PDS Training camp, Bago City, Negros Occidental. Side grafted Heirloom cacao seedlings on 80% growth.
The Training Camp is open to visitors and cacao enthusiasts who wants to have an in-depth learning about planting.
Schedule a day or two at the Plantacion de Sikwate Training Camp situated at Brgy. Atipuluan Bago City, Negros Occidental.
DROP A MESSAGE HERE.
Thank you for visiting us here at the PDS Training Center in Atipuluan Bago City, Sir Paul Sommer.
We would like to support your effort in teaching our ISF community in the highlands of Don Salvador Benedicto on How to grow Heirloom cacao sustainably.
Planted in our PDS Training Center, Brgy. Atipuluan, Bago,City, Negros Occidental last February 2017. The prolific blooms then have resulted to prolific cherrels now.
Need I sing our song MY CHERREL (cherrie) AMOUR still? Planting continues with these happy hormones. Have a nice day!
#FILIPINOAROMATICO™.
#itstheTIPthatmatters
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FLOWERING STAGE
by: Chris Fadriga
it’s not the quantity of flowers that matters. it’s the cherrels that will bloom after that. flowers from cacao trees, in this photo is a young age of 20 months, is a proof that a rare kind of cacao variety unknown to Filipinos can really thrive in our country.
I personally cared for these babies from seedlings to trees. At the end of the day, some flowers may fall but some will stay. With the right planting technology we follow, these blooms will grow and be one of the most coveted cacao varieties due to its floral scent.
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My CHERREL (cherrie) AMOR.
Soon you will hum the same song when your GOLDEN babies bear their first cherrels.
When a Cacao Producer’s CEO meets the Cacao Authority’s CEO, #CacaoTalks do not stop at R.O.I.s — it goes beyond.
Destination: Philippines
After setting the date for the arrival, Don Alec went on his way. He is our guest from the Dominican Republic in the Carribeans. Since the place was several miles from the Philippines, I had to Google to locate it.
According to them, “The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean nation that shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti to the west. It’s known for its beaches, resorts and golfing. Its terrain comprises rainforest, savannah and highlands, including Pico Duarte, the Caribbean’s tallest mountain. Capital city Santo Domingo has Spanish landmarks like the Gothic Catedral Primada de America dating back 5 centuries in its Zona Colonial district.”
First time meetings prompt you to research a bit in order to have a conversation piece. Once I found out that the Dominican Republic is with Spanish heritage, then we are not that far away.
Our forever gourmand Ms. Cacao has endless takes when food is concerned. In Instagram, she is known as recipechick.
Ms. Cacao never missed a beat when she makes a review or even captures a home cooked meal moment. Upon learning that I was to meet with Don, she said that the Dominican Republics share the same love for food — their empanada or pastelitos.
In the Philippines, there are numerous versions of the smaller-sized Empanadas; we call it Empanaditas. It comes with different fillings such as mango, durian, beef, torta or pork with potatoes, corned beef or Reuben, chorizo, and even chocolate.
Being able to taste similar foods that a foreign guest have in their country could be one of the conversations to break the ice.
Knowing how similar their food is to ours, I told Chris Fadriga, PDS President that we have to bring Don to places where the Philippine cuisine is known for.
First Stop: BOHOL
Don’s flight from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport came as a breeze. We immediately waited until our guest arrived in Cebu for us to reach the town of Sagbayan.
It was PDS Bohol Chapter Vice President Cecilia de Leon who did the honors of saying WELCOME TO BOHOL!
We visited the Heirloom Cacao Farm of Indai Felipa Cortes who happened to be one of the newest CERTIFIED MEMBERS of Plantacion de Sikwate. Indai was the one who also introduced Don to us when he came across our OFW Repatriate from Kuwait article on May 21, 2018.
Filipino Aromatico SN-00088 & 89
Hidden in Bohol are two of the several Criollo trees we have tagged in our Search for the Criollo cacao variety.
Don was thrilled to the hilt that he took photos as proof that his travel to our country was worth the miles.
For lunch, we brought our guest to KEW Hotel. Duke Miñoza, PDS Certified Member and owner of Buenaventurada Farms, joined us.
I told our guest to try our shrimps, squid, and the famous Kare Kare; that even the late Anthony Bourdain said our food will soon be known all over the world. Don instantly fell in love with the Kare-Kare, bagoong (shrimp paste) and green mangoes.
Second Stop: BACOLOD
The following day we woke up real early to catch the Fast Cat Ferry for Bacolod. During lunch, we took Don to the outskirts for him to taste the local food. Still, his new found affinity for Kare Kare continued together with shrimps and calamari.
The afternoon’s sun was fierce but that did not hamper Don Alec’s purpose — to see if there is indeed an Heirloom Cacao growing in the Philippines.
The Dominican Republic has rainforests so the cacao will thrive there as well. The only advantage we have over other countries is that the Philippines is right smack in center of the equator making it the favorite residence of the Mexican cacao remnants from the Manila Acapulco Galleon Trade.
After the exhausting day, Don said that he wanted a longer stay in the Philippines. A couple of days was not enough to see our country. And as General McArthur once said, I SHALL RETURN.
The experience we had with our guest is one for the books indeed. Simple, close to home, yet inclusive. I am happy that Don appreciated the Pinoy Tour and the chance to come close & personal with our Philippine Heirloom Cacaos.
All these happened because we aim TO HELP. TO LISTEN. TO INSPIRE.
Heirloom cacao mother plants establishment and propagation to meet the demand for production of the Ginintuan Filipino Aromatico cacao beans for Artisanal chocolatiers of the country and abroad.
PDS Focal Person (International) Hawaii Mr. Antonio Grafilo was checking out some W10 Pods and Side-grafting procedure in Atipuluan PDS Training Camp, Bago City Negros Occidental. He was with Mr. Christopher Fadriga, PDS National President.
And yes, after the cut test, not all white beans are “Criollos” or Heirloom Cacaos. This is the W10 – a Trinitario leaning towards the “Criollo.”
These are the Heirloom cacao mother plants planted on the ground last year. They have started to flower. Bringing rootstock to the highland of Negros for grafting the all white bean heirloom cacao for mother plant establishment. These are for the PDS Ginintuan Filipino Aromatico.
PDS training camp Atipuluan Bago Negros Occ. Update 4/09/17
Heirloom cacao mother plants establishment for future scion grove.
Thank God that we have established the water system months before summer started. Now, our golden babies have the sunshine as well as enough water to grow.
