Rice Harvest

We've been busy at home in between daily chores and errands this past week. Also added to our schedule was last Friday, March 18's, rice harvest for the first crop this 2011 cropping calendar.

As I've said last week, the harvest commenced with the harvesters reaping the crops last Tuesday. Then it took 3 more days for the machine thresher's availability. Consider also that the farmer, Mang Juan, had to sleep at the fields for 3 nights to ward off robbers. Oh yes, there has been reports of those lately even in a sleepy baranggay like this.

That's me, I braved enough to go near the threshing machine at the field. Tell you, before this picture, I tripped when I took my first step toward the rice paddies!Ouch, a trip is a great trip if at first I trip! I've got a bad left foot, that's why :)

It's an arduous task of planting rice up to harvest, I realize. I salute these farmers for their patience from planting, cultivating, harvesting and also for drying the crops to make it worth much more. According to the rates, newly harvested rice grains are traded for 15.00/ kilo, on the other hand, when the same rice will be sundried, it will earn more as much as 17.00 kilo. Here below, are the workers shoveling the grains back to the sacks. My hubby helped until he felt the itch which is common in this job, whew!

This season's grains are of great quality this time unlike that of the previous season.



Total rice sacks filled were 87, one-fourth of which, went to us being representatives of the land owner. This season's harvest is by far the lowest despite having had no calamities that could have affected the crops. The farmers attribute the low yield due to the changing weather from humid to cold and back plus the lack of water and, for others, lack of appropriate . A close relative from the same town, in fact, lost 40% of his harvest this year from experimenting with a new kind of fertilizer that not only did not seem to work, but also decreased this year's yield.

The 2 days at the field were so far relaxing for me, away from the hustle and bustle of chores and blogging. Enjoyed the atmosphere, almost sleepy . Took flickr photos, watched egrets flying overhead what we call "tagak", went to and fro from palay-drying to the rice traders and back to the rice mill. Even if the yield is low, still smile, looking forward to next harvest season!

More pictures in this slideshow :)

Call US And Canada With Skype

Just found out Skype isn't just for chatting on the internet but also is another alternative to calling friends and relatives from overseas, just top-up $10.00 from your Paypal and you're all set.

The rates are cheaper compared to the regular phonecard in California $4.50 per hour. And yet sometimes the phone call gets cut-off just reporting "you have 3 minutes left" That's according to my aunt who resides there.

They've got low per minute rates which are considerably cheaper too for calls from the Philippines to overseas. At the rate of .021 cents per minute, I've been calling abroad for less than a dollar for 30 minutes. The advantage too is you can hear the conversation via speaker or headset. You don't miss the important details in your phone conversation.

My personal report: I talked to my aunt in California, called her via their landline phone, using a headset and mic for myself and the speaker for the rest of the family to listen in. It was only for 12 minutes though for that first time because I mistook the rate as .21 cents instead of .021 cents. Whoops!

Then next time I logged on, the report said my credit was still $9.67. And I thought of letting my hubby try Skype in calling his "long-lost" relatives in the US who hardly get access to the internet. They talked for an uninterrupted 30 minutes for less than a dollar. The rates are the same too for calls to mobilephones in the US and Canada.

What's more, I heard they have incredibly cheap and unlimited rates in calling your country of choice. I would highly recommend it, especially because their service is hassle-free.

I hope you try it too and let me know your personal report. Have a nice day!

The Cute Cuppycake Song!

The "CUPPYCAKE" Song (Lyrics and Music by Judianna Castle) is actually the chorus from Amy's version of "You're My Honeybunch" (lyrics and music by Judianna and Buddy Castle) .. The lyrics in blue make up the short version that was first uploaded to the internet in August of 1996. Amy sings the lyrics in red as well in the complete version: . You're my Honeybunch, Sugarplum Pumpy-umpy-umpkin, You're my Sweetie Pie You're my Cuppycake, Gumdrop Snoogums-Boogums, You're the Apple of my Eye And I love you so and I want you to know That I'll always be right here And I love to sing sweet songs to you Because you are so dear  

Readers must have thought I've gone away!

Neglect, that's what I call my blogging. ooh, I'm really sorry for the followers who keep reading at the same blog post of December! My apologies!

I realize my error now of not managing my time wisely as well as my thoughts and plans wisely. I seem to have some hyperactivity of some sort, and I must submit my thoughts and pray for discipline. There were days I planned to work on something but ended up doing another.. could be just cleaning the yard then end up planting papaya trees instead. Or clearing out the attic then end up taking photos of the antiques. It's too much that honestly, leaves me tired and unaccomplished at the end of the day.

Though I have neglected posting, I am always online ... posting items on ebay and other selling sites, facebook, twitter and checking email.

I need to take it slow this week and learn to surrender my thoughts and work habits. I think it has gone all the more awry because of facebook (admit!) but I believe I can get back on track.

Happy Monday, everyone!

Malunggay Propagation - Malunggay Pods

It has been a long while since I spent some time here at the malunggay farm. I was busy with the household chores at home and the usual online things I work on.

The trees did not need that much caring these days, so I opted to just attend to usual daily stuff more than visiting the place. As you may see, these malunggay trees were left to their own devices. Not even an ounce of water except maybe from what they get from the morning dew. Yet, to my amazement, the dry season lately made them produce more flowers and more pods!

Thanks to this November's Top Entrecard Droppers

All my heartfelt thanks to all my new friends I met through this blog and with the great help of entrecard. Thanks likewise to those who regularly visited and dropped on my blog. Will try to keep up and drop back as I just started seriously dropping recently.

To all this month's Top Entrecard Droppers on Reading Homeschooler, here's the linkylove :)


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Beaded Tail
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Crimsonsparkle.net
scrinkalicious Recipes
Style Up Your Life
In The Eyes Of The Beholder
Reaching Lifelong Goals

Malunggay Farm Update November

Thanks for the visit! Here's an update: we are now selling moringa oleifera seeds / malunggay seeds all year round. Please visit my page here

Just the picture that welcomed me back, after I summoned the courage to visit the field again in November 16. After much research from the farming forums, I went back with all organic sprays and tools to remedy the yellowing of the leaves.

Not much problem anymore since the yellowing has stopped since we've treated them initially with sulfate. What gives me a headache, you might guess, is the weeds that have grown all over the place due to neglect and lack of time when my hubby was busy assisting a family friend during the baranggay elections. Actually, that picture above reads "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Ha-ha! Indeed it's true! I could not imagine how I can get these things done, yet we'll be almost done - fingers crossed and hoping there won't be any rain during the afternoon.