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Coconuts Our Mindanao

Planting more Hybrid Coconuts on the Cliff Section

April 9, 2025April 9, 2025 by admin

Planting Hybrid Coconut Trees at West Cliff: A New Adventure!

Hey everyone! 🌴 Today, I’m excited to share our latest project at the West Cliff, where we’re diving into the world of hybrid coconut tree planting. It’s been a journey filled with planning, adjustments, and a sprinkle of creativity, and I can’t wait to fill you in on all the details!

The Layout Change

First off, let’s talk about the layout. We decided to reduce the distance between the trees from 9 meters to 8 meters. Why? Well, we wanted to maximize our space on the terrace-like slope of the cliff. By pushing for a triangular layout, we’ve managed to fit more trees into the area without compromising their growth potential. It’s all about making the most of what we have!

Sunlight Challenges

Now, here’s the catch: the 20-meter cliff above us means that sunlight will be a bit limited. With the growth on top of the cliff, we know our coconut trees might not get as much sun as they ideally need. But hey, we’re optimistic! We’ll take whatever sunlight we can get and adapt as the trees grow. After all, nature has a way of surprising us!

Planning for the Future

We’re also thinking ahead. As part of our layout, we’ve made sure to accommodate a future road into this section. This will not only make access easier but also help with maintenance down the line. And speaking of maintenance, we could really use some help here—if anyone has an excavator lying around, we’d love to borrow it! 😉

Erosion Control Efforts

On top of all that, we’re making strides in erosion control. We’ve started forming small natural retaining walls around the coconut trees. This is crucial because it helps stabilize the soil on the hill, allowing it to settle and increase nutrient content over time. Healthy soil means happy trees!

A New Landscape Awaits

Our ultimate goal is to create a beautiful new landscape that thrives in this unique environment. It’s a long-term vision, but we’re committed to nurturing these trees and watching them grow. Stay tuned for our next video clip, where we’ll share more about our progress and the exciting changes happening at West Cliff!

Thanks for following along on this journey with us. If you have any questions or tips about coconut tree planting, drop them in the comments! Let’s keep the conversation going! 🌱

How to Progress to a Simple Office Building

April 7, 2025June 19, 2025 by admin

Life on the farm is always busy.

And we’re excited to share a small update about a recent Office Building development. We are in the process of converting our orchidarium into an administrative building. This might seem like a simple change, but it represents an important step in the growth and organization of our operations.

What will happen to our Orchids

Our beautiful orchids will find a new place where we can nurture them to create a serene environment filled with vibrant colors and refreshing scents. However, as our farm continues to expand, we realized the need for a dedicated space for our office and reception area.

Transitioning space to Improve Administration

Converting this space into an Admin Building will allow us to streamline our administrative tasks and better serve our visitors. While this change may not be particularly groundbreaking, it is another important module in the puzzle of our farm’s development. Having a centralized location for our administrative work will enhance communication and efficiency, making it easier for us to manage our activities and connect with customers and partners. As we work on this renovation, we are excited about the opportunities it will bring. We anticipate that the new administrative building will not only improve our operations but also create a welcoming space for those who come to visit us.

Overall, this update is just one of many steps we are taking to ensure the sustainability and success of our farm in the long run.

We look forward to sharing more updates as our project progresses!

Construction Flowers and Seedlings Our Mindanao Touristic Things

Grandiose new Sandstone Entrance to the Bridge

March 17, 2025October 30, 2025 by admin

As we embarked on the journey of constructing our second flower tunnel. Bamboo on sandstone floor. The atmosphere buzzed with excitement and anticipation. We armed ourselves with 10 mm steel rods and bamboo. Consequently, we began to shape our vision into reality. The strong steel rods provided a sturdy framework. Therefore, It intertwined seamlessly with the lightweight bamboo, lending an organic touch to the structure.

The Siding of the Flower Tunnel

The sides of the tunnel were adorned with hamakan. In fact, we encased the railing in bamboo stripes, and halved bamboo tubes. Furthermore, to cover the tops, a combination that not only offered durability but also exuded a rustic charm.
At the bottom of the fence, we drilled holes to release standing waters. For this reason, Mosquitos won’t get a breeding ground. The solid concrete footings, forms made of flower pots. Those anchors are drilled into the Panas. Hence, they ensured that our creation would stand firm against the elements, providing a sanctuary for the vibrant life that would soon flourish within.

The Roof of Bamboo

Bamboo halves gracefully formed the roof. They created an airy canopy that would create a shadowy space. A cool breeze from the cliff was caught, while rain was draining to the northern side.

On one side of the tunnel, rose bushes—each a riot of color and fragrance—stood proudly, their delicate petals swaying gently with the breeze. Alongside them, two oil palms towered gracefully, their fronds casting delicate shadows on the earth below.

