2023-11-06 newsletter

Greetings from 12 Seasons Farm,

We enjoyed seeing so many of you at the Saturday Bonita’s Market last
weekend. Thank you for coming out. This week we resume home deliveries
on Thursdays to Naples, Bonita, Ft. Myers, N. Ft. Myers, Sanibel and
Captiva. We are not doing Lakes Park Farmers Market this season as it is
just too intense of a schedule. We will be back at the Captiva market on
Tuesdays starting Dec. 19 when that market reopens.

The crop diversity is still quite limited for these first few weeks
in November, but we hope to add more crops soon as they are getting
closer to being ready. I am mostly eager about tomatoes–season really
feels like it is rolling when there are good tasting tomatoes again.

If you would like to place an order for farm pick up or home
delivery this Thursday, please do so before 8 pm TUESDAY at12seasonsfarm.com.

Here is our schedule this week

THURSDAY FARM PICK-UP OR HOME DELIVERY : Please
place an order online before Tuesday, 8 pm, if you want farm pick-up for
Thursday. 14840 Old Olga Rd., Ft. Myers, FL 33905

SATURDAY BONITA FARMERS’ MARKET **** ****: Our first
farmers’ market of the season begins this Saturday, 8am-noon at the
Promenade Shops at Bonita Bay. Buy directly from the stand or
place a preorder online by Thursday, 8 pm.

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

This is what we are harvesting:

• Summercrisp Lettuce
• Arugula
• Zucchini
• Cucumbers
• Eggplant
• Round radish
• Daikon radish
• Dill
• Papaya
• Starfruit
• Banana
• Saw Palmetto Honey

We set up in a new location in the SE corner of the Bonita market.
Here is Benjamin in front of the stand before the market was open.

Here is Lindsey, a long time customer, speaking with Vicki and the
kids. It was great to reconnect with so many of you!

Back at the farm we are busy planting. Here, Michelle and Catherine
are planting onions in between the double row of strawberries. This is a
great intercrop as they don’t seem to negatively compete against one
another.

Anthony and Sammi are planting lettuce today. This is a weekly
activity with a goal of getting lettuce in the ground consistently each
week.

Simeon has become quite the tomato pruner/trainer. He usually prunes
and wraps 2 rows per day.

Aside from planting, planting, planting, we are also trying to stay
ahead and prepare more beds. Here is Bruce Zylstra, he and his wife have
been our longest volunteers on the farm. They now live on the farm for
which we are grateful. In the photo Bruce is raking the weeds from the
walkways between the beds before reforming them. The ground is very dry
without the rain and so we added sprinklers to wet the soil to get the
proper compaction to form beds in this very sandy soil. Annika and
Josiah helped me late into the night one evening to get the sprinkler
project complete.

Here are the kids and Ek in the background after the beds are
reformed with the moist soil. Sprinkler line is just to the right but
not visible in this photo. This soil is slowly improving as we grow
cover crops, add compost and move toward a no-till system. It is a slow
process in sandy soils that are so readily leachable.

Ek and Bianca (and Mikha– taking a nap during this photo) were back
visiting this weekend. Ek was able to help us get those beds formed that
were in the previous photo. I miss farming with Ek. It is so refreshing
to have him back here at 12 Seasons with his kind presence, talent,
experience, and brilliant work ethic.

We are glad to be back in the rhythm of markets. We were blessed by
your enthusiasm and kind, affirming words. We strive to bring you
healthy, nutrient dense and delicious foods as we aspire to farm in such
a way as to build healthy soils and healthy bodies.

Have a great week!

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