13 May 2009

Unique fruit discovered on site

I went up to the roof top yesterday with a friend. This friend is a Sifu in swiftlet farming having constructed many successful swiftlet farms for the owners in the state. The moment he stepped foot on the roof top, he immediately turn his attention to a tall tree facing the the entrance hole and told me not to disturb this tree. He said this tree will attract a lot of insects during the fruit season. All this while I just acknowledged this tree as one of the trees around my birdhouse but this time it really caught my attention. This tree is quite unique that its fruits point towards the sky. Only then did I realised that this fruit is almost similar to the one that I am looking for.

I have to admit that this is the first time that I saw this fruit in Terengganu soil. The fruit that I am looking for is called the miricle fruit by XKL because it can cure all sort of illness. It is also called fruit or 'buah tunjuk langit' as the Malays called it. The fruits are from the mahogany tree. I have been buying the dried fruits and processed it into capsules and consuming it for the past 6 months taking 2 capsules daily. I have been having hypertension since my youth and my blood pressure has always ding dong around the borderline of140/90 even after medication but since taking this fruit my bllod pressure has turned normal. I took my blood pressure yesterday using the OMRON digital blood pressure monitor and the result after 3 readings averaged 120/81. Just fantastic. There are a lot of testimonies on the efficacy of this fruit in the net.

Today, I went up the roof again to make sure if the fruit is sky fruit or another type of fruit. Looking at the fruits again and paying more attention, I saw that the texture is a bit different from sky fruit. I tried to ask one of the workers doing plastering on the roof top and he seems to know the fruit. He told me the fruit is called 'Diah' and when ripe will drop down. They are edible and usually the fruits are collected and fried before eating. The texture of this fruit resembles the nangka or cempedak. I went back to my office, still not convince on my discovery and I asked one of my collegue who is from Besut who use to live in a kampung. I described to him the characteristics of the fruit and tree and he seems to recognise right away as there are a few trees in his kampung. He told me that this tree is a jungle tree and very tall and it bears fruits similar in size to a small cempedak. He told me the villagers called the fruit 'buah diah'. To counter check that this fruit and tree really exist by this name 'Diah", I did a search on the net typing the words 'buah diah' but I could not find them. It could have been known by another name and could have been very rare. Hope readers can enlighten me on this fruit and tree. I find the fruit unique because the fruits ponts upward instead of hanging down like the nangkas or cempedaks and also it looks similar to the sky fruit which I had described earlier as the miracle fruit. .

Do contact me if you would like to have a look at this fruit or tree. one of the few with its fruit upright and as unique as the swiftlets which fly non-stop and do not hang or stop on trees.

Below is a short write-up about the miracle fruit which i want to share with my readers.

Skyfruit - How Beneficial Is It To Human Body And Why It

Is Called The Miracle Fruit ?

In 1996, a renowned American biochemist Dr. Larry Brookes, whom during his research he encountered a major discovery, that is he found abundance resources of Flavonoids and Saponins to be the active ingredient of SkyFruit.

Active Ingredient of
Sky Fruit:

Flavonoids (found in Citrus, Gingko, Tea and Red Wine)

  • Able to promote a smooth blood circulation and to interfere with the formation of atherosclerotic plague.
  • Lowers cholesterol levels and lowers fats build-up in the blood stream.
  • Reduces the risk of coronary heart disease.
  • Have an anti-inflammation action, it is able to inhibit body's natural enzymes that produce the chemical which park tissue inflammation.
  • Ability in reducing pain, bleeding, bruising, and the fluid retention that result from tissue injuries.
  • Act as anti-oxidant.
  • Act as a free radical scavenger.

Saponins (found in Ginseng and has a bitter taste)

  • As an agent in cancer prevention and reduces body fats.
  • Enhances immune system and improves vitality.
  • Reduces blood clotting and alleviates blood sugar.
  • Enhances the functions of the heart and prolonging blood clotting process.

Isoflavoniods (found inPueraria Lobata)

  • Anti-cancer Effects
  • Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease.
  • Prevention of Osteoporosis and Reducing Menopausal Symptons

In addition, the SkyFruit contains various natural proteins, minerals, vitamins, enzymes, carbohydrates, essential fatty acids and other body essential nutrients, where its easy absorption contributes an important factor for staying healthy.

In recent years, the SkyFruit has been widely accepted by medical specialists and doctors. Its consumers' testimonials have made its recognition of its core values to be one of the best health products among those available in the market. Not only is SkyFruit pure in nature, its basis of suitability to health makes it an excellent product. No ill side effect is encountered even for long term consumption.

