2023-02-13 newsletter

Greetings from the farm,

This past week was an excellent week on the farm. The hard work of
months past combined with favorable weather and overall good crop growth
has allowed us to experience our biggest increase in markets, home
deliveries, and restaurant orders of this season so far. We are grateful
to see so many people enjoying the produce from the farm.

While we try hard, I know we make mistakes. If you ever receive
produce from us that is disappointing and/or damaged, we want to know.
This helps us improve to bring you the best. Please email us or write in
the customer notes section of the online ordering what in particular was
wrong. We want to make it right and are happy to replace any produce
that was below the standards we strive to sustain.

We plan to be back at McCarthy’s Marina on Captiva tomorrow
(Tuesday), 9-11 am and Lakes Park in Ft. Myers on Wednesday,
9am-1pm.

If you would like to place an order for Thursday home
deliveries or farm pick up, please do so before 8 pm Tuesday at
www.12seasonsfarm.com.

Here is a summary of this week’s schedule:

TUESDAY PICK-UP FOR SANIBEL & CAPTIVA: Place an
order online before Sunday, 8 pm, if you want to pick up an order at
McCarthy’s Marina in Captiva on Tuesday, 9-11 am. Extra produce will be
available for those who want to buy off the table. ****

 ** WEDNESDAY LAKE’S PARK FARMERS’
MARKET:** We will be at the Lakes Park Farmers’ Mkt. each
Wednesday from 9 am to 1 pm. in Ft. Myers. Parking is free during the
farmers’ market.

THURSDAY DELIVERIES & FARM PICK-UP: Please place
an order online before Tuesday, 8 pm, if you want home delivery or farm
pick-up for Thursday.

SATURDAY FARMERS’ MARKET AND PREORDER PICK-UP :
Market runs 8 am to noon. Please place an order by Thursday, 8 pm to
pick up your preorder at the Bonita market. If preordering, please pick
up preorders after 10 am.

Orders can be placed online at ** www.12seasonsfarm.com**

This is what we are harvesting:

• Strawberries

• Summercrisp Lettuce

• Baby Butterhead Lettuce

• Romaine lettuce

• Large Leaf Butterhead lettuce

• Cherry tomatoes

• Heirloom/Specialty tomatoes

• Red Slicing tomatoes

• Arugula

• Curly kale

• Flat kale

• Mixed kale

• Cabbage

• Broccoli

• Broccoli greens

• Cauliflower

• Rainbow carrots

• Cucumbers

• Zucchini

• Sweet Peppers

• Eggplant

• Round radish

• Daikon radish

• Watermelon radish

• Green onions

• Italian Basil

• Dill

• Cilantro

• Italian flat parsley

• Curled parsley

• Saw Palmetto Honey

• Nasturtium flowers (new!)

• Sunflowers

Jack Small was back at market with us on Saturday. He is now 14. This
is his 5th season. It is fun to see him grow up here at the farm. He
works often as my assistant helping me pick broccoli and cauliflower as
well doing a number of other farm tasks that he carries out well. He
loves to serve others and wants so earnestly to see 12 Seasons
experience success! He is a great kid.

Grace Washburn also joined us at market on Saturday seen in
background with Vicki. We are rotating in a number of helpers on
Saturday while Carrie takes a break.

We have had a beautiful crop of carrots this season. Here is Emily
Richards washing them this morning.

We have a number of restaurants who purchase carrots from us. This
above order goes to Harold’s Restaurant in Ft. Myers. Harold usually
orders 10 lbs. of purple carrots from us each week!

Keeping with the theme of purple, I harvested these beautiful purple
cauliflower this morning.

The edible nasturtium flowers are now in bloom. They add a beautiful
splash of color and peppery radish-like flavor to the salad. They are
available for ordering online.

We have a strong kale crop this year. If you haven’t tried our mixed
kale bouquets, they are also amazing. I order a kale blend of at least 8
varieties from Fedco seed company in Maine. It makes for a delicious
kale massage salad as do the curly kale bunches.

We are getting bountiful harvests of lettuce from baby butterheads
(in photo above), summercrisp, and romaine right now with these more
moderate temperatures.

We recently had a pizza night where Grace, Myrah, and Emily made 15
pizzas for the staff in the recently renovated honey house. It was our
first big gathering back in this place since the hurricane! Good pizza
and good times!

This weekend the kids participated in the Edison Jr. Race in downtown
Ft. Myers. Benjamin ran for the first time, seen above in the 100 meter
event holding Simeon’s hand. The kids had a blast!

And they actually ran well, even though they had to wear shoes!
Simeon got 2nd place in the mile. Annika got 2nd place among the girls
and 6th overall in the 3/4 mile and Josiah placed 9th in the boy’s 1/2
mile.

From a seed to a fruit, there is a tremendous amount of time
investment and effort in planning, planting, watering, staking,
protecting, pruning, and harvesting– all with the singular intention and
hope of good fruit to come. We are especially thankful in this season
with its challenging beginning that so many of you have stuck with us
and invested in us and been patient with us to get back to a place of
fruitful harvests!

We wish you all a great week!

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