As we near the close of our first “official” season on the farm, I find myself exhausted and awash . . . in gratitude. We couldn’t have asked for a better summer. Sure, it was slow to start, but in some ways, that allowed us to catch up. We put in our first growing field this spring. That meant fencing, prepping soil and rows, placing irrigation and planting somewhere around 2000 plants. We only suspected what the season would be like and therefore we were cautious in setting goals and realistic about the fact that we really had one person working the farm because the other was usually parenting. Still, we got our butts whooped and hearts full up.

Our first CSAA was a smashing success. We sold every share and our people were pleased as pie. I loved watching the bouquets become more abundant, seeing what Zach forged and creating some sweet felted art with my own hands. Of course feeding folks always gives me pleasure, so adding food to their basket each week fulfilled my mama bear urges. And that continues, as our hens’ eggs make their way to the Dixon Mercantile each week and we bring our wares to the Mission Falls Market.

Sometimes the work had our heads down long enough that we forgot to look at the birds flying over and we certainly found ourselves surprised by the abundance that flourished all around us. But that is part of the joy, that ebb and flow, that fruition for one’s toil, that blossoming of the dreams, putting beauty right there in the palm of your dirty hand.

As the rains get cooler and the days shorter, we find ourselves ready—ready to wind down and hunker in. Ready to plot and plan and craft through the snows. Next summer, we’ll have more hands to help us, and hopefully a few wholesale customers for our flowers, and you bet we’ll be offering another CSAA of some sort, along with a simple flower CSA—for longer and for more. Bee classes are in the works. Buzz Buzzz.

Thank you to all who are showing us support on this journey. We hope to bring it back to you in spades.