Core Usage::

  • Revitalize sex drive
  • Revitalize energy
  • Increase strength
  • Rebuild tissues
  • Increase pregnancy rate
  • Supporting healthy energy
  • Reactivate cells
  • Beauty agent
  • Anti-aging
  • Strengthen stomach, heart, lungs, liver, spleen
  • Replenish blood and strengthen arteries
  • Regulate blood sugar
  • Restore healthy heart and brain, etc.

Target User:

  • Diabetes,hypertension,
  • skin allergy,
  • malaria,
  • heart problem,
  • asthmatic,
  • menstruation pain,
  • Alzheimer,
  • first stage stroke,
  • gastritis,
  • rheumatic,
  • impotency,
  • poor appetite, poor health
  • liver disease,
  • sensitive skin, pimples and blisters,
  • low immune system,
  • inconceivable,
  • foul breath,
  • high cholesterol,
  • constipation, digestive system problem,
  • neuralgia,
  • secretion disorder,
  • tumour or growth,
  • remove pimples and freckles,beautify skin and etc.


The 'Diah' tree in the background

The 'Diah' tree


Closer view of the 'Diah tree

Close-up of tree. Fruit can be seen clearly
pointing up like the sky fruit

Another close-up with fruits visible.

Sky fruit on Mahogany tree

Dried sky fruits

Dry seeds and processed seeds packed into capsules

12 May 2009

Roving room roof ready to receive a coat of cement plaster

I have been busy this few days supervising my workers putting up the roof covering over the roof structure. It have been a tedious job having to work above the air well. In future, having to do it again I would rather do it on the ground and using a mobile crane to lift it up provided there are working space on the ground. The shape of the roof resemble a turtle. Perhaps this can overcome the nostalgia of the missing turtles at Rantau Abang and the turtle at the roundabout in Ladang. So, if you miss the turtles, welcome to The Hollow. I am waiting anxiously to see the cement being cast onto the top of the roof. I have taken quite a number of shots on the process of putting up the roof covering for the readers to see together with shots of the surrounding works in progress. I intend to turn the surrounding into a garden with ponds, fountains and fishes. This is my dream and I hope will become a reality soon and I hope the swiftlets will share my dream and help to produce more nests. Since the roving room have been covered up. I did a test on the temperature and humidity by placing a hygrothermometer on the 3rd Floor and the result shows 28 degree celcius for the temperature and 85% for the humidity. This is achieved without the internal drainage, the pools and the fountains.


View from the back. Aluminium foil on top of pvc sun-shading
mesh. The main intention is to keep the aluminium foil taut
and aslo unintentionally act as double heat protection

View from the front. Aluminium foil is placed
on top of pvc sun-shading mesh.

View from the back. Aluminium foil
and chicken wire mesh in place


View from the front. Aluminium foil and
chicken wire mesh in place

View of the top entrance. Actual entrance partly hidden

View of the bottom entrance. the swiftlet can choose
either way to enter. Top or bottom.


Entrance into roving room and air-well below. Wall to block light
from entering building. There will be a door in between the wall



Inside of roving room


Flower trough and pond in front of the entrance

Plastering of flower trough and pond wall in progress

08 May 2009

06 May 2009

Roof structure over roving room completed

At last, the steel roof structure over the roving room and air well has been completed. What is left is to cover up the roof structure. I intend to place a layer of pvc mesh over the roof structure followed by a layer of aluminium and then a layer of chicken wire mesh before a layer of cement plaster is laid on top of it.

At last, the steel roof structure over the roving room and air well has been completed. What is left is to cover up the roof structure. I intend to place a layer of pvc mesh over the roof structure followed by a layer of aluminium and then a layer of chicken wire mesh before a layer of cement plaster is laid on top of it.


Roof structure taking shape.


Roof structure completed. Front View


Roof structure completed. Back view

View of roving room roof from a distance


04 May 2009

Comments from those who selected Facebook as one of their Top 10 Tools

  • "I use it almost daily online and via my iPhone to learn what my nearly 300 contacts –family, friends, and busiess contacts – are up to. I learn about and from other people by following links they post that they find interesting; by seeing how they feel about news stories; etc. Gabe Anderson
  • I was reluctant to add this one but this is where I keep up with what my kids are doing. I am amazed at the number of times they get tagged in picture albums. Their whole adolescent history is being documented in photographs on Facebook. Not that they always want me to see." Steve Rayson

  • "provides easy communication with students and colleagues, and private communication in groups" Pat Parslow

  • "mainly for my salsa students to keep in touch with other fans worldwide. I add links to salsa music videos and other resources, publicise social events by other promoters: creates a great “club” atmosphere. But I ban most applications – they are just irritating! I have not yet incorporated into my university teaching…..but I think the day is coming!" Jane Challinor

