Coco-a Vanilla Farm

Mission – to enlive organic and sustainable agriculture, improve community lifestyle and to realise, give meaning and life to our motto “ Making a Better YOU “

To avoid the use of harmful chemicals in the food that we eat, in the air that we breathe and in the land that we live on.

Values

– creating a balanced harmony between environment, economy and people.

– Sustainability- moving towards food independence and self-sufficiency.

– Supporting local organic farmers and agriculture.

– Humility in all we do.

History

Farming runs in blood. My father was a retired teacher and a struggling farmer when he died of a heart problem in June 2013 at the age of 77. Together with my diabetic mother, they were able to acquire very few land where my father grew up, in Barangay Bubucal, Santa Maria, Laguna. We now enjoy free harvest of rice, mangoes, calamansi, dalandan etch. I remember playing baseball in the ricefield with my cousins during the moonrise , the memories of eating fresh harvest of corn , camote and banana from my aunts and uncles are still fresh in my mind. Washing our clothes in the stream of the river every weekend is how I developed some of my motor skills. It strengthened me physically, emotionally and mentally.

In mending my broken heart for the passing of my dad, I decided to continue his passion into farming in 2016 and with the influence of some friends too. I realized that I should feed my mother a clean food for her to live longer. I started planting vegetables in “Bahay Kubo” with some herbs. In 2017, we hogged few chickens and then sooner, few pigs. All naturally grown, intentionally for personal consumption initially but now getting bigger due to market demands of family and friends. Influencing them in what I love makes me happy . Slowly going back to basic and living in my own dream. Coco-A Vanilla farm is my great escape in the hustle and bustle of city living.

In the same year of 2017, sometime in May, I decided to build a small kubo where I can stay after farming. But this small kubo turned out to be a very good relaxation place to be , where friends and guests can enjoy farm to table meals , a probinsya feels living and fresh air. Yes, a wonderful place to be.

Coco-a Vanilla farm was officially registered as a farm on July 8, 2018.

Purpose :

We have very ambitious purpose:

1. To help in improving the lives of the community especially the women and the elders

2. To focus on sustainable farming the organic way. Influence the community to do backyard gardening.

3. To give employment to many.

Coco-a Vanilla was named after our cats Cocoa and Vanilla. Happy farming everyone!