Time has flown by since we were able to write an update. We both love to write to you and strive to get the story of the farm out into the world. A lot has transpired since the spring. Here is a brief update from where we left off last…
The end of last season and the summer that followed were mostly quiet at the farm. The most joyous news arrived at the end of last season that we are expecting our first child this winter. Ellen is nearing her third trimester and feeling good! We’re indescribably excited to grow our family.
Work on the farm this summer included the tending of summer crops like sweet potatoes, ginger, and a seed crop of celosia. We also constructed a new 30 x 102-foot high tunnel (for tomatoes, of course), and reworked our crop plan for the uncertain times that remain ahead.
We have had a smooth several months of preparing fields and planting. We begin our planting season at such a challenging time of the year with the extreme heat, summer rains, potential for hurricanes, and flooding. These extremes combined with “over-summered” pests ready to munch down tender transplants can create a recipe for a rough start. Some years we luck out and most everything goes as planned. Fortunately, this has been one of those years. If you’ve been purchasing veggie boxes and flowers this first month of the season, maybe you’ll agree with us the crops have been particularly vibrant and delicious. We’re thankful for the abundance and variety!
As the weather gets cooler into fall, we are anticipating many new crop harvests on the horizon – notably carrots, broccoli, collard greens and ginger. We can’t wait to eat all of those things!
While the rest of the country begins to wind down their summer growing season and prepare for winter, us Floridians are ready to embrace the eight months of abundance. The beginning of the harvest brings so many good feelings – milder weather, crisp smelling air, and a bounty of fresh ingredients. We are immensely fortunate to experience these sweet feelings of the changing season, especially as so much is not right in the world, and so many people are struggling. Our hearts are with everyone who is facing hardship in 2020.
Thank you for joining us and being a part of our farm this season, whether you are a farm member, weekly customer, newbie to the farm, long-time friend, or just cheering us on from afar. Your support keeps us growing lots of nutrient-dense organic crops to enjoy with our community week after week, year after year.
Sincerely,
Ellen and Cole
