I sat down and wrote out the goals for 2022 then shared it with my husband, Jeff. He responded with a smile and laughed a little, saying that it all looks great, but maybe a little aggressive. Me? Wanting to achieve ALL the things? Noooo. This is where it’s okay for you to laugh too. I laughed, knowing this of myself and the big dreams I have for this farm. I’ve never had such a wild and fun vision for anything prior to farming. I think it’s a job requirement to think big when farming. You’re already slightly not cut from the same cloth as most people if you choose to farm. The rewards are big, but the day to day reality can be pretty tough. The physical and mental demands never stop and it’s near impossible to leave the farm for a day due to the never-ending grind. And for all the reasons, I LOVE IT.
2022 marks year 4 of growing on our farm. I read in a couple places that year 3 is one of the harder years, and I found that to be true last year. The pest pressure was higher, the responsibilities more, the financial deficit greater even thought we were growing and selling more than ever. But! We got through it and I feel better equipped, wiser, and even more fearless to throw my face into the wind. I can do this because I AM doing it!
My word of the year is GROWTH. I feel like it’s always an appropriate word when living on a farm (insert chuckles). I’ve expanded the farm each year and this is the first year to not add a new growing zone. It’s time to maintain and push all the boundaries with what I have. I’ve set myself up nicely to rock out what is established. It’s time to grow wisely and with intention. Maybe that’s why my goals list is so adventurous? It’s time to grow: let the roots go deeper, and the branches spread wider!
You can expect to find an ever rotating party at my tent at The Pittsboro Farmers Market on Thursdays. Flowers are taking the main stage on the farm. They are magical and bring more joy than I could have ever imagined. As for produce, we are narrowing down to mainly a wide variety peppers and tomatoes. Otherwise, it’s things like garlic and onions that are needed for the seasonings. Lastly, we are upping our herb production! This is a great flex of passion of all things culinary and wellness. We hope to expand your access to quality and fresh herbs. The Smoked Garlic Scape Salt can never come fast enough in the Spring, the normal crew of smoked pepper seasonings will join in, and I’ll add dried herb mixes throughout the year. Farm Tea & Sweet Sleep Farm Tea will come back and maybe we’ll roll out a few new varieties!
I’m really excited about this growing year. The flowers will be bigger and better than ever. I’m adding more roses to the garden (fingers crossed that I get a grant to help me go big). There’s a running list of perennial plants that I plan to add to the farm. It will take a couple years for them to get up and growing, so just sit back and wait for the show! Emma and I planted a good amount of flowers to overwinter, so I look forward to this Spring being VERY colorful. And the other fun addition with flowers this year is that we’re taking on a handful of weddings. If you’re wanting to use local flowers at your next event, call me up! I’m working with a few florists who are known for their amazing floral design. Or, we sell curated flowers by the bucket for events.
The peppers and tomatoes will take a strong role this year. We grew over 50 varieties of tomatoes and over 60 varieties of peppers. This year, the tomato list will shrink a good bit. I have such a hard time narrowing it down, but it’s time to grow the best hits. As for peppers…nope. Give me all the varieties! This is where Emma will roll her eyes and give a silent sigh. Haha! There are so many peppers to grow and so little time! The master list hasn’t been chosen yet, and I really look forward to putting my focus there soon. I’ll update the list on our website when it is finalized.
The last thing I want to update you with is on-farm events. It has been a goal to share the goodness of the farm with you all! As the rose garden develops, we’ll have tea time in the rose garden. There will be classes offered : bouquet basics, wreath making, painting with local artists. We’ll have some special dinners on farm with the help of amazing local chefs. And, like last year, we’ll have a few plant sales to fill your gardens and homes!
I look forward to spending time with you in 2022.
Love,
Farmer Emily
