Living the sweet life
Isan de Jesus finds happiness in honey
By Deneb Batucan
ISAN de Jesus is one of the few people privileged to live the sweet life. After all, living in a beekeeping farm has the sweetest perks of all – honey. And in Isan’s backyard, honey is in constant production.
Growing up, Isan’s life was filled with adventure. Swimming and traveling was her family’s own version of normal. She grew up frolicking in her mom’s garden with her two sisters. Her parents have always had the green thumb, buy it was only in the late 2000s that they decided to up the ante and delve into beekeeping. That’s when Dad’s Organic Farm was born.
When the production of honey was going on point, Isan’s mom thought of increasing their product list. They consulted chemists on to how to make other products from honey. It was in October 2013 that they started marketing their new products online.
Isan’s job is designated as “Farmer’s Daughter” – she takes care of the marketing and sales part of the business. She is the sometimes tindera and delivery girl and an all-time advocate of real organic honey.
Dad’s Organic Farm prides itself for selling pure organic honey fresh from the honey combs of the bees residing at their own backyard. Aside from their edible products like pure honey and honey-kalamansi salad dressing, they have broadened their product list to wellness and beauty products like soaps, lip balms, massage oils, bee pollen capsules and many more. Their products are all made from scratch with their own hands, from the actual product to the packaging, to provide those who are sick of their unhealthy lifestyle with healthy and organic products fresh from their backyard farm.
Dad’s Organic Farm is easily accessible for city dwellers since it is just located in Lahug, Cebu City. That means having a bee farm in the city is not far-fetched at all. As long as there are plants and trees, the bees will continue buzzing and stay happy.
Running a business with family is a lot of fun for Isan. Yet at times, she admits there are a few tiny problems here and there. “It’s hard because sometimes we can’t separate family from business,” she confided. “But I have learned so much from my dad on how to speak to potential customers and how to get them interested in our products. My mom is the head of the production, so we both decide on which products and flavors to release. It’s fun when it comes to thinking of what scents we should sell for the soaps and lip balms.”
Aside from her role in their family business, Isan also handles communications and marketing for their software development company and does social media marketing for a Singapore-based company. Isan is definitely one person who cannot be tied down to just one job. She is dynamic and spirited and full of energy – much like a busy bee.
But Isan’s ultimate dream is something that’s a lot less hectic and crazy than the marketing world she’s thriving in. Isan wants to become a children’s book writer some day. She’s looking into some schools in the Philippines and abroad where she could take up a master’s degree in creative writing. “Growing up, my mom would read to my sisters and me every day and it was really the best part of my evenings as a child,” she said.
Between her dreams of making Dad’s Organic Farm bigger and better and her personal dreams of being a children’s book writer, Isan has a long road ahead. But with a family as supportive as hers and an unbinding passion to achieve her goals, she will never go far from her dreams. Isan is just as hard working as the bees in their backyard. And someday, with hard work and dedication, her honeycomb will be filled with honey too.
Photos: Alfred Gregory E. Bartolome
Make-up Artist: Carlo Damolo
Hair Stylist: Jerwin Bastatas
Locale: Dad’s Organic Farm at 48 Sunset Drive, Lahug, Cebu City
