So I guess we ought to start with a season re-cap. Overall the season was great. We had nice weather for most of the time (other than the Superstorm Sandy episode, which I can't really complain about since I have a nice comfortable home to live in and electricity and heat while there are many who are still without that). We had some new groups that were great and some returning groups that we enjoyed seeing again. We learned some big lessons (it seems like every year we do, will we get to a point where it's all old hat or will we constantly be learning lessons? I think it's the latter) about what we will and will not be doing again (apparently I assume a lot and am naive, two things which will be changing). We're very excited about what 2013 has to bring and even though it's going to be a much different year than we've ever had (we are adding a newborn to the mix, sometimes I still question my sanity about that decision, especially after going through the corn maze 7 and 8 months pregnant) we're ready to see how things are going to come together for strawberries.
 |
| Proof that I can, in fact, drive a tractor - anyone remember the potato planting blog of last spring (Plan D)? Flip to it for a laugh. |
 |
| I want a giant pumpkin for next year! |
Speaking of strawberries, we got them planted finally (a little later than originally planned). We cut back on the amount we planted this year. Last year it was craziness the amount of berries we picked (200+ flats per day most days!), and even though we had a market for all of them we could reasonably get to (huge thanks again to my capping crew!) it costs so much to get them picked and washed and capped and all that we decided to cut it down to a more reasonable amount and see what happens then. If we're as busy as we were last spring there may be days we sell out (here's hoping). I hate the idea of not having things to sell when I have customers who want to buy, but, I'd rather sell out any day than have flats and flats of berries to sell and not enough customers (supply, demand, you get the picture).
On a more personal note, this year I was nominated for Outstanding Woman of the Year in Agriculture. When the group who nominated me first asked me, I thought, what could I possibly have done to deserve this? I mean, I run a tiny agri-tourism operation and I most of the time I feel like I do that poorly. That's it. But what was I going to say? No, don't nominate me. In no way did I ever think I'd win. Well last Monday night I did, and I found much to my chagrin that I had to give a small speech for winning which I was not at all prepared for in any way. So ever since then I've been thinking about what I should have said, and since this is my blog I'm going to say it now (**note, if you see me on channel 10 or whatever the Wayne County channel is, please take a moment to laugh hilariously at what I did say on the fly, and note how awkward and red I was. I do every time I replay it in my mind.) First I need to thank all of you, our customers who come out season after season and support us. Yes, we do this for our living, but you all are our top priority when we plan out the seasons. We want to make sure you're getting what you pay for, whether that's a quality product or a quality experience on the farm. No, we aren't a big operation and we don't have a lot of the amenities of other farms around (although we're adding several for this spring), but we do care and we want you to come to a farm, not an amusement park. Second, I want to thank The Husband (if you tell him I said this I will lie) and my family and friends. The Husband is there when I need help (which I needed a lot of this year), my family is always there for me to pawn The Boy off on, and my friends take me to dinner every now and then so I don't have to look at The Husband and hear him talk about the farm and soybeans and combines.
I'm not sure if I'll be blogging again before sea monkey arrives (I promise I'll post a picture of her on our Facebook page), but I'm hoping to have some more concrete CSA info for you guys by January including a registration form. I'm thinking now it's probably going to be pretty much the same as last year. We may cut the weeks a little or move it up more into April so we can finish before September, and I want to add delivery (for a small fee yet to be determined) or at least a couple drop off locations to make it more accessible to people in other parts of the county. Stay tuned to Facebook for more information.
And as always if you have a comment or suggestion you want to let us know about, please do not hesitate to get in touch. Give me a call, send me a message on Facebook or an e-mail, or just comment below. We're going to be making serious changes to the farm this winter and every bit helps (good or bad!).
