Life on the Farm: Carabaos, Crops, and Rainy Season Blessings

The rainy season has finally arrived, and with it comes new life and growth here on the farm. With the rains nourishing the soil, we’ve begun planting a variety of vegetables once again. It’s always exciting to see the land come alive this time of year.

We’re also happy to share some updates about our beloved farm family members—mama carabao Elizabeth and her baby, Febie. Both are doing great!

Our trusted farmer, Bong-bong, has even been riding Elizabeth around the farm. She must really like him, because she lets him hop on without complaint. 😊

Meanwhile, Febie is growing fast—her horns are getting longer, she’s gaining weight, and she looks radiant with her beautiful albino coat. I often joke with her, asking what kind of whitening she uses—calamansi, papaya, glutathione, or kojic? 😄

Out in the fields, our crops are thriving:

Moringa – putting out fresh new stems.

Papaya – sprouting new fruits and lush green leaves.

Sweet potato and cassava – planted in one section of the farm, though Febie enjoys snacking on the leaves. Fingers crossed there’s still plenty left for harvest!

Lakatan bananas – Bong-bong relocated the suhi (seedlings) before the rainy season, and they’re now showing healthy new growth.

Pechay – ready for harvest! We’ve sold some in the market and saved a few bunches for our own table.

Whenever we buy fruits from the market, we save the seeds and plant them. Over the years, we’ve added pineapples by planting the crown instead of throwing them away. While our homegrown pineapples may not be as big as those from plantations, they’re sweet and satisfying enough to enjoy with family.

 

Other parts of the farm are coming to life too—with our pumpkin, corn, and spring onion patches growing well.

We’ve also started rebuilding our vermicomposting area—this time with a small second floor where we and our workers can rest in between farm work.

And of course, one of the best parts of farm life: harvest time. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing baskets brimming with fresh produce straight from the land we’ve nurtured.

Until the next update—may the rains bring more growth, joy, and blessings to all of us.

Meet Elizabeth & Febie: Our Newest Farm Queens!

MalunggayLife has two very special, grass-loving ladies: Elizabeth and her daughter Febie, our brand-new carabaos!

These two aren’t just adorable — they’re also incredibly helpful! Elizabeth will eventually help with light farm work and land prep, while Febie… well, for now, she’s in training (a.k.a. just being cute and eating everything in sight). Stay tuned — I’ll be sharing more about Febie’s rare and beautiful coloring soon! It looks like our little farm baby might carry an albinism gene, which makes her extra unique (and extra photogenic)!

They’ve settled in beautifully, munching happily under the shade of our trees and occasionally striking poses for the camera — #FarmModelGoals. 

We’re so excited to watch them grow, bond with the team, and become part of the everyday joy that is life on the farm. With them around, the farm feels a little fuller, and our hearts definitely are.

Welcome to the MalunggayLife family, Elizabeth & Febie! 

May your days be sunny, your naps uninterrupted, and your grass forever green. 

Elizabeth is the strong, silent type — the classic carabao mom. She’s graceful, calm, and looks like she’s seen it all (and probably has!). She walks with the quiet confidence of a true farm veteran. Febie, on the other hand, is the curious and spunky baby girl, already poking her nose into everything. Whether it’s a pile of freshly cut grass or someone’s lunch basket, Febie wants in.

And look who else is tagging along — another one of Elizabeth’s kiddos! This charming young bull is Febie’s big brother.

He’s not officially part of the MalunggayLife family, but for now, he’s just happily hanging out with mom and little sis. He may be a guest, but as far as we’re concerned, any carabao who wants to chill and snack on our farm grass is more than welcome. The more, the merrier! 

Mama Elizabeth just gave birth two months ago, so we’re giving her all the time she needs to rest and recover. For now, it’s just a little bit of gentle work and a whole lotta chill. Think of it as her well-deserved maternity leave — farm edition! 

We’re still farming! 😊

We’ve just been a little caught up with some personal things lately, but don’t worry — the farm is still very much alive and growing. 🌿

Here are a few updates on what’s been keeping us busy lately at the farm. It’s been a mix of sweat, soil, surprises, and a whole lot of greenery!

The cogongrass on this side of the farm is taller than dad — and he's not even short! Forget a bed of roses, we’re about to start a new trend: spa day on a grass bed, farm edition! Who needs a bed of roses when we’ve got a whole mattress of wild grass?

We spotted some patches of Sambong in this area, so we’re tidying up the place. A little cleanup so our leafy friends can live their best plant life!

Our malunggay trees were ready for a trim, but first, our farmers had to battle their way through rows of wild cogongrass.

Finally, after weeks of clearing the malunggay area, the trees finally got their first proper pruning in three years. Talk about a long-overdue spa day!

This malunggay tree is looking fresh and fab now after a week of pruning!

Look who's making a comeback! Baby leaves are starting to sprout on some of the pruned malunggay trees — fresh starts and leafy new beginnings!

The lemongrass patches are finally standing out — no more playing hide and seek with the regular grass! They’re looking sharp, fresh, and totally ready for their close-up!

The papaya fruits are yummy, but we’re actually more excited about the leaves — they’re the real stars after they are processed into tea and capsules.

Look who decided to swing by our avocado tree today—a slithery guest!

After years of waiting (thanks to La Niña’s dramatic episodes), we finally got to harvest our turmeric rhizomes!

After a long day at the farm (and a lot of sweat!), we’re heading home with a bountiful harvest of papayas and bananas — farm life’s sweet reward!

MalunggayLife FARM