This year brought unique challenges to our farm—and to many others in the farming community. Early in the season, we were optimistic, expecting to get our planting done ahead of schedule. But then the rains came. For three solid weeks, we had to hold off, which forced us to rethink our crops. We made the tough decision to forego corn and soybeans since we simply wouldn’t have enough time to see them through.
Instead, we took a leap of faith with buckwheat, planting far more than we had originally planned. It was only our second season with buckwheat, so we’re still learning the ropes, but it turned out to be one of our best decisions. Despite hail and high winds, the buckwheat held strong, and for that, we’re truly grateful. Unfortunately, our peas weren’t as lucky and suffered significant hail damage, leaving us with little to harvest. Our rye faced its own challenges; after it was cut, three weeks of rain rendered it unusable.
As we have shared throughout this season, we had the opportunity to grow both Emmer and Red Fife wheat this season. While Emmer is a familiar favorite for us, Red Fife was a new adventure—and we couldn’t be more pleased with the results! We’re eager to bring these ancient/heritage grains to you soon and look forward to sharing their unique flavors and qualities with our community.
Finally, we harvested our millet—which it's another first for us this season. While we faced a bit of a learning curve with the cutting process, the combining went smoothly, and we’re pleased with the yield we achieved. We’re excited to bring this new crop to you soon and can’t wait for you to experience it!
Farming is always a balancing act between preparation and adaptation. While this season threw us a few curveballs, we’re thankful for the resilience of the land and the lessons we’re carrying forward.
With our crops now harvested, we’re moving full steam ahead to prepare our products for you! Stay tuned for updates, as we’re thrilled to be taking this next step forward. We can’t wait to start sharing everything we have been embedded in this past couple of weeks!
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