There is much to celebrate. The 2020 season has been "better than ever" here at Welcome Table Farm. Thank you for making it so. We saw financial growth in our CSA and farmer's markets. The increased income has supported better staffing on the farm, including Liz in an managerial position. This has allowed the work load for Andy and me to normalize, giving us precious time to enjoy our children on their summer break. It has also allowed me to work towards the expansion of youth programing on the farm with Blue Mountain Land Trust for 2020, do more with dried flowers for fall markets, and most exciting of all- launch a solar power installation on the farm. The racking is now complete on our barn/shop space to hold 70 solar panels. By the New Year we should be generating nearly 100% of the power that the farm business and farmer residences use. Hopefully we will receive some grant funding from USDA and locally from the Sustainable Living Center to help cover the infrastructure cost. With such contributions we will see a pay back on the system with just 3-4 years. Next steps will include an electric cultivating tractor and we'll be looking towards an electric delivery vehicle. We appreciate your commitment to buying local food. Please know that we are just as committed to reducing the carbon foot print involved in producing and delivering our food and flowers to our Walla Walla neighbors.
Liz has already started the process of ordering seeds for 202. The basis for our 2020 production plan is our sales goals. We have decided to work with Harvie again for the CSA. The ability to customize boxes, select payment plans, and put boxes on hold or change delivery dates seem like features worth keeping around. The season will again run June through Thanksgiving, with multiple pickup locations around town. We will also offer home delivering within the Walla Walla area, with details forthcoming in January. Registration on Harvie for 2020 should be open by December 6th, more details coming in the next two weeks. If any of you are interested in gifting a flower subscription or farm share for next year, this should give you plenty of time to arrange before the holidays.
If you are wondering where to find more local food over the winter, keep in mind the fall Saturday market will run through December 14th at Whitehouse Crawford. And we may offer a couple of one time boxes if the savoy cabbage or cauliflower ever decide to head up...
With so much gratitude for each one of you,
Emily
