2022-06-28 newsletter

Greetings,

Farming is hard, there is no way around it. Even though there is a
rhythm to each day with multiple planned activities like seeding,
transplanting, harvesting, washing, market and delivery schedules, every
day and every season is different. Changing and extreme weather events,
equipment challenges, new pests to contend with, changes with new chefs,
staff to train, or farmers’ market rules, etc. The mental and physical
load are both very high. This is where working with a great team and
especially an amazing farm manager are so very helpful and wonderful to
navigate the demands of each day and each season. For the past 3
seasons, we have truly been blessed to have Cate Kandle be one of the
major leaders of the 12 Seasons Team. This has been a special time in
the life of 12 Seasons Farm and the countless folks who have been here,
largely influenced by Cate’s presence. Cate let us know a few months ago
that she would be moving on from 12 Seasons at the end of this season.
Now this is her last week. We will miss her dearly but we celebrate with
her all the hope of a life that is being well-lived with her amazing
talent, exceedingly high standards, great character, kindness, and dear
friendship. This newsletter is dedicated to her!

As for farm news, the market stand is again this Saturday at our
farm, 8am to noon. We should be having the market here through the first
week in July. The address is:

14820 Old Olga Rd., Ft. Myers, FL 33905.

We continue to do home deliveries on Thursdays in SW FL and next
Tuesday will be the last delivery for Sanibel and Captiva. You can also
select a farm pick up for Thursdays or Saturdays to avoid the delivery
fee.

If you order online, please remember to put your requests in the
customer notes if something is out-of-stock.

Place orders at 12seasonsfarm.com

Our schedule is as follows:

** ** ** ** ** Thursday** : Please order by
8 pm tonight (Tuesday), June 21 for Thursday, June 23, farm pick up or
delivery to Bonita Springs, Naples, Ft. Myers Beach, Ft. Myers, N. Ft.
Myers, and Cape Coral.

Saturday: 12 Seasons Farmer’s Market at
14820 Old Olga Rd., Ft. Myers, FL 33905 (8am-noon). You may also select
a preorder option each week (by Thursday 8 pm) and pick up your prepared
orders at the farm market.

Tuesday : Sanibel/Captiva home deliveries
on Tuesdays. LAST WEEK OF HOME DELIVERIES TO SANIBEL AND
CAPTIVA. Place order by Sunday, 8 pm.

****We are currently harvesting:

• Cherry Tomatoes

• Campari Tomatoes

• Heirloom/Specialty Tomatoes

• Red Beefsteak Tomatoes

• Summercrisp Lettuce

• Arugula

• Curly kale

• Flat kale

• Mixed kale

• Broccoli

• Cucumbers

• Eggplant

• Sweet Peppers (limited)

• Daikon radish (limited)

• Italian Basil

• Italian Flat Parsley

• Curly Parsley (limited)

• Mangos

• Orange blossom Honey

Cate came to us in the fall of 2019. She was a graduate of Unity
College in Maine where she graduated with 4.0 GPA in Sustainable
Agriculture. Her family is from Orlando. She had a few intern/volunteer
opportunities on several farms before coming to 12 Seasons Farm. She
began as the assistant farm manager to Sara who had done such a great
job. Cate learned the ropes well and by the end of her first season
after Sara left, Cate became the farm manager. She quickly excelled in
this role and took such a mental load off me and the entire staff.

This is a photo from the fall of 2020 during the strawberry planting
season. Cate is built for farming and is such a good manager. She has a
very unique set of skills– excellent in horticulture, great manager of
people (staff loves her), superb administrator/organizer, and hard
working with very high standards. And this she does with tenacious focus
and speed while conferring dignity, gratitude, and cheer to those around
her.

Emma and Cate with a giant purple carrot! Cate and Emma worked like
champs together. It was a pleasure to see the way these two worked. I
want to take a moment to express gratitude as well to Emma Buchanan as
she has been a major contributor here and we have been immensely blessed
by her the past 2 seasons. Emma’s time here ended in May as she is
finishing her masters degree and recently took on a position in ECHO’s
seedbank. Emma got things done! We have had the dream team here at 12
Seasons with such a talented crew. Thank you, Emma, for all your hard
and excellent work!

This photo is from June, 2020 of Cate and Annika harvesting
sunflowers. Cate has been an amazing mentor to a number of young people
on the farm, including our children. Annika has really grown in her
capacity due to Cate’s positive influence.

There are so many small decisions every day on the farm. Cate has
handled this responsibility so well– one moment she is explaining
planting location and spacing to a worker, while guiding multiple other
workers, prepping for markets and orders, and texting me and others
about a specific restaurant request, crop concern, or reminder about
what needs to happen next in the day– all while harvesting multiple bins
of lettuce, carrots, etc. I am grateful for the immense mental load Cate
carried for and with me. We work very well together and I know this has
been a special time in the life of our farm.

Cate has become a part of our family. Vicki and I so appreciate her
presence at the farm, in our own lives, and in the lives of our
children. Our kids adore her and so do we!

She also introduced us to Elisha who was with us last season and has
returned several times for visits, mainly to see his best friend, Cate,
but also to see us 🙂 !!

We believe that every person is wonderfully and beautifully made. Not
all of us live to that potential. Cate is special.

Every day has been a gift with Cate Kandle at the farm. We were
honored to have her for 3 seasons. You and I have truly tasted of the
fruits of her labors. Thank you, Cate. Well done! You will most
certainly be missed!

Danny, Vicki, the kids, and the entire 12 Seasons Team