Archives for October 2020

So we have a saying around here that “Numbers don’t lie.” Numbers don’t get hunches, have feelings, get political, or get emotional. Numbers tell a story whether you like it or not. And right now, COVID numbers in our enchanted state aren’t good.

And I cannot look at the numbers in New Mexico without thinking about our 40 employees and thousands of families who depend on us for healthy food and a healthy work environment. So I want to lay out a few things here as we prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

I will be the first person to tell you that we were not ready for the first wave of the Corona virus in March. We did not have the vendors, vehicles, employees, refrigerated infrastructure, website functionality, etc etc to handle such an increase in demand for our food. I am not sure any company was ready for it, but we duct taped stuff as fast as we could. Fortunately, we learned a lot and tooled up since those early days in April.

Now I do not have a crystal ball and have no idea as to what will be coming around the bend, but we are prepared and I want to let you in on a few things to give you peace of mind.

Invest in loyalty. Looking back at this year, I realize that we should have capped our growth. Instead of capping growth, we cut programs like our Meal Kits, Juice Bar, and limited offerings. Moving forward I do not want to do that. We will be focusing on our current/loyal customers before we get too far over our skis. I promise to take care of the people who have taken care of us over the years. What will this look like?

Expanded Delivery Day Options. I want to have more delivery days available to you every week. Personally, I miss my cut-off deadline often. I am sure that I am not alone in that oversight. So instead of having to wait a week, I want you to have another option to fill your tummies. Look for more delivery days being added to your account coming up. Choose the day that works best for you or get 2 deliveries. Up to you.

Household Needs. The pandemic has made me realize that we need to offer more than just food, we need household staples too. Look at the website for items from face masks to soaps. I do not want small things like dish soap to force you to the store.

Local Meats. During the first wave, my brother texted me and wrote “Bro, your Butcher Shop only has beef jerky and mustard, is that right?” Uh (tail between my legs), Yes. Our local ranchers were not prepared for the demand that we saw after the national supply chain left shelves empty. We have added ranchers to our team and now are very well supplied with the best local meats that you’ll find anywhere. We got you covered.

Coolers. Folks, I just do not see us returning to the use of reusable coolers. I ask (ok, beg) that you just hang onto and use any cooler that you may have. Those coolers are $35 at the store and your deposit was about half of that. So I hope you can look at the coolers like you got a really good deal on a sexy cooler. The other way that you can look at is you have a vintage piece of memorabilia. A badge of honor that you were with SKRS Farms when we had coolers.

We have so many coolers left around here that I have already picked one out that I will use as my urn. So if you ever see a lime green Coleman cooler floating down the Rio Grande, don’t open it; I may be stuffed inside!

The Warehouse. I want you to have complete trust in the cleanliness of our warehouse facility. We never let the public into our warehouse. Only employees are let into the warehouse so that we prevent anything from coming into the warehouse that we do not want. Employees wear masks and never work if they are feeling sick. We even encourage mental health time off if folks are feeling tired or anxious with everything going on in our world now. Without a healthy team, we have nothing.

Delivery Vehicles. Our delivery trucks/vans are Not someone’s car. These are dedicated delivery vehicles that have steel cargo areas that are cleaned and sanitized. It kind of boggles me a bit when folks order meal delivery and it comes in the back of some dude’s car. I can’t help but picture some Golden Retriever sitting (possibly farting) on the same seat where my Nacho Bell Grande is riding. My mind goes to dark places, what can I say?

Let us help keep you and your family safe. If you need/want something that we do not have, please let us know. We are like Morgan Freeman in Shawshank…we can find you things.

Keep smiling under those masks! Farmer Monte

Over the last 17 years, we have seen a pretty wild roller-coaster in the business. And let me say that I know that we are not unique. Every small business is on a bucking bronco of a ride. It is not for everyone, but I can honestly say that I have not had a boring day in the last 2 decades.

We grew through the “Buy Local” bumper sticker days of the early 2000s. Buckled up and had loyal support through the Great Recession of 2008. Weathered the storm of huge start-up companies getting into the home delivery game. And of course most recently, fed tens of thousands New Mexicans during the worst health pandemic our world has seen. It has been a turbulent adventure and one that I enjoy engaging in every day.

I strongly believe that there is no Winning the game of business, being able to continue playing the game Is winning in my book. And every year that we are able to keep food coming to you is another year I am grateful for. It is easy to lose sight of how important financial support is for small local businesses, but even small amounts keep our local economy turning. So I know that I speak for all local businesses when I say Thank You for supporting local Mom n Pop businesses during this time and all of the time. Your support is the fuel for our state.

I bring this up because over the last couple of weeks, I have felt a sense accomplishment for our little business. This is not in some arbitrary sales goal, but rather seeing the fruits of our labor finally starting to take shape.

In business, and in life, there are times when we work hard for our goals. For our mission, vision, or whatever you want to call them. But lofty goals do not come to fruition over-night. You must stay focused and work towards an end that you cannot even see at the moment. Chase the mirage in hopes that something amazing will materialize out of a New Mexican dust devil. We have been on this journey for quite a while. At least it feels like it when I look at myself in the mirror.

With all of that, we have some really cool and tasty things at our fingertips now and I want to make sure that you know about them. So here is a quick breakdown on what the fall will be looking and tasting like around here.

Produce. A pretty phenomenal year from all of our local growers. Heirloom tomatoes, garlic, and all of the fresh tree fruits from our buddy Paul at Excelsior Orchards.

Local Meats. We have put a lot of energy this year into building out the best local grass-fed meat program in the state. I can tell you with confidence that you will not find a higher quality meat offering anywhere. The care for the animals and the earth are second to none. On top of that, be-cause we are connecting you to the ranchers directly, you get huge savings and the ranchers get paid top dollar. A true Win-Win.

Bakery. Again, we have added many great partners to our bakery category and this is just the tip of the iceberg. We have brought Bob (owner of Wolfe’s Bagels) in to bake the highest quality Local bagels that you can find. Myra, from Authentic Cookie in Santa Fe has been having huge success with her pastries and pies. Andre from Wild Leaven in Taos has added his fermented breads made from Locally grown grains. Pastian’s from ABQ has joined the team with their hoagies and yummy macaroons. They all join up with Sage Bakehouse from Santa Fe and Swiss Alps in ABQ to offer you the best bakehouse options throughout the state.

Juice Bar. If you are like me you love fresh juices, but hate the trouble and mess of making them. This was the driving force behind our Fresh, Cold-Pressed, Unpasteurized Juice Bar. Don’t be a typical juice bar, be better and different. You see our juice bar is not a business, it is an avenue for our growers to sell more Organic produce. And since we are working directly with the growers, you save money while supporting our farms. I never want you to say “I really want that juice, but it is too expensive.” So I can promise that you will find a better value juice option anywhere in the state. Cut costs, not quality.

Prepared Foods. The only thing that I can say about our prepared food line is Wow! Convenient, great fun flavors, incredible value, and supporting local producers. What is not to love about that combo? Eat like a local celebrity and pay the same that you would for mass-produced fast food. We are and will be pouring tons of energy into this new category for you. Please check out all that flavors that Chef Jules has for you.

Stay healthy and happy amigos, Farmer Monte