The 2024 growing season was like a gift. Ideal conditions for growing vegetables, no hurricane damage, no flooding. Phew! After the heartbreak season of 2023, with so much extreme weather, and so much loss, 2024 allowed us, and likely many other farmers, to regain optimism. It was very busy with good yields, and unexpected changes on the farm team. My weekly farm updates evaporated, and I apologize for that. So here is the 2024 review post. Better late than never!

In the spring, we had to hire 5 new people to join the farm team. We struggled to train and orient so many at once, and we sure missed Sarah, who had to go to New Zealand last minute, and usually takes care of new people. Mid summer, we struggled with the extreme heat. In an attempt to adapt, some of us started work very early, others decided they needed to be irrigated. We also tried painting the greenhouses with ‘Cool-It’, a white paint that makes it harder for sunlight to penetrate. That was a mistake, because, by the time we got it on, we needed all the sunlight we could get for ripening tomatoes inside. Later, we had to put more effort into getting it all off again. On the positive side, we were very happy with a new (old-fashioned) cultivation method, hilling, for crops like carrots, leeks, celery, broccoli, and cabbage. We were surprised how much weeding time it saved compared to how we used to grow it. After the last cultivation, Andrew seeded cover crops between the rows to enrich and protect the soil. Another highlight was building and installing the new display unit at Warehouse Market. This should also save time for the Market team because they can keep the produce cool right where it is.

We hosted an amazing open farm day October 5, with almost 50 people. Thank you to everyone who made it out this year, and thank you for all the special moments of connection. We enjoyed meeting you all. Thank you to all the farm share customers this year.