  • "I have been using Facebook as my primary social networking tool." Janet Clarey

  • "A very interactive social network with open API for integrating with social software developed by others" Jose Carlos del Arco

  • "for sharing information" Rebecca Jones

  • "I just like that there is so many things that you can do with it and share things with friends around the world." Karen Ver

  • "When training people around the globe, building social connections between learners is critical. Facebook helps learners put a face with a name and learn personal fact about other learners ... a fantastic way to find other people who are interested in what you want to learn. Great places to share ideas." Janice Petosky

  • "Still, by far, the undisputed number one. Last year I wrote: “I’ve posted about my love of Facebook before. But look, we teach these technology integration classes and we tell our students to find out what their students have and work from there. Well, where are my college undergrads? Facebook. Since I’ve started requiring my undergrads to add me as a friend, I’ve had more communication with my undergrads. It’s been crazy, actually. Students who NEVER would have gotten a hold of me before, are now writing on my wall just to say, ‘Hey Dr. Curry! What’s up?’ I love it.” John Curry


Facebook helps you connect and share with the people in your life.

Tirok Swifts's Facebook profile

Facebook is a free-access social networking website that is operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. Users can join networks organized by city, workplace, school, and region to connect and interact with other people. People can also add friends and send them messages, and update their personal profiles to notify friends about themselves. The website's name refers to the paper facebooks depicting members of a campus community that some US colleges and preparatory schools give to incoming students, faculty, and staff as a way to get to know other people on campus

I find Facebook very useful. Once you sign up and add friends, you will be able to share their thoughts, views, ideas, photos, videos, links and almost anything they are willing to share. I have added a few politicians as friends and I am able to share whatever info they are willing to share with friends in Facebook . I can voice out or make comments on whatever topics of public interest and the politicians whom I have added as friends and their friends can read them. If you want your voice to be heard as loud as possible add as many friends as possible. Of course, the friends that you wanted to add have the right to decline you as their friensd.

To my readers, hope you sign up for Facebook. Lets get connected and share our experiences especially about swiftlet farming. Lets set up a swiftlet group to represent the swiftlet farmers in cyberspace.

Let's also hope that all the Cabinet , Members of Parliament and State Assemblymen sign up for Facebook so that we can write direct to them by communicating wall to wall in Facebook .

01 May 2009

Faked nests can help swiftlets to build nests

I was doing maintenance work in my other BH on Friday. Well, on and off, I have to check the conditions of the BH. What I noticed in my BH is the nests count on the 2nd Floor is increasing quite rapidly and almost half of the nests are built on top of the faked nests made from styrofoam. What is the reason that the swiftlets like to build on top of the styrofoam support?


For young swiftlets the grooves in the nesting planks may not help the swiftlet to hang comfortably or may be the nesting planks are too hard for them to grip. So, supports in the form of rectangular-shaped styrofoam could help these young swiftlets to hang and build nests.


Studies had shown that having lots of these fake nests could increase the nest counts by 30% the normal growth rate. For new farms, owners should forget about nest quality for the time being. After two cycles, the owner can take away the styrofoam and harvest the nests and let the birds rebuild their nests. Fake nests can come in all shapes and sizes but the cheapest could be the rectangular cut styrofoam which can either be screwed to the nesting planks or glued using the white styrofoam glue used for pasting papers. Many owners used plastic and silicone nests shaped like the original nestsbut they are slightly expensive costing between RM4 to RM6 per piece. We can also make nests shaped like the original nest out of styrofoam but is it really necessary unless we would like to attract stray pregnant birds which have their nest harvested and have no place to lay their eggs.




Work on roof top roving room commence

My workers have commence work on the roving room at the roof top. All the steel pipes have been delivered to site aand they are putting them together. Meanwhile another group of workers are about to complete plastering of the internal trench. This trench will be used to regulate the temperature and humidity in the BH. 1/2" pvc pipe with pinholes hanging about 3 feet above will spray water into the trench and the water in the trench will flow and overflow down to the next level through 4" diiameter PVC pipes which is then reduced to 1/2" pvc pipe and the same process will repeat until the 1st floor where the water overflows into 4" diameter overflow pipes which drain into the water storage tank below the BH. Water from the 3rd floor will be supplied
by water pump at the roof top through pvc pipe with pinholes which will spray out the water into the trench On the 2nd floor the pvc pipe will carry water from above by gravity. The intensity of the spray will be controlled by the water pump that will operate only during the daytime.

Worker marking the dimension of the roving room


Worker jointing the steel pipes

Internal trench surrounding BH completed. Observe the
pvc pipe above with pinholes at intervals above the trench.

Another view of the trench.