Criollo Harvest: Beyond Average

One of our members from the Cordillera region proudly showed to us their soon to harvest Criollo Filipino Aromatico pods! At an average, the pods, from this rare cacao variety, yields 50 per tree. Happy to share that this golden tree is yielding 110 pods + is flowering + has cherels. Congratulations!!! #parasabayan #FilipinoAromatico™ #goldenbabies

Update on GMM with PDS

Nakaka pagoda shirota strain ang rationale mo PDS!! I Love you to the moon and back plus all surrounding comets therein. This is for the next generation of Cacao farmers!

We shall have an end of month meeting (teka gawin ko pa programme and letters.) The line up of guest speakers are quite impressive if you ask me.

Thanks Tito Mel Santos for the collaboration of minds last night. The Minutes of the Meeting’s with you na so we both wont forget what to do hehe.

Love,
Ms. Cacao, the “Lamborghini” holder of the Golden Babies called CRIOLLO Filipino Aromatico™

#foryou #fromUs

Plantacion de Sikwate makes a Mark

PDS re-filed their Trademark registration with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHIL).

They opted to secure a collective mark for the advantage of their member’s businesses. You see, “a collective mark is any visible sign capable of distinguishing the origin, common characteristic, quality of goods or services of different enterprises under the control of the registered owner which must be a group of industry stakeholders.”

This means that when you affix the Trademark of the Filipino Aromatico™️ on your packaging of cacao tableas, cacao wine, and other cacao-related products, you are guaranteeing your customers of the common quality being offered by the owners of the Criollo variety trees who have started to harvest their crops.

Across the border, the taste of a Criollo cacao tablea has a distinct flavor, and aroma — a mixture of nutty, sweet, and  slightly bitter taste.

Backed by Heritage

“Kung baga, iisa ang origin o pinagmulan kasi ng Criollo variety na mula sa Plantacion de Sikwate. Nag mula ito sa ating mga ninuno na nagpalago ng puno ng cacao ilang daang taong na ang nakakalipas. Hindi nila alam na ito ay Ginintuan™️ — rare at napakalinamnam kaya mahal — kasi ang punla nito ay mula pa nuong 1800s nang dumaong sa ating mga ports ang mga galleon. Naging bahagi kasi ng Manila-Acapulco Trade ang mga cacao na nagmula pa sa bansang Mexico.” aniya ni Mia Concepcion, PDS Media Director at naging kasapi sa IPOPHIL.

“Nais namin sa Plantacion de Sikwate na yumabong ang variety ng cacao na ito sa ibat ibang parte ng Pilipinas kaya wala kaming tigil na ipaalam, puntahan, at turuan ang mga farmers kung ano ang advantage ng Criollo at iba pang variety ng cacao.” Sabi ni Mel Santos, CEO ng asosasyon ng mga cacao producers

PDS goes Global

It is an honor to be chosen as one of the 4 farmers to represent the Philippines at the prestigious International Cocoa Awards (ICA). I will join the roster of the best cocoa producers in the world.

As I have been informed, 235 samples coming from 53 cocoa-producing countries around the world joined in to get tested and our Filipino Aromatico came in clean.

I am glad that our Heirloom cacao will be part of a celebration on the diversity of flavors from different origins in the world, said Christopher Fadriga.

Celebrating the Women of Cacao

True enough, PDS has made a mark in the Filipino’s hearts and minds. That is why before the year ends, Ms. Cacao will release an eMagazine to celebrate the WOMEN OF CACAO. It is up for sale at P100.00. The eMagazine is part of a fundraiser to help challenged farmers avail of planting materials through your help. She will post more about the fundraiser as soon as it is ready.

#advocacy
#fortheFilipinos
#forthePhilippines
#atinIto

PDS Member’s Cacao Tableyas part in a Cooking Competition

on July 28, 2021 Shann’s Tableya will be used in a cooking competition called the “1st Marikina Sweet & Fit Filipino Desserts Challenge 2021: Recreating Desserts Naturally.” In celebration of the 47th Nutrition Month, Chef Michelle Arce, Event Director and main conceptualizer of the competition, shall prepare the all-time favorite Chocolate Champorado using Shann’s Tableyas from Calape, Bohol.

Did you know? The energetic 21 yr. old owner of SHANN’S 100% PURE CACAO TABLEYA was mentioned in the celebration of #WorldChocolateDay forum? Check it out in his FB post! Sean Raphael Dumangog was also featured in a vlog.

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Interested buyers for the cacao tableas may get in touch via his Facebook page.

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PDS FARM VISIT TO NUEVA ECIJA.

It was a good day despite the rains happening around the country.

PDS CEO Mr. Mel Santos flew out from Cebu together with Bohol’s “Cacao Amazona” Ms. Indai Le Cortes of Villa Cortes Criollo Farm.

They visited one of the booming cacao farms in Peñaranda, Nueva Ecija — Golden A Natures Farm.

Indai Le was commissioned to graft the remaining 7,000 rootstocks in order to spread the cacao varieties that demand premium prices for their unique taste and aroma in the Luzon area.

Mr. Mel Santos and Indai Le visited the farm together with the Municipal Agriculture Officer Mr. Ponciano Guillermo and other MAO – Peñaranda personnel.

Be connected.

For inquiries about Golden A Natures Farm’s cacao seedlings for sale, contact goldenAnaturesfarm@gmail.com or 09278771695 (Globe).

