Dear friends,
It was this time twenty years ago that as a young man trying to figure out the path I wanted to take in my life, I felt the calling to be a farmer. After getting involved in different social and environmental issues, it started to become clear to me that entering into the profession of farming was one of the best ways I could help drive change and address the issues that concerned me while serving my community. Twenty years later my belief in this has not wavered. I feel more strongly than ever that sustainable farming and strong local food economies are integral to tackling the challenges that the future holds.
That being said the path of being a farmer and running a sustainable farm business is not always an easy one. The list of challenges and pitfalls on a yearly basis is long. In the heat of the season when things can get overwhelming and the pressure is on, it is easy to find oneself demoralized and questioning one’s life’s choices.
So I just want to thank you! All of our CSA and Farmers Market Customers! For both the support we receive from you financially and in the confidence and trust that you put in us, to provide you and your families with a healthy, locally grown organic food source. I would use an analogy of a boxer trying to pick themselves up off of the mat in the 10th round. As Farmers we can sometimes feel like that boxer, beat up by the season, exhausted, and starting to feel like we might not have the physical or mental strength to get back up again after that last blow that knocked us down. But you, our CSA and Farmers Market Members, are like the coach in our corner giving us the confidence and faith to get back up and keep going. The fans in the crowd shouting out the encouragement we need in that moment. Whether that is seeing the trust you place in us just by signing up as CSA members or small notes of thanks and appreciation, like the great drawing one of our CSA member’s children gave to us, which I’m looking at in the office right now. Believe me when I say it truly is appreciated and that Willo’Wind Farm wouldn’t exist without the support that you have shown both to me as a farmer and Willo’Wind. So from the bottom of my heart Thank You!
We look forward to the coming season with optimism. Although we have had our struggles over the years we have definitely had our success as well. With every farming season there are new lessons learned, farming practices to be improved upon, and a steady uptick in the overall health of the farms ecosystem and field fertility. I am excited to see what the 2025 season has in store! And I know no matter what challenges may arise this year with you in our corner we’ll always get the job done!
It may seem like the dead of winter in January but here at Willo’Wind it is “Seed Season”! This is the time of year when we take inventory of our seeds and we delve into seed catalogues to plan and prepare for the spring. Pages of possibility are in every catalogue, from the tried and true to the new and exciting!
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