Farm News – November 17, 2025

Hello Folks! So, we have come to the end of the line, for this season at least. Farming is never easy, but this year was a bit more challenging than most. It is the weather, of course, that primarily determines the extent and the nature of the challenges. This year, ten days straight of drizzle and overcast skies followed by a near 100-degree heat wave in June caused the premature demise of our pea crop. Fortunately, we did not have another scorcher of such intensity for the rest of the season. But we did have consistently dry conditions through the summer and into the fall, which kept us (and the well pumps) busy trying to keep the crops hydrated. The upside is that a dry season is better than an overly wet one.

While the weather is the primary factor in crop failures, human error sometimes plays a role – we may plant a crop in the wrong part of a field, or the timing may be wrong. This year, we planted way too much cauliflower for the fall and not enough broccoli or green cabbage. Then there are crop failures, which are harder to explain. This year, we lost almost our entire celery and celery root crop to disease, even though we planted it far from where it grew the previous season and far from other plants that harbor the disease.

In any case we try to learn from our mistakes and always do our best to provide tasty and nutritious food for your family. Thank you for your participation and support.  Happy Holidays and best wishes for a healthy and safe winter.

The share will be: Peppers, kale, choice of arugula, tatsoi, or other mustard green, lettuce, bok choy, rainbow carrots, daikon, butternut squash, orange sweet potatoes, mixed onions, banana fingerling potatoes, and choice of an herb. Premium shares will also receive celery and yacón.

The mushroom share will be blue oysters. There will be some green tomatoes as an extra – fried green tomatoes anyone?

Happy Thanksgiving!  Farmer John