Trichoderma and Azotobacter to produce organic fertilizer within a month.

Common swine diseases

Brucellosis or contagious abortion

Brucellosis of pigs or contagious abortion, also known as Bang’s disease is caused by bacteria scientifically known as Brucella suis that is shed in milk or by the aborted fetus, afterbirth or other reproductive tract discharges.

There is no effective way to detect this disease. Abortion or birth of weak piglets is the most obvious sign. Abortion happens when the sow is at its second or third month of pregnancy. The sow may demonstrate irregular heat cycles and stillbirths may occur. Milk production is reduced due to changes in normal lactation period caused by abortions and delayed conceptions. Other signs of this disease include enlarged arthritic joints, paralysis and lameness. This disease is not necessarily fatal, unless it is complicated by metritis.

This disease is transmitted through direct contact with an infected animal or environment or equipment contaminated with discharges from infected animals.

Weight loss and stillbirths damages the farm profitability. This disease may also be transmitted to humans and rapidly spreads. Therefore prevention of this disease should be given importance. Sanitation and strict hygienic measures should be applied in the hog house. Breeding animals should be purchased from certified herds. Animals tested positive for this disease should be disposed immediately to prevent contamination.

A high incidence of this disease in the hog house should necessitate replacement of the entire herd and restocking after six to eight months.

Hog cholera

Hog Cholera, now commonly known as classical swine fever, is a highly contagious viral disease. This disease occurs in an acute, sub acute, chronic or persistent form.

Hog Cholera is characterized by high fever and loss of appetite. Pigs with hog cholera suffer from constipation which is later followed by diarrhea. Other symptoms include increased thirst, chills, and vomiting. There is inflammation of the eye with discharges that cause the eyelids to close. There is also a reddish purple discoloration of skin at the ears, abdomen, inner thighs or tail.

Chronic hog cholera terminates in pneumonia or hemorrhagic enteritis or both. This disease has a high morbidity and mortality rate as death follows in four to seven days of sign onset.

The common source of this infection is uncooked slops or kitchen scraps. Thus feeding this to the pigs should be avoided.

This disease may be prevented by administering vaccination to all pigs. Sows and boars must be vaccinated every six months and piglets weaned at one week should be vaccinated before or after weaning.

If this disease penetrates the hog house, all pigs known to have contracted this disease should be disposed immediately. Contaminated areas should be cleaned and disinfected properly.

Gastroenteritis complex / scouring (diarrhea)

Gastroenteritis or scouring is commonly cause by irritation of he small intestine by parasites, bacteria, or by sudden diet changes.

Conditions that cause gastroenteritis complex include dietary scours, colibacillosis, balantidiosis, dysentery, and gastrointestinal parasites. Dietary scours are caused by sudden changes in the diet, thus feeds must be introduced to pigs gradually over a period of seven days. Colibacilosis is commonly caused by stress factors like weaning, transport, and vaccination. Colibacilosis can also be caused by a contaminated water supply or a change in feed, as these upsets the balance of bacteria in the pig intestines. Balantidiosis is caused by contaminated water or contaminated forage like kangkong. Overcrowding of animals which is often followed by a lack of deworming causes most cases of gastrointestinal parasites. Dysentery resuls from transport stress, and contaminated feeds like kitchen scraps.
Gastroenteritis characterized by diarrhea must be corrected immediately by administering fluids to infected animals. Infected animals should be diagnosed by a veterinarian and should be treated according to diagnosis