The Flowers, Roses

And close by we have vibrant roses with the grandeur of oil palms created a harmonious balance of beauty and elegance.
And in between, we find a tropical evergreen, soon slick, slender, and tall, dominating as the towering princess of this stretch of the Flower Garden.

The Flooring

Underfoot, the flooring comprised natural panas. In fact, it people affectionately do know it as sandstone. But we meticulously laid panas tiling in strategic areas for practicality and visual interest. Consequently, warm tones of the sandstone naturally complemented the vibrant colors of the flowers, creating a cohesive and inviting space.

This is Our Second Tunnel

This second flower tunnel became a testament to our dedication and love for gardening. Indeed, a place where nature could thrive, and beauty could be savored in the most exquisite forms. The combination of robust construction and lush, lively plants transformed the space into a dreamy retreat, offering a glimpse into the tranquility and joy that a well-tended garden can inspire.

Decorative Small Bananas

The other side was festooned with decorative bananas, their lush foliage adding an exotic flair to the landscape. As the backdrop to our floral oasis, shadow-loving Alocasia, Caladium, and Giant Taro formed a verdant sanctuary, their large leaves unfurling like sails in the wind. This verdant backdrop not only complemented the floral display but also enriched the overall aesthetic, creating a mesmerizing tapestry of greenery and flowering hues.

Bananas Our Mindanao

Great Discover of three more Banana Varieties

February 23, 2025October 30, 2025 by admin

Six Varieties of Banana — and Counting!

So, we’re basically living in a jungle now. The grass is growing wild and proud. I swear it’s 20 feet tall. I expect a giraffe to peek over the fence. Consequently, we stay alerted. Any day now and ask to share our bananas. And honestly, it could, because this place has become a banana paradise!

More Bananas

We’ve discovered six different varieties of banana trees thriving on the farm, each with its own flavor, color, and personality. From the sweet and creamy Lakatan, the hardworking Cardaba (perfect for banana chips and kinilaw), to the dainty Senorita and the hearty Tindok, in our collection still missing. But it will expand faster than we can count. The farm looks like a living banana museum — green, lush, and endlessly fruitful.

We’re also experimenting with new plantings, trying to see which varieties thrive best under the shade of our coconut trees. The intercropping setup makes everything look like a tropical food forest — bananas, coconuts, and fruit trees all living in perfect harmony. Each plant contributes something to the ecosystem: shade, mulch, or food for pollinators. It’s a beautiful reminder that nature works best when everything works together.

Snakes in the Grass (and Other Adventures)

Speaking of together, our team has basically become a family of jungle explorers. Every day feels like an adventure. We climb trees like Spiderman to harvest buko — young coconuts fresh from the tree — and it’s quickly become our favorite farm fuel. Cold, sweet, and hydrating, it’s basically nature’s version of an energy drink.

And then, of course, there are the snakes. Let’s just say we’re not as enthusiastic about them. But the funny thing is, our noisy farm life — with all the laughter, tractors, and barking dogs — seems to keep them away. Apparently, even snakes prefer peace and quiet. They’ve retreated into the tall grass, leaving us to our bananas and buko bliss.

Life in the Jungle Farm

Every corner of the farm is buzzing with new life — banana suckers sprouting, coconuts blooming, and birds singing like they’re on the payroll. There’s mud, sunshine, and laughter everywhere. Some days we’re pruning trees, other days we’re wrestling with weeds taller than we are. But every day feels like progress — like we’re building something living, wild, and wonderful.

Stay Tuned

So stay tuned for more stories from our jungle paradise! We’ll be sharing more updates, a few banana puns (we promise we’re just getting started), and maybe even a tale or two about close encounters with nature — preferably from a safe distance!

Until then, remember: life on the farm is bananas — and we wouldn’t have it any other way. 🍌🌴

Flowers and Seedlings Our Mindanao

News Update for January 05, 2025

January 5, 2025January 11, 2025 by admin

Some progress is done, small steps at a time. But life is good. There are no problems, problems are obstacles and obstacles are new adventures.
We had 8 pabo eggs this morning. Every day is rainy season for some reason. It is supposed to be dry now until April but we have heavy rain every afternoon.

Also, some YouTube planting videos are total scam. More to this later.
Our dogs are sick. The small ones are weak and barely move, Tiger was not seen for one day and he skipped a meal, showed up this morning again and stayed all day with us. Maybe he is doing better. Maybe Rabis? But his saliva is not dripping, his snout is dry!!! Maybe dead worms in his intestines and they create poison? We will see.
The flowers are coming along, slowly but surely. Also veggies. Funny is, even a Power Engineer has to learn to plant his own onions, garlic, and ginger. A challenge for me. But hey, You have a huge piece of land but you buy your onions in the market?? LOL That has to change.
We had our ONE YEAR JESSIE’S SUNSHINE FARM party with our buddy boys and family. Nice BBQ and some beer.
Moving forward.

Jessie's Sunshine Farm

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