Hi everybody. Long time no speak. (Sorry about that!) We hope you’re all healthy and doing well.
Things around Smallfolk Farm have been busy. Really busy.
We’re getting all geared up for Blueberry U-Pick, but with our cold and wet spring, berries are at least a week behind. Rather than opening the picking on the 4th of July weekend (or thereabouts) we are going to hold off. We’ll definitely post ahead of time to let you all know when it’s a go! Keep an eye on the website for more details as we get ready to open for the seaon.
We’re raising more chickens this year than ever before, 2000 for the whole year. We’ve been expanding our pasture and improving farm infrastructure to accommodate the increase in birds. Most of our birds are sold to Exact Sciences for use in their campus kitchen, but we also have plenty available for purchase from the farm.
A lot of Farmer Dave’s time has been taken up with the biggest farm project of all: raising our 18-month-old, Sophia, who is growing like a weed into an adventurous, fun loving “goz-inta” (as in, she “goes into” this and “goes into” that). It’s a good thing he likes being farm-dad, ‘cause the biggest news of all is that Jackie is pregnant again and we’re expecting another Blueberry on Dec 20th (3 days after Sophia was born, oh boy!) We’re excited and feel really blessed and grateful.
As with every season, some challenges and unexpected turns of fate always present themselves, and some things have fallen by the wayside this year. We are monitoring increasingly dry conditions, and hoping the aquifer and irrigation can help us bridge the gap for the rain we pray is coming soon. To focus on chickens, aided by the lingering, cold and wet spring weather, the garden is not as robust as last year. Though, our garlic crop is thriving in this weather. And we have some big plans for 2023, including:
Expanding our market garden offerings!
Hosting an herb and flower U-Pick!
Even more chickens!
Starting the fruit orchard - including apples, pears, peaches, plums, cherries, raspberries, and currants!
We’re very much looking forward to seeing everyone for U-Pick soon. One of the best things about every year is seeing new and repeat guests coming to sample the “blubes”, especially the little ones. So we’ll see you soon.
Best Wishes,
Farmer Dave, Jackie, Jim (Dave’s Dad), Sophia and Kurosh (doggo) and the once-and-future Blueberry #2