How to Atak Urban Gardening.

Share your backyards as a place for fruit trees or if you have no spaces to share, convince the neighborhood to plant or help people who has interest in planting.

Thank you for visiting plantaciondesikwate dot com!

Let me ask you. Does cacao farming begin and end with just money alone?

We asked city and urban dwellers if they want to start their leap from being employed to being a farmer. Some would say that amidst the COVID-19 dilemma, several industries felt the gut punch straight on.

Help from the government, both monetary and food, will take a family as far as the next day.  So is there another way to augment one’s daily-weekly-monthly needs?

Learn to PLANT.

Plantacion de Sikwate Cacao Producers Association, Inc., or simply PDS, has launched a program called ATAK²
(Ating Tanim alay sa Kalikasan at Kalusugan).

They heeded the call from DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu who said that “The damage from COVID-19 and climate change brings about destruction and chaos to any nation,”  and of course, DA Secretary William Dar who said that “we need to feed our bodies with the essential nutrients to keep it functioning at top capacity. There is no one miracle food to fight COVID-19 but I encourage the public to do a Whole-food diet, mostly plant based colorful food that you can prepare from scratch, preferrably from your own garden.”

ATAK¹
Ating Tanim Alay Kalikasan (ATAK) is an agro – environmental tree planting program in urban areas of the Philippines that was conceptualized by Plantacion de Sikwate with the following objectives.

* To teach every individual to cultivate and farm fruit bearing trees within their respective properties (backyards).

* To be able to support the different greening program of the country.

* To be a model to everyone on how to make efficient tree  planting possible in urban areas in the Philippines

*To introduce healthy plant cultivation as a beneficial factor for humans and environment. 

*To share our backyards as a place for fruit trees or if we have no spaces to share, convince the neighborhood to plant or help people who has interest in planting.

* The harvests can be transformed into finished products like chocolate
tablets, candies, salads and ice cream.

Thru the help of different government agencies as well as private institutions, the ATAK¹ and ATAK² Program will propagate hundreds of thousands of seedlings to be distributed to all interested constituents of local agencies. Plantacion de Sikwate (PDS) will handle the technical support by conducting series of hands-on training seminars, free consultancies that can be arranged in person or thru social media.

* Any planter may use their harvests for their personal consumption, sell or donate to the designated buying stations that will be established strategically.

* The proceeds from sale will then be allocated for the future environmental project of the host cities or municipalities.

Who can Join this legacy?
Local Government Unit (LGU’s)
Government Organization (GO’s)
Private Companies
Civic Organization (NGO’s)
Religious Organizations
Students Organization
All individuals who are willing to be project volunteers.

WHAT TO PLANT?

– Rationale –
The Philippines is one of the countries situated near the equator that remarkably possess fertile soil, and welcoming weather conditions to grow cacao, avocado, jackfruit and malungay..
We have chosen heirloom cacao (Filipino Aromatico) as one of the trees to plant, because this kind of variety is rare (representing only one (1) percent in terms of population around the world). Hence, this is the most sought after cacao variety by the chocolatiers.

The ATAK² program can help not only chocolate makers but the Filipino Cacao Farmers thru the multiplication of this plant. The program will make the trees available everywhere  where the cacao farmers can source and extract budsticks (scion) as raw material for grafting in the propagation  of this precious plant. The success of the program will also generate PRESTIGE by recognizing the facts of the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade from the country’s history.

The AVOCADOS and JACKFRUITS will also be made available everywhere where Filipinos can source and eat one of the best food of the world.
On the other hand, MALUNGAY is rich in medicinal value that can prevent illnesses so the Filipinos can stay healthy and live much longer during this pandemic.

All of the trees are healthy foods for consumption and are beneficial to the environment.

 
What are the crops/plants?

* Malunggay (Moringa Oleifera) is a rising star in the world of super foods. The tiny leaves of this tree may be the world’s most nutritious green. As climate change makes rainfall increasingly unpredictable for low-income farmers in the country, Moringa will become an important tool for helping communities not only nationwide and the world to take control of their own nutrition.  

* Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) is one of the favorite fruits of Filipinos. Aside from its smelly sweet taste, it is considered for its high medicinal value. Sometimes the young jackfruit is cooked with coconut milk that can be served in the dining table. Also known as the ‘miracle’ food crop, it could be a replacement for staple crops under threat from climate change.

* Avocado
(Persea americana) is prized for its high nutrient value and is added to various dishes due to its good flavor and rich texture. Avocado fruits contain high potassium level. It is the main ingredient of the famous Mexican Guacamole.

* HEIRLOOM CACAO (Filipino Aromatico™) is one of the chosen mediums in tree planting. Chocolates made from this variety costs more in the global market to to its superb taste, and aroma. It may be remembered that in 1877, “cacao first traveled outside its American homeland to the Philippines aboard Manila galleons.” This kind of cacao variety is called Criollo  By planting this kind of tree we cannot only help the environment but may dearly help preserve this precious and important heritage of the country.

Answering the earlier question on “Does cacao farming begin and end with just money alone?” PDS Chief Executive Officer summarizes it all with
“Ang Sino mang tao na nagtanim ng punong kahoy sa kapaligiran ay may pagmamahal sa kaniyang kapwa, na katulad ng pagmamahal niya sa kanyang sarili ”

For more details on sponsorships, and pricing, call Mel Santos -PDS CEO, at 09175073704 or email plantaciondesikwate@gmail.com