Well, I thought last year was an "abnormal" year for so many reasons and this year is "abnormal" in it's own different ways. This season started off like any other season with me doing the first greenhouse seeds on my own (beginning Mid-March). Usually during this time I am also beginning to interview potential Farm Crew members for the season. The first applications started coming in the end of March but I hired 3 folks that I thought would be good fits for the Farm with two of them having start dates of the 2nd week of April and the 3rd starting the first week of May. Well in that time from being hired to their respective start dates two of them were involuntarily committed to different psych wards and the 3rd one went into a treatment program. I am VERY happy that they are all hopefully getting the help they need/want but it made for a very rough stuff start for the season with me putting in extra long days to try and get as much done as I could on my own! Things are a bit behind this season but I am happy to report that as of tomorrow (6/7/2021) we will have a full Farm Crew and moving full steam ahead!
Seeds and supplies were another hard thing for us this season. Seed companies had shipping times of at least 3 weeks (up to 6 weeks for some orders) after an order was placed when normally it was only a few days to a week turnaround time. Our go-too suppliers for drip tape, pulp containers, soil, etc. had at least a 3 week delay in shipping (which usually we would receive a day or two after placing order) so I ended up renting a U-Haul van twice to drive up to to Nolts Mid-West Produce Supply in Charles City, Iowa to pick up what we needed and may have to do it one more time as they still have a big delay in shipping.
While this isn't the most ideal way to start out a season, Share pick ups begin this week! I will be sending out an email to members who pick up at drop sites that we were looking for new locations this season right after this email. The drop sites we were looking for new locations for were Des Moines, Urbandale and Ankeny.
Let's also not forget the crazy weather patterns we've already experienced this season. Higher than normal temps and tons of rain began our field planting season this year. Then the rain stopped and we've been in drought like conditions. A little over a week ago we had potential frost warnings and last week the temperatures climbed into the upper 80s and low 90s. I know this is Iowa but I can't ever remember the weather patterns changing so abruptly so quickly!
Because of all the things mentioned above this season is going to start out more sparse in harvests than planned. But we now have a solid Crew hired (as a whole probably one of the best Crews ever!), plants are going in the ground and this is shaping up to potentially become a very bountiful year. One reason this season has been making "lemonade out of lemons" is because of all of your fantastic support!
Now for the nuts and bolts of picking up your Share. Each Share will have a label with your name on it and what you are receiving in your Share. Since our Shares are customizable do not take a Share that doesn't have your name on it. Please make sure to bring bags, boxes, etc. to transfer your Share from the totes we deliver them in. I stop by the drop site the following morning to pick up the empty totes, they are expensive and we don't have many extras so are depending on you all to leave the totes at your respective pick up site! The Share pick up time is between 4:30pm and 6pm on your scheduled delivery day. The pick up locations are graciously letting us use their homes as pick up sites and we can't abuse their kindness! The first 4 weeks of this season I will contact site hosts to see who hasn't picked up their shares by 6pm and give reminder calls. The site hosts are not expected to refrigerate any shares not picked up for a later pick up time so please do not ring their door bells asking for your Share. If you are running late to pick up your Share, please call me (515-745-9951) if your running a little late. I will contact the site host and let them know to leave your Share out. If you already know you are going out of town or something on your pick up day you can always log into your account and place a hold on your Share as longs as it's done before 8am on the Tuesday of your delivery week. I totally get that "life happens" and if you unexpectedly are unable to get your Share after 8am on a Tuesday but before 3pm on a Wednesday or Thursday (which ever your delivery day is) give me a call and I will keep your Share in our Walk-In Cooler for you to pick up at the Farm on an agreed upon day. I know this is a lot to digest (pun intended) so please feel free to let me know any questions you all may have.
Have a great week,
Farmer Ben and the Crew
