This is the last week of the season.
Normally at this time of year I'd be pouring over spreadsheets, taking inventory of my seeds and mapping out which plants will go in which beds in which weeks over the course of 2020.
With all the uncertainty, I'm focusing instead on the good shit happening.
I am surrounded by an amazing community. Some of them came together on Saturday to put a roof over part of the chicken run, and did so in such a way that I can take the roofing panels with me if I end up leaving.
I have people who believe in what I'm doing enough to help me in financing another car.
I have options for new growing spaces, and I may end up with a space to build my next home by the time this is all done.
I have friends who care enough to check in on me daily, to give wonderful long hugs and listen to me run through my options for the hundredth time.
I don't know what next year will bring. One of my options is to focus on eggs and strawberries, and to either drop vegetable production entirely or partner with another farm to provide vegetables to the farm share. I could move my vegetable production off site and work at two locations. Perhaps the church will see reason and offer a fair price for a lease and I'll be able to stay - or even better, they'll decide to work with me to protect the land from development. I can't bet my business on that, though, so I need to build up alternatives so that I don't lose my livelihood through their indecision.
I am planning on teaching Soil, Water and Sunshine, so if you're interested in learning about growing your own food, the course starts in January. The location may change, but the knowledge can be transferred anywhere.
I think it's likely that the farm share will start back in some form or fashion in mid-February. It's also likely that I'll run the first year of the herd share, though the details of that are still being hammered out.
Whatever happens, I'll make sure to keep you in the loop. Look for a newsletter in the next few weeks with the results of meetings I'm having this week, and news about what will be happening in 2020. And thank you for supporting me and the farm in 2019!
