Well. Well. Well. It’s year two of Heart Song Farm being up and fully running! I’m full of excitement, big dreams, (high and low) expectations , some anxiety, and energy. I’m also full of seeds! Ha! I’ve been ordering seeds like crazy all Fall and Winter. In fact, almost half of the proceeds from your shares last summer were reinvested in just seed orders for this year.
Here’s what’s new on the farm for 2021:
I’ll be offering a larger amount of shares for the Spring CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). I’m upping it from 10 shares to 25. A Summer Flower CSA is being added! Yay! The flowers were too much fun last year so I’m making them a more substantial part of the farm’s production. The new Members Only Market will be introduced this year! It will run June-September and is a good option for those who don’t want to commit to a full CSA but still want all the farm produce, flowers, and products. The last big news is that I will not be coming back to the Sanford Farmers Market on Saturday mornings. This was a huge decision that I chewed on for awhile. Instead, I hope to be a part of a weekday Farmers Market that is much closer to my farm. And, the Members Only Market will be held on Saturdays here on the farm in Silk Hope.
We’ve got two 50’ Farmers Friend high tunnels to set up. One will be in Zone 3 for vegetable and flower production. The second one will be between the tiny house and Zone 3 and it’s just for plant propagation (starting seeds and getting plants ready)! I’m really excited about this! I’ve outgrown my small green house, so this is very needed. This will also allow me a little more space to have a fun plant sale this Spring on the farm! You too can grow some of the wilder varieties that I grow! More on that closer to time.
One last fun thing to note is the tomato and pepper variety numbers for the year. This is a first! The peppers outnumber the tomatoes! Peppers - 64 varieties. Tomatoes - 36. It might be because I’m really starting to hone in on some of my favorite tomatoes, but that wouldn’t be the full true. I kicked out a good handful of varieties only to add many new ones. And, I can’t say I won’t find one or two more to grow before it’s time to start my seeds. As for the peppers, there are many varieties you’ll never get your hands on. They will only be for my smoked pepper seasonings and other farm products. I’m excited to see all the tasty things that come from this.
Now for the 2021 Goals!
Goal number one is complete, hire an employee (see Meet Emma! blog post).
Jeff and I are working on getting a walk-in cooler on the farm! This is the reason I can up the amount of Spring CSA shares! And, of course, bringing on super star Emma.
Workshops on the farm. I’ve got some fun things in store for you! Currently, I’ve got 2 artists and one baker/icing artist (not sure how to label her, her work is A-mazing) lined up ready to teach classes. Also, I’m excited to do some classes on flower arranging, wreath making, and how to do farm to table.
Create a smoked hot sauce….ah yeah.
All around goal of improving processes and growing the farm’s value-added products. I have lots of wild and crazy ideas in my head. And I think I juuuuust might be able to pull it off!
Personal goal: prioritize my work vs family time better.
Add more perennial plants around the farm. It’s time to set roots and make this place our forever home! I look forward to heavy scented trailing roses over archways, flowers coming up every year to care for the pollinators, trees to give shade to take a rest, and bushes to make wind blocks for my growing zones.
Lastly, my word of the year!
DANCE!
I’m ready to dance through this year. To have a blast in the good times and weave through the bad times. Slow dance when it’s time and heck, maybe even do The Worm! When you’re moving and light on your feet, you’re going to get through anything. So many happy thoughts that come to mind when I think of the word dance. So many memories of dancing. If you lived in Nashville, TN during the years of 1998-2008, there’s a good chance we shook our booties together. Hahaha! I love to dance, not to say I’m good at it, but it sure feels good to get out there and move, to be yourself, not have a care in the world what anyone else thinks. It’s just you and the music having the time of your life. That’s what I’m doing this year, the farm and I are going to have a good time grooving! Meet me on the dance floor if you’d like! I’ll be the one moving to the beat of my own drum and loving every second of it.