2025-01-06 newsletter

Greetings from 12 Seasons Farm,

We continue to see better production in a variety of crops like
carrots, broccolini, green onions, kale, strawberries, and cherry
tomatoes.

We are hoping that we will avoid frost this coming week as cold
weather comes our way. Being so far inland and at such low elevation,
the cold air drains into our farm similar to the way water drains into
our farm during high rainfall and surge flooding events. The heavier
cold air follows a similar watershed pattern settling into low-lying
areas. We often record 8-10 degrees cooler than the Ft. Myers
forecast.

We are preparing with cutting wood for burn barrels if needed in the
mango trees to protect their blooms and frost/freeze fabric for
vulnerable vegetables. So far the forecast appears to be cold, but not
dangerously so.

Turnout at both Captiva and Bonita markets last week were excellent.
Thank you to all who came out.

We still are planning to attempt a drop off site in Sanibel for those
wanting to avoid the long commute to the north end of Captiva.

For those ordering for Thursday farm pick-up or home delivery, please
do so before 8 pm, Tuesday.

Here is our schedule for this week:

TUESDAY CAPTIVA FARMER’S MARKET: Market runs from
9am-1pm. For those wanting to preorder for the market, please do so by 8
pm on Sunday for pick-up at the Tuesday market.

THURSDAY FARM PICK-UP & HOME DELIVERY: Place an
order online before 8 pm Tuesday for Thursday all day pick-up at the
farm or to receive a home delivery. For farm pick-up, use original farm
entrance, 14840 Old Olga Rd. Order is usually split between cold produce
in walk-in cooler and the air conditioned structure just left of walk-in
cooler.

 SATURDAY BONITA SPRINGS FARMER’S
MARKET: Market runs from 8am-noon at the Promenade at Bonita
Bay in Bonita Springs. For those interested in preordering for the
market, please do so before 8 pm on Thursday for pick-up at the Saturday
market.

If you have questions about the farm or your orders or the website,
please feel free to text or call Danny at 239-229-3579.

 Place orders at
12seasonsfarm.com

This is what we are harvesting:

• Strawberries
• Swiss Chard
• Curly Kale
• Flat Kale
• Mixed Kale (a mix of multiple kale varieites)
• Mustard greens (new!)
• Collard greens (new!)
• Arugula
• Summercrisp lettuce
• Romaine lettuce
• Baby Butterhead lettuce
• Large leaf Butterhead lettuce
• Heirloom and specialty tomatoes
• Cherry tomato
• Carrots
• Beets (very limiited)
• Round radish
• Watermelon radish
• Daikon radish
• Broccolini
• Cucumbers
• Zucchini
• Eggplant
• Basil
• Cilantro
• Dill
• Mint
• Rosemary
• Papaya (very limited)
• Passionfruit
• Lemons
• Pummelo
• Grapefruit
• Honeybell Tangelo
• Bananas (very limited)
• Starfruit
• Avocado
• Sunflowers
• Saw palmetto honey
• Wildflower honey
• Sea of Cortez salt
• Mango, Monkey, and Strawberry Butter

Market last Saturday was very well attended with lots of produce
available.

This week’s newsletter is devoted mostly to Bruce and Jan Zylstra who
are retiring from 12 Seasons Farm. They have been with us the past 14
years and are largely the reason we survived the early years when we
first set out to be full-time growers.

Last Saturday we had a going away party. Michelle made spring rolls,
one of Bruce’s favorites. Bruce and Jan head to their new home in Ocala
on Jan. 9.

They are like family to us. They have been with us as long as we have
been married and doing vegetable farming. These two have worked so hard
and always have a joke and smile to share.

They worked the first 12 years volunteering 2-3 days a week mowing
the farm, building decks, weaving tomatoes, watching the kids, and doing
all kinds of hard and constructive work. The last 2 years they lived on
the farm and worked 5 days a week even though I ask them to slow down
and not work so much. I don’t know of another 80 year old as strong and
capable as Bruce; and Jan is the energizer bunny making everything she
touches trimmed and beautiful. They have an amazing reputation among the
team over all the years. So many of us look up to them for their
enormous helpfulness, steady determination, and tireless work combined
with such positive attitudes and faithfulness.

The kids have had sleepovers at their home, they have babysat our
kids and been like grandparents to them. The kids just head over to
their house to hang out and Jan gets them a snack and they watch some
sports or rodeo event with Bruce.

The above photo is when Bruce went with the kids and me to an
Everblades hockey game.

Our anniversary dinner together last Dec. 18.

Bruce enjoys doing tractor work and mowing the farm.

They do life together well– work hard, play hard. Jan is a dignified
woman of noble character and she is incredibly industrious and hard
working.

As part of the going away party last Saturday for them, Paul and Jack
built a tall bonfire.

It was a fun evening celebrating the amazing lives of Bruce and
Jan.

This is a hard one for us all. But we overflow with gratitude to
Bruce and Jan for their tireless devotion and incredible labor all these
years. Jan said to the group on Saturday night that when they moved to
Florida 2 decades ago that all their needs were taken care of and so
what they wanted most was to live their lives to bless others. That they
have done.

They are deeply special people who have impacted us all by their
generous work and service to us and the entire 12 Seasons community.
They have taught me, Vicki, and many others about faithfulness,
discipline, marriage, the good balance between hard work and rest, and
how to just keep moving forward. They are such dear friends and family
and will be sorely missed.

May God continue to bless them with many more years of joy-filled
living and making brighter the world in which we live.

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