Greetings from 12 Seasons Farm,
My apologies I accidentally sent the last newsletter to our Sanibel and Captiva
residents so most people did not receive this. That was my mistake. We plan to
be at the Bonita market tomorrow! Hope to see many of you there for our last
market before opening up at the farm. We have lots of lychees coming with us!
Below is the newsletter I failed to send to most of you. Take care!
We still have a decent offering but the seasonal window is closed or nearly so
for certain crops like cilantro, zucchini, cauliflower, cabbage, and
now strawberries. These hot and humid conditions limit the diversity and
production of crops. We hope to be able to supply most of the vegetables on our
list below for another few weeks but you will notice a reduction of offerings
as we get deeper into the SWFL summer. On a positive note, lychees and mangoes
are now ripening!
Last week was the first week without the Captiva market. We would like to
continue the Sanibel drop if there is the interest. We will continue for this
week and see if there are individuals who are still wanting this option for
June.
For the rest of SW FL, we continue to have Thursday farm pick up, Thursday home
deliveries and Saturday market pick up. Please place your order by 8 pm Tuesday
for Thursday options; and for Saturday market pick up, place orders by
Thursday, 8 pm.
We have just one more Saturday Bonita Springs Farmer’s market before we open
the market up at the farm on Saturday mornings.
Here is our schedule for this week:
TUESDAY SANIBEL DROP
SITE: A free drop site in Sanibel each Tuesday from 9 am to 3 pm. This
site is hosted by Melissa Lehman. Her address and phone # should be on your
order confirmation email. This will be a self-serve option. Pick up at their
home in their screened foyer which is easily accessible from their driveway.
Produce will be on shelves. There should be 1 spot open in their driveway for a
quick pick up. Order online and please pay by credit card (no cash or checks
please). If you see Melissa, please thank her
for providing this option. Order by 8 pm Sunday for this option.
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.
FINAL 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 please feel free to text or
call Danny at 239-229-3579.
Place orders at
12seasonsfarm.com
This is what we are harvesting:
- Strawberries (nearly done!)
- Swiss Chard (limited)
- Curly Kale
- Flat Kale
- Mixed Kale (a mix of multiple kale varieties)
- Arugula
- Summercrisp lettuce
- Heirloom and specialty tomatoes
- Red Slicing tomatoes
- Cherry tomatoes
- Carrots
- Beets
- Round radish
- Watermelon radish (very limited)
- Daikon radish
- Spring green onions
- Florida Sweet onions
- Leeks
- Broccolini
- Cabbage (limited)
- Zucchini
- Eggplant
- Sweet Peppers
- Flat Parsley
- Curled Parsley
- Dill (very limited)
- Mint
- Chocolate Mint (very limited)
- Rosemary
- Italian Basil
- Turmeric
- Papaya
- Grapefruit (limited)
- Zipper skin Tangerines (Limited!)
- Bananas (very limited)
- Lychee
- Mango
- Sunflowers
- Saw palmetto honey
- Wildflower honey
- Farm fresh eggs (pastured, organically raised)
- Sea of Cortez salt
- Monkey, and Strawberry Butter
We have 1 final Bonita Springs Farmer’s market remaining this season. We still
have decent diversity given these very hot and humid conditions. The above
photo is from this morning’s Bonita market.
We are having to harvest the ‘Cherokee Carbon’ tomatoes earlier since they
crack so easy as seen in the bottom right corner of the more ripe ones. These
thin skinned tomatoes are wonderful to eat, but are challenging to grow in the
heat and fluctuations in soil moisture with the downpours we have had the past
few days. We have to harvest them when there is the first signs of color change
as they ripen so quickly and are prone to splitting. They still ripen fine off
the plant.
Last week we just started seeing the first lychee fruits ripen.
Then on last Friday we had our first meaningful harvest. The first variety to
ripen is ‘Hak ip’. It has a very tiny seed and is so pleasant to eat with a
delightful combination of sweetness and tartness in a very aromatic
juicy-fleshed fruit. I could eat a bucket load of these. They unfortunately are
fairly low yielding trees. We have a light crop on them but should have enough
for orders this week. I have added it to the online inventory. After ‘Hak ip’
there are other varieties we grow that should soon follow.
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The early mango varieties are ripening on the farm now. Mango is one of my
favorite all-time fruits. Worldwide in the tropics and subtropics, they are
such a significant fruit contributing to people’s well-being, often at some of
the hardest times of the year– during excessively hot and dry times. This
succulent and often times large fruit ripens before the rainy seasons begins in
many places around the world. So before people have their fields planted when
food stocks are starting to run low from the previous year, the mango tree is
capable of bounty. It is loved by young and old alike. Often dubbed the ‘Peach
of the Tropics’ mango is truly special both for its exquisite flavor and
sweetness and also for its capacity to produce abundant fruit under harsh, hot,
dry, and infertile conditions. Mango is truly a gift to humanity and I hope you
get to partake of some fabulous tasting mangoes this season.
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Brian is building a treehouse for the kids to enjoy on the farm. Brian with his
talents in engineering and construction has created a unique treehouse inside a
large ficus relative on the northwest corner of the farm. You are welcome to
check it out if you come to the farm!
Danny, Vicki, the kids, and the 12 Seasons Team
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