A Farmer Named Dublin

My good friend Dublin arranged a trip for me to see his small mixed farm (animal and fruit trees). Although it was a wet and rainy day we had a very great excursion. Furthermore it was a really great learning experience for me.

I was surprised by the skills of three men who could bring about cross breeds of wildboars and local pigs fairly easily! Dublin does not have any background at all in animal husbandry as he is an Oil and Gas man by training. Besides farming is only his past time. He wittily said that he is now in the " Oil and Palm " business .

It is heartening to see his farm of cross breds thriving and so many fruit trees flowering. He set up the farm to help his own nephews establish themselves as modern progressive farmers. Training is also made available to them by the Government's Agricultural Department at its training centre in Kebuloh.

Animal health is as important as human health.

Langsat looking like gold in the sun. It is eye opening for those who have never seen langsat growing on a tree!!

Buah Salak. In fact this was my first encounter with a buah salak palm. This palm cannot be hugged!!

Thomas and his little pet. Thomas is the nutritionist of the farm. He feeds the animals with  bananas and sago stems and other vegetables. Soy Bean waste is also collected from tou foo producers in Miri every day. These farm animals do not eat chemically produced feed. He might be our Sarawak's own Pig Whisperer!!

One of the cross bred females . Note the longer snout and the ears.

Adam Achong - First Stud of the farm. Adam came to Dublin's farm about two years ago when Dublin decided to start his farming business with his nephews. Adam came from Rumah Johnson . He is half wild boar and half indigenous domesticated pig. So far he has sired more than 150 piglets. this old man is old if you have already noticed his tusk. He easily weighs more than 200 kg. Dublin has special methods of encouraging greater rate of breeding . That you may have to ask him when you meet him.

Dublin making a point. "The flesh from the cross breeds is very sweet and because they are organically fed and free range these pigs are also more nutritious and less fatty...Here in the farm we do everything ourselves including castrating the males.  " One of his jokes now is" I am doing  Life Long Continuing  Learning in Bachelor of Pig Farming majoring in Castration " Pigs need to be castrated to enhance its taste. So those which are kept for breeding are separated from those which would be sold for meat. Catching the animals for sale is not difficult also if the catchers know animal psychology.

The small farm also has Duku Langsat trees. Other fruit trees are also found like rambutans and pomeloes.

Red vegetables

Serai Wangi bush - grown to protect the farm

Pumpkins grow freely on the available slopes around the farm house.

Piggy backing or clowning around in the farm

Suckling - Mother pigs can have three litters a year. Each litter can be as many as 9!! Normally it is 6. Sometimes all the piglets die before the month is out. So piglets and mother pigs must be in their own pen for as long as 45 days or longer.

As a parting I did suggest that an added interest in the future would be food gatherers' picnic lunch in his farm. All kids and visitors would go and gather the wild vegetables around his farm and have a cook out!! And why not? It will be such a learning experience for children and adults as well.

I would really like to be back on the farm again and enjoy Life Long Continuing Education for a Degree in Farm Management . Now what would be a suitable major? Farming is healthy and very happy. I won't mind becoming a part time farm hand too.

Thanks a million !

(There is government supply of electricity and water. And gas tanks and stoves are available in the farm house. Some wood fire places are also available in the backyard.)

You can call up Dublin at 013 834 3566 for more info
He is also in Palm Mill Equipment Business...www.daitoku.com.my
Email - howping@daitoko.com.my
+6085-664-569