This Week's Notes 2/27...

 

     It wasn't a hard week, but it was one of those weeks where 1 thing went wrong from almost every vendor (and we haven't packed orders yet to see anything else). I also just found my microgreens frozen on the porch, where I left them last night before falling asleep, forgetting I needed to make one more trip to the packing shed. Navad Bakers, in RI, were under water and snow, due to the storm, and could not bake, but Brynne's Breads awesomely offered to make all of their items for us. Almost everyone had subs for us, but you may notice some brand switches or flavor swaps. I have to chock this one up to "You can't win them all" and be empathetic that everyone has also recently become a full time snow removal expert on top of their regular jobs!

    A meeting with Hitchcock academy set up our 1st classes for the year. We will be doing "Sip and Seed" 3/24 for spring seedling planting and "Sip and Cluck" 3/31 to cover everything about raising chickens from incubation to how to handle roosters etc. These will be evening BYOB classes, which I thought would be pretty fun. We just have to get all the details together, but these should become available next week!

    I also decided to sign up for the Brimfield Farmers Market. At the moment, I think I may have lost my mind, but with 3 people retiring from the market, it was hard for me to resist claiming a spot! My son has just arrived back in Ma from his long trip from Florida and is looking to open a Luthier business for guitars( for starters). While he mentors and builds his business, I thought it would be good exposure for him to be at the markets and also a way I could have some representation there and be able to split the time with him. Hopefully, it all works out, but I will likely be looking for some help on Saturdays for the market once it gets going, because we juggle so much- and so much on the farm is unexpected! 

    Big plans for our farm stand also this year. Since the snow took down the corral fence at the end of the driveway, and we also battle issues with trespassers, it's time to redesign how it is set up! Luckily, Brian is an expert with machines and my brother has some right next door. We will be picking up the whole farm stand and moving it about 20 feet to the left (in front of the old red tractor) and making it more like a kiosk to pick up ordered items. A new driveway gate and fence should corral people and also give me that whole end of my yard back to work freely. We will be able to open up for events, like our Spring Plant Sale, and have some privacy the rest of the time.

    2026 is starting to take real shape. Much like a wind up toy that takes off when you set it down, we are winding up for "insanity season"! For Farmer at the Door, we will be focusing on maintaining the goods things we learned last season when we tried to expand (like purchasing bulk fruit for you) and cutting out all the extra ideas that didn't work (like a Tuesday delivery) so you get the best of both worlds and I can concentrate time on what worked, instead of trying new ideas (again). What worked was bulk fruit from Still Life Farm and our Farmstand Favorites option from Overlook Farm which are both still available for us this year!

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