F.A.R.M. is Bicol's Best Product!

To us (particularly to me) who have seen F.A.R.M. from its modest beginnings, this is not at all unexpected.

Our very own F.A.R.M. bagged the Best Product Award at the Bishop F. Gainza Trade Fair & Exhibit for the 2010 Peñafrancia Tercenterary Festival in Naga City.

Bernadette de los Santos tells us more. Read her blog about this feat.

Congratulations F.A.R.M. and kudos to all of us.

F.A.R.M. supports the 2010 Miss Universe!

The most interesting F.A.R.M. trivia: Did you know that our super famous "F.A.R.M. bride" evolved from the original piece first worn and modeled by no less than...

Our very own Venus Raj, the hottest and strongest contender for the 2010 Miss Universe crown?

Take home the gold Venus, for you deserve the gold.

With our F.A.R.M. brides, let's watch the Miss Universe Pageant on August 23 and see her victory.

Learn more about Venus on the F.A.R.M. blog.

Book your Saturday for Buttons to Hope!

Two important events happening:

One - Chill out the farm way at the Button Hole in La Huerta! Buttons to Hope members. Lunch. Meet the scholars.

Two - There is HOPE in Art. The first art exhibition in Baao featuring local artists. Wine and hors d ouvres at Cafe des Artes, Villa Esperanza. Get a fine piece and help Buttons to Hope. Anyone interested is welcome.

Saturday, 21 August. RSVP: farmbaao@gmail.com

F.A.R.M. - from Trash to Craft

Many followers say we have been missed. Thank you! It does not mean that F.A.R.M. has become unpopular. In fact, it has been making waves. If we were not able to bring you news on time, simply blame it on CB's demanding day job.

The past month has been pretty hectic and exciting. F.A.R.M. joined SM City Naga in its campaign towards a cleaner environment and a greener earth through "Trash to Crafts" - an event that showcased Bicol products made of recycled materials.

As anticipated, F.A.R.M. was a big hit: most visited, most photographed, most admired.

F.A.R.M. did not only share its products to the Bicol market, it also showcased the ingenuity and uniqueness of its craft.

Along with other Bicol merchandise, F.A.R.M. celebrated the value and benefit of artful recycling. As you know, F.A.R.M. is made out of old and discarded materials - trash brought back to life.

Bernadette de los Santos was another hit. She shared, as in many occasions, the wonders of engaging into artful recycling.

F.A.R.M.ers were there to support.

And the public was in awe with such a wonderful creation, advocacy and opportunity that is F.A.R.M.!

With the help of SM and the Department of Trade and Industry, F.A.R.M. achieved another milestone in its barely two-year history.

We got another rare chance to say that for mother earth, we care!

Buttons to Hope is One and Counting!

Buttons to Hope turned one on June 1! And we found it's the best reason to party!

On June 18, BTH team leader Jane Barcenas-Bisuna hosted a simple, no-frills first birthday party for BTH at the Linden Suites. It was to celebrate every bit of accomplishment BTH has reaped over the past year - money in the bank, continuous support from members and friends, and six college scholars now in the university!

It's been a year of sweet success for BTH. And it's just about time to roll out this wonderful idea, left and right! For more success, for bigger bucks, for more scholars!

As of June 2010, BTH is now almost half a million rich, with cash and receivables totalling P401,378.00 ($8,500.00). A total of P65,000 or 16% of the funds have been disbursed to support the first semester fees of the six BTH scholars. Each scholar gets a subsidy of P10,000 per semester.

The BTH fund came from F.A.R.M. sales, donations, monthly dinners and the proceeds from the HOPE event.

We said "no-frills" but then again we decided to give the evening an interesting flavor. Thanks to Mia Barandon-Bulalacao for the magnificent cupcake tree that made BTH's first birthday so bright and flaunty!

We also took a break from the usual "business" meeting at BTH dinners. For there wasn't a space left for that. We just had loads of food, wine and fun!

To the pretty and handsome faces of BTH, thank you, thank you for gracing the night!

Cheers to BTH at One! And for more to come!

Our scholars are now in college!

It was a two-week holiday for the F.A.R.M. blog. And we are coming back with a very important news: F.A.R.M. and Buttons to Hope scholars are now in school!

F.A.R.M. scholars Grace, Nicco, Ronald and Manilyn are personally supported by Bernadette de los Santos, with funds coming from the sales of our famous F.A.R.M. bracelets. Your patronage, as we promised, is going a long way.

BTH scholars Christian, Christine, Babing, Christian, Enrique and Jam are the ones we collectively support through Buttons to Hope - an innovative, well-admired scholarship project in Baao that's now in full swing!

