Bidding for Good: A Taste of France and Farm-Fresh Maine with Veggies to Table’s Silent Auction and Golden Tickets

HiP Paris Blog founder Erica Berman moved from Paris to Maine looking for a more meaningful life, and eventually founded Veggies to Table, a grow-to-donate farm, to help end hunger in her community. Now, with their Live and Silent Auction, and incredible Golden Tickets YOU can also help feed those in need, AND maybe win a week in a Paris apartment by Notre Dame or Montmartre, or the Marais, a trip to the Italian seaside, Florida, Mexico and, the coast of Maine, tickets to Yo-Yo Ma, Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson, a le Creuset, and learn how to buy your own piece of Paris with a private consultation on buying property in the City of Light, and so much more.

As many of you already know, after more than two decades living in France and founding the HiP Paris Blog, I relocated to Midcoast Maine to pursue a different kind of dream—one rooted in the soil. In 2019, I founded Veggies to Table, a non-profit organic farm with a simple mission: grow top-quality produce and flowers to donate to those experiencing hunger and needing joy, and build a compassionate community in the process.

Over the past few years, our small but mighty team, with the help of dedicated volunteers, has grown and donated 77,000+ pounds of organic produce and 95,000 joyful flowers to local families in need and food pantries. Our farm has become a place not only to nourish bodies but also to cultivate joy, beauty, and connection.

And now, it’s time for our biggest fundraising event of the year — and you’re all invited to join from anywhere in the world!

Our Online Silent Auction is Live Now

We’ve curated an incredible online Silent Auction! It is live and filled with unique experiences, Paris getaways, Maine lake and seaside retreats, champagne, Maine Made items, Paris buying and financial consultations, and SO MUCH more. It’s a perfect mix of Maine meets France, and every dollar raised helps us grow and give even more.

Whether you’re dreaming of a trip to Paris (think 5 nights in the Marais), incredible Maine ocean and lake retreats, hand-crafted jewelry, French macaron classes and mushroom foraging and more, this is your chance to bid for good — and treat yourself while supporting our work. Sign up for free here.

The Silent Auction runs through August 10th at 6:30 pm EST.

Otyokwa Lakeside Retreat in Bremen Maine with Sauna – You can win a stay here in the Silent Auction

What’s a Golden Ticket?

If bidding isn’t your thing, Golden Tickets are for you. For $100, you’ll be entered into a drawing to win your first choice from our Live Auction prizes — no bidding or attendance required. It’s pure luck and pure magic. The winner will be drawn just before our Dîner en Blanc on August 10, and then that item is yours. Limited quantity available!

Want your first pick from our exclusive Live Auction lineup without even attending? You can check out our prizes here.

Buy a Golden Ticket:

• $100 per entry
  
• No bidding required
  
• If your name is drawn, you win your top pick before the auction even begins
  
• Open to everyone—attending or not!

Live Auction Golden Ticket prizes include:

• Paris apartment stays
  
• Week in a Provence villa
  
• Seaside Italian Riviera retreat
  
• Front row Yo-Yo Ma concert tickets
  
• Eco-luxury stay in Mexico
  
• Macaron class with Chef Alain Ollier
  
• Tickets to Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and Sheryl Crowe

Buy your Golden Ticket now for a chance at all of the above prizes!

The Live Auction: August 10

In case you are in Maine, or want to hear our way, the Live Auction will take place in-person during our Dîner en Blanc benefit dinner on Saturday, August 10 — a festive night of French fare, community celebration, and giving back. Even if you can’t be with us in Maine, you can still support from afar by bidding in the silent auction, buying a Golden Ticket, or simply spreading the word.

 How You Can Join in no Matter Where in the World You May be

• Bid in the Silent Auction (open through August 10 at 6:30 pm EST)
• Buy a Golden Ticket (on sale now)
• Join us at the Live Auction

Why It Matters

Veggies to Table is about more than food — it’s about dignity. It’s about community. It’s about offering the same fresh, organic produce we serve on our own tables to families who might otherwise go without. Your support helps us do that.

So, HiP Paris friends, if you’ve ever picked up a tomato at the market in Provence and marveled at its flavor, or gathered around a long table to toast the joys of summer — this is your moment to share that abundance.

PS: To see our entire event including the live and silent auctions and the Golden Ticket, click here.

RELATED LINKS:

• Find out more about Erica’s non profit Veggies to Table and its impact by watching their video.
• Sign up for updates on upcoming events and Veggies to Table’s next big giveaway and their Online Silent Auction here.
• Follow Veggies to Table on Instagram.

Written by Erica Berman for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking to travel? Check out Plum Guide and our Marketplace for fabulous vacation rentals in Paris, France or Italy. Looking to rent long or short term, or buy in France? Ask us! We can connect you to our trusted providers for amazing service and rates or click here. Looking to bring France home to you or to learn online or in person? Check out our marketplace shop and experiences.