2023-05-08 newsletter

Greetings from 12 Seasons Farm,

We are now in the final 2 months of our selling season. We plan to be
at the Bonita market 3 more times through the last Saturday in May. We
will then start a Saturday market at our farm beginning June 3 until our
last market day, July 8.

The Lakes Park market on Wednesday is now open through June. We plan
to continue there on Wednesdays until the last Wed. in June.

As for Captiva, we plan to be there tomorrow and then take the
following week off (June 16), before resuming at least one more time on
May 23.

We hope to continue home deliveries for the rest of May and June.

I know many of you have gone back north. We thank you for a great
season. For those who are still here we look forward to continuing to
serve you.

Thank you to those that pre-order and pick up your orders at the
market! This is much appreciated.

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

Here is our weekly 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:

• Blueberries (season is ending very soon– this week may be
  last)

• Summercrisp Lettuce

• Baby Butterhead Lettuce

• Large Leaf Butterhead lettuce

• Cherry tomatoes

• Heirloom/Specialty tomatoes

• Red Slicing tomatoes

• Arugula

• Curly kale

• Flat kale

• Mixed kale

• Broccoli

• Broccoli greens

• Rainbow carrots

• Cucumbers

• Zucchini

• Sweet Peppers (very limited)

• Eggplant

• Round radish

• Daikon radish

• Watermelon radish

• Green onions

• Large sweet onions

• Dill

• Cilantro

• Italian flat parsley

• Curled parsley

• Saw Palmetto Honey

• Nasturtium Flowers

• Sunflowers

Simeon at the Captiva market last week.

Grace and Jack setting up at the Lakes Park Farmers’ Market. It
amazes me often to start from scratch and set up tents, tables,
tablecloths, and beautiful produce. Bringing the bounty from the farm to
an otherwise ordinary parking lot is a unique and demanding exercise,
one that we repeat often.

But the result is a beautiful display of color, diversity, and
goodness!

This is ‘Sunset Torch’, a new variety of tomato this season that is
very scrumptious. I plan to continue to grow this one in larger
quantities next season. It is usually in our campari mix.

This is ‘Red Torch’– also a great tasting variety and in our campari
mix. I really enjoy growing such a diversity of tomatoes!

Grace washing and packing lettuce for the farmer’s market. We still
have a good supply even in this heat!

The first bananas are beginning to ripen since the hurricane! Yeah!
It has been a long drought with no bananas. We are excited to see the
first crop just starting to turn yellow. Nearly all the tall banana
stalks were blown over and so these are the first of the shoots that
were young and protected during the storm that are beginning to
bear.

Ek made a a special kayak out of bamboo and plastic wrap complete
with paddles that are hand-powered with a retrofitted bike chain. Always
so clever! The kids love it!

Ek giving it a test run! It worked!

It has been a real pleasure to serve you all this season! We are
exhausted but grateful for another great season.

Thank you for your support and trust this season. 13 years ago, when
I was in Thailand and Germany working on a masters degree in Sustainable
Agriculture and Integrated Watershed Management, one of my classmates
from Germany made the simple but obvious statement about how much trust
there is in food systems. When we purchase food or a health product like
toothpaste, we expect it to be safe and in keeping with the ingredients
listed. In spite of all the safety protocols and regulations, etc, there
is still a factor of trust. We take your trust serious and truly enjoy
in bringing you high quality, safe, and delicious food.

Have a great week!

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