The Scoop from the Farm
We probably all remember running around the playground, being chased, and then getting slapped on the back and hearing the words “Tag, You’re It!” Every time you would hear that, you knew it was your turn to go find some kids. Well amigos, I want this newsletter to be my version of “Tag, you’re it” and to have you help me go find some kids. Well, maybe not kids, but their parents, and coworkers, and friends, and family members. Let me explain.
Do you remember a little ole company from the fall of 2011 named Qwikster? Probably not. But you will most likely remember the story. It was the time when Netflix was going to divide its business into two branches and operate the On-Demand company as Netflix, and the DVD to your door business as Qwikster. Members of Netflix were not too keen on this change and became very vocal about not wanting the change. The result, as we all know by now, is that Qwikster is in a graveyard right now. A reminder that even industry giants can make bad decisions.
January is always a funny time for me. In December I am pretty laid back eating green chile stew, humming the occasional Christmas tune, and enjoying fermented grape juice. Fast forward into January and the Honey-Do list seems pretty dang long. I must say that I love it though, and it is an exciting time for us and all farmers.
In case you haven’t been outside or looked outside in the last couple of weeks, it is cold and wet out. And not just in New Mexico, but throughout the Southwest and California. These weather patterns are obviously great for replenishing ground water and trying to recharge drought stricken areas, but it makes growing food a real nightmare. Plants don’t grow well in the rain and harvest crews are almost paralyzed by mud and rain. Needless to say, this is when you develop a love/hate with rain. You know we need it, but it makes your life very challenging in the short run.
Oh the New Year. What a time of hope, of promise, and of people setting themselves up for disappointment. It happens every year and it happens to all of us. We literally and figuratively bite off more than we can chew. We are so ready for the new me, that we live an unrealistic lifestyle for a few weeks. And then, by the time we celebrate Dr. King’s “I have a dream” speech, our own dreams for lasting change are squashed like a mosquito party at the Indy 500.
First off, I must thank everyone who has given so much positive feedback these last 2 weeks. I am a firm believer that, for the most part, no news from our members is good news. Meaning that if we do not hear from you, I assume that you have your mouth full of healthy goodies and you are happy. Plus, it’s not good to talk with your mouth full.
As I mentioned last week, Thanksgiving really marks the end of our season. So now, in December, comes the report card. This year is different though. Why? Because we have brought in some outside eyeballs to help write the report card. We contracted a CFO, Michelle, to help examine and share her thoughts with the state of the farm.
Growing up as a kid, Thanksgiving meant three things to me: days off from school, my mom dressing up like a Pilgrim and making my classmates (and me) eat beef jerky like the Mayflower, and soccer tournaments in Phoenix. This holiday has always been nothing but organized chaos. I am sure many of you feel the same way. But then, sometime around the turn of the century, something changed for me and I finally understood Thanksgiving.
November means that the prep must have already started for the Thanksgiving Holiday. That is a crazy week for us as you can imagine, but it doesn’t have to be for you. We will not have any turkeys this year, But we will have everything else that you will need. And as we do every year, we will have the box contents available the week before earlier than normal so you can plan your feast better.
What a few weeks we have been having here folks. Gorgeous weather, nice harvests, and tons of exciting new things. By now I hope you have all tried the amazing new bread options. It most definitely has filled a void for us. And every time we launch a cool new thing, we get flooded with emails, calls and Post-It notes with ideas for the next cool thing.