–

Hello friends,

–

Hope everyone has been fairing well in this extra hot heat we’ve been experiencing recently!  It looks like Thursday might reach a high of 100 degrees so please do take care of yourselves and we’ll be sure to do the same (looks like 4:30 am farmer wake up calls for us)!  It’s both amazing and crazy that we are officially half way through the season!  We’d love to hear what you guys enjoy about the CSA so far.  If you want to send us a little email this week we’d greatly appreciate it as the midseason is definitely the time for some farmer encouragement!

–

We’re still on the hunt for a projector in hopes of doing a few movie nights on the farm this season.  So, if anyone can send the good word out we’d love to make it happen!  But until then we’re still planning for an Open House day on the farm this Saturday (August 18th) from 11 – 3pm.  This is also an open invitation so feel free to bring some friends!  It will be a very laid back afternoon where we invite everyone to bring a potluck dish, a blanket, sun hats & your smiles to meet your farmers and share in the beauty of your farm.  If you feel like getting your hands dirty and helping out, by all means you are welcome, but it’s meant more for a time to relax and enjoy.  If you aren’t able to make it this weekend, we’re hoping to do something again in the early fall around the solstice.   Either way we’d love to have you out again in the coming weeks and months.  Just drop us an email and we can make it happen.

–

–

In other exciting news, with the real start of tomato season, our farmstand is finally up and running and we couldn’t be happier as it’s crucial to our survival as a small farm.  The farmstand is currently open, Friday – Monday, 10am – 7pm.  If you have any friends who commute down SW River Rd. or are in the area please feel free to send them our way as everything (as you know) is picked fresh that morning and is as good as growing it in your own backyard!  We’re also selling extra produce on Tuesdays at SE 13th & Ankeny from 3 – 6 pm, if anyone in town is looking for some sun ripened goodies, you can find us there!

–

Everyday it’s incredible to both of us that just two people can make this work.  That we can feed 50+ families for 5 months, produce 1,500lbs of vegetables a week on 2 1/2 acres and have the energy to do it all for 9 months straight.  It’s amazing, inspiring and so fulfilling.  Our dear friends (Jess & Gage) have been visiting from Austin, Texas for the past 12 days and have been incredibly helpful with their thoughtfulness, creativity & encouragement.  As farmers, it’s easy to get into the day to day world of the lifestyle that we live but it’s nice to have someone there to slow you down, allow you to stop, to look around you and really appreciate what is there.  The farmstand signs would definitely not be as cute nor, would our spirits be as lifted if they hadn’t graced us with their presence when they did.  We are feeling revitalized and hopeful that we can continue to make this work as we move past the mid season mark.

–

–

Speaking of the mid season mark, we wanted to gage interest about a Winter CSA share (granted it won’t be tomato season) as we want to be farmers year round and we believe we can be.  If anyone is interested let us know either in person or by email and we can start planning the steps to make it happen.  You have been so great this season, it’s inspiring to us to see what the coming seasons will bring… so thank you for your endless encouragement!

–

Last, but certainly not least, Ellie has not yet calved!  I know, I know…  I guess we should just stop talking about it and maybe it’ll just happen…I guess we’re just too excited!   She is doing very well though, trying her best to keep cool in the heat and stay healthy and strong as she nears closer and closer.  We haven’t noticed the major signs but when we do you know you’ll be inundated with adorable doe eyed Jersey calf photos.  Lately it’s been hard to say good night to her as we wonder what might appear in the morning… like children awaiting Christmas we’re excited to take on this new endeavor and grow in ways we didn’t know were possible…

–

–

We look forward to seeing you all this week.  Get your favorite tomato recipes ready because the most delicious heirloom tomatoes are coming your way!  Also, just a heads up, we’ve been running low on crates this past week, if everyone could make double sure that you bring your crates back this week we would greatly appreciate it!

–

Faithfully yours,

–

Your farmers

–

dirty hands, clean hearts

—

This slideshow requires JavaScript.