All 10 scholars go to the Central Bicol State University of Agriculture, one of the finest state universities in the Bicol region.

Each BTH scholar gets P10,000 full scholarship grant per semester. BTH will arrange individual accounts for each scholar with the Baao Cooperative to encourage them to start saving and managing their resources wisely and efficiently.

Thank you for your support. Let us watch these young minds grow and succeed. In no time, they will become mighty graduates in their own fields and will take their turn in helping educate and empower Baao. Please, stay with us through this journey. Mabalos po!

All hands down to the HOPE event!

Dine. Wine. Celebrate HOPE. May 22, 2010. A. Bonifacio, Fortunata Village, Paranaque City. Smart casual.

The backyard garden of Chito and Jo Intia and the magnificent wedding-like set up were so befitting for a happening of extreme importance as the HOPE event. The Good Lord did not give us rain, but sheltered us with the perfect summer weather.

The nicest dinner buffet (nicest = hot and good food, super service and reasonable bill) was provided by Verleo Catering, courtesy of the Intias.

The generous hosts Jo and Chito enjoying a dance

The yummy spread included yang chow fried rice, baked beef lasagna, chicken-ala-pobre, crispy fish fillet with aoli, pork spareribs, fresh lumpia wrapped-on-the-spot. And mango crepe and fruit salad for the sweet tooth. Plus we had a taco bar as a pre-dinner treat.

And of course, there were red and white wine overflowing! Thanks to Ruby Penarubia for sending boxes of wine over!

Bidibidi, Eena and Mia toast to the success of BTH

The guests weren't the only ones who needed dressing up. Bernadette de los Santos (Bidibidi) accentuated Verleo's table setup with dainty yoyo quilts and vintage black and red mini buttons. The design kept us true to our roots, and we were all drawn to it!

F.A.R.M. had to be on the spotlight. Fabulous new pieces of the F.A.R.M. bride collection plus the classic pieces were on display for the guests to feast on. F.A.R.M. scholar Nico and BTH scholar Jam efficiently managed the booth. And they even weaved choice buttons on the spot for the discerning guests!

Direk Ray Defante Gibraltar's documentary on F.A.R.M. and Buttons to Hope was a total must as it captured the inspiring story of this beautiful advocacy. The guests were so thrilled to see it (it was the first time to be seen by a wider audience) and were more than convinced to help. The documentary is the award-winning director's pledge to helping spread the good news about Buttons to Hope. Teresa de los Santos-Salah and other F.A.R.M.ers helped in producing the 24-minute film.

Direk Ray came with wife Queenie.

Ray, Jet, Queenie and Shiela

Buttons to Hope team leader Jane Barcenas-Bisuña (and Bidibidi), presented the project's milestones, financial status, and showed the many ways people can help Buttons to Hope. They also introduced the six scholars who are going to college in June (details about the scholars coming up in a separate blog entry).

Projectors4rent provided the facility.

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed and got wacky over the F.A.R.M.ers' performances, which proved to be more delightful than the band's. We were all yearning for more. The Seven Verses band provided excellent music and was quite good in not letting the jammers pass up their chance of a lifetime to sing live! The HOPE event was a big hit because of you guys!

Jonathan and Adie jamming with the band

Monette and Diesu brought the house down

Adie was a total performer

Our ever-generous F.A.R.M.ers from overseas paid for the music. Terie, Susan, Gladys, Perlie, Mafe, Jessamyn, Margee, Sheryl and Jo - the fab and pretty girls with big hearts - thank you!

Professional singer Bembot and rather elusive Pecto were excellent!

We would never settle anywhere in the middle ground. So even the pass to the event and paparazzi wall were elaborately done and did not disappoint the paying guests! Jane conceptualized the designs and had them executed by professional artist, Arch. Jare Encallado. Bidibidi and the F.A.R.M. scholars added that remarkable button twist to the pass - which shows this at the back: Keep this button pass as proof that you have bought HOPE for Baao's youth. Isn't that interesting?

Thanks Jet, Jonathan, Mia, Cherry, Atty. Matt, Wheng and the rest for the great ticket sales!

The paparazzi wall, as expected, was a hit!

Grazielle and Jare; F.A.R.M.ers Bidibidi, Mia, Eena, Jane, Monette and Lani strike a pose!

As of posting, photos of the HOPE event are still selling all over Facebook. Thanks to Rommel, Adie, Bidibidi for these beautiful pictures!

We got around P40,000 ($900) additional funds from this benefit dinner-concert - just enough to sustain a scholar's two-year college education. But other than that, the fact that we were all able to put on a show as successful as the HOPE event is already getting a lot in return.

Thanks thanks thanks everyone for your support! You rocked our world!