In the first months of 2021, I—Edilberto “Sandy” Santiago Jr. of Norzagaray, Bulacan, Philippines—found inspiration in our bustling backyard farm. With piglets snuffling in the straw, lambs bleating softly, and chicks peeping all around, I picked up my trusty ukulele and let their playful energy guide me to “Farmyard Fiesta.” What this song means to me Togetherness in action: When I sing “Join the Farmyard Fiesta!” I’m inviting everyone—kids and elders alike—to roll up their sleeves, share in the chores, and laugh as one big family. Memories of youth: I still feel the rush of chasing ducklings and feeding goats on my lolo’s humble farm. Those carefree moments shine through each line. Learning through fun: Verse 2’s chores—sweeping, watering—remind me that teamwork and joy go hand in hand. Even the simplest tasks become celebrations when we do them together. How it took shape One crisp January dawn, rooster calls echoing, I sat beside our vegetable beds and scribbled the animal calls—“baa baa,” “oink oink,” “quack quack.” Drawing on the cheers and call-and-response games from local fiestas, I sketched out the structure by midday. That evening, my cousins and I turned the rough draft into a full-blown melody, our laughter weaving into the chords. Beneath its cheerful ukulele riff, “Farmyard Fiesta” carries a gentle reminder: no matter how small our patch of earth, there’s always space to dance, to work side by side, and to celebrate life’s harvest together. Lyrics: [Intro] *Rooster crow* *Catchy ukulele riff* [Verse 1] Baa baa sheep, oink oink pig, Come on, friends! Let's dance a jig! Clap your hands and feed the cow, Friendship’s fun, let’s share it now! Chicky chick here, quack quack too, Let’s all say, ‘We love you, boo!’ With fluffy tails and shiny wings, Farmyard friends, oh, what joy it brings! [Pre-Chorus] Who’s ready? *Audience response* We are! Who’s ready? *Audience response* We are! [Chorus] Join the Farmyard Fiesta! *Clap, clap, clap!* Join the Farmyard Fiesta! *Clap, clap, clap!* Come and join the fun today, We’ll sing and dance the whole day away! Join the Farmyard Fiesta! *Clap, clap, clap!* Join the Farmyard Fiesta! *Clap, clap, clap!* [Verse 2] Time to help, let’s sweep the floor, Water the plants, let’s do some more! Toot toot goes the tractor loud, Let’s all cheer and be so proud! Friends working hand in hand, Together we can make it grand, Gather all our harvest bright, Sharing joy and love tonight! [Bridge] *Animal parade sound, melody climbs* Moo moo, quack quack, we love to play, Join the parade, hip-hip-hooray! Horns go beep, everybody's here, Dancing ‘round with lots of cheer! [Final Chorus] Join the Farmyard Fiesta! *Clap, clap, clap!* Join the Farmyard Fiesta! *Clap, clap, clap!* Twirl around, stomp your feet! Let’s get moving, can’t be beat! Join the Farmyard Fiesta! *Clap, clap, clap!* Join the Farmyard Fiesta! *Clap, clap, clap!* [Outro] *Laughter & animal sound collage* Moo, baa, oink, and quack! Farmyard fun, see you back! *Fade out with laughter*
