Week 5 Newsletter

Week #5 - Week of June 29th

Howdy do!

Buckle up and grab your reading glasses! It's gonna be a wordy one! 

Farmer Frank here with the privilege of delivering this week's CSA newsletter. It is wild that we are already on week 5 of the CSA, and by the time you read this, we will have begun July. 

It seems like just a couple weeks ago we were complaining about the gloom and cool weather causing poor germination, slow growth, excessive use of reemay (the white frost blanket you see us using on crops), and vitamin D deficiencies (me). Now every morning it seems like the next succession of "insert any type of lettuce" is on the verge of bolting, the tomatoes grow two feet a week and laugh at our attempts to keep up with their pruning and trellising, the weeds grow so fast they remind us why herbicides were invented (obviously we do not use any here), and the sun shines so brightly and for so long, that I have become a walking definition of a "redneck". 

Outside of work, the crew is still as busy as ever. Crew members have been visiting their families and friends in various states across the country, camping and backpacking all throughout the PNW, fishing, going to music festivals, working on their home gardens, caring for a newborn, working other jobs in various industries, cooking up delicious meals with the best-damn-produce in all the land, and so much more. 

Speaking of this year’s crew lets take roll, shall we…

Alex: Big man in charge. The brain and face of the business. Master of words. When not on the farm, or working on farm-related matters, Alex enjoys going to his cabin near Lake Wenatchee, attending any and all sporting events, talking to anyone or himself about the ethos of a rock he found when he was seven (or some other out of left field concept that may be relevant, though no one (not even him is quite sure), or running ~fashionably (as he would like to say and you to believe)~ late. Alex is a remarkable human who genuinely wants the best for everyone around him and will always do his very best to facilitate that. He takes pride in sharing his passion for farming, good food, and community. Alex works nonstop to make this farm what it is, and constantly teeters on the edge of sanity because of it. Regardless, he always thinks about everyone else and maintains a positive attitude while leading us all. 

Kate: The muscle (and don’t tell Alex, but secretly the brain as well). Kate is constantly making sure the CSA and store is running smoother than Japan's bullet train. She always is building, taking down, and rebuilding something to bring it as close to perfection as possible. I am consistently amazed at how much she is able to accomplish day-in and day-out. When Kate isn't working at the farm or doing farm-related work, she enjoys teaching yoga, going to the drive-in on Whidbey with her daughter, and beating up professional UFC fighters. 

Suzanne: Quite possibly the hardest working member on the farm. She works late ensuring the store is beautiful, CSA members are cared for, and completing miscellaneous projects that Kate and Alex are afraid to ask me to do. Suzanne is the only one who can rival Alex in the ability to discuss the feng shui of a Honey Bucket. Before google and ChatGPT, people used to travel far and wide to ask Suzanne questions ranging from the meaning of life, to how to make your breath smell better. 

Lauriane: The kindest soul. Lauriane is one of the most interesting and intelligent humans I have ever met. She has lived all over the world, speaks 47.325 languages, can play piano with her toes, and is very diligent about applying sunscreen. This is her second year at Ecolibrium and she has quickly become a great farmer. Lauriane has taken on new roles this year doing more stuff on the back-end, trying to lighten Alex and Kate's workload. From what I hear (and to no surprise), she has been killing it. 

Robbie: This is Robbie's first year working on a farm, but if I didn't know any better, I would think he owned his own farm. Robbie is an engineer whose experience managing operations at a large company is evident. Robbie constantly questions (respectfully) why we do certain things, and when applicable, recommends more efficient solutions. He always has a smile on his face, and offers to do the less-than-glamorous jobs around the farm when no one else wants to. Robbie is also a wealth of knowledge and just an all-around capable human. Also a father to his chickens.

Amanda: This is (at least) Amanda's 3rd farming season, and it shows. Amanda works hard every day and always shows me and the crew tricks she has learned on other farms. Amanda has a great sense of humor, genuine and interesting talking points, and maintains a positive attitude at all times, enabling her to uplift others when they might be down. Amanda also went to Northwestern, so she can converse with me in the whimsy that is the Midwest. Amanda enjoys eating berries, kohlrabi, caffeine, and evening out her farmer's tan. 

Sydney: Mother to Riley (light brown boxer(ish) dog). This is Sydney's second year on the farm and she proves it. Sydney manages the nursery. I do not have the bandwidth to think about seeding and all the other nursery tasks, so I have her to thank for my sanity. Sydney has a charisma to her that is hard to miss. She is just simply cool. The type of cool where being around her makes you feel cooler. Sydney enjoys taking care of Riley (one of the best dogs to ever exist), skiing, backpacking, riding horses, and injuring her back. 

Gerry: Musical genius. Great taste in cars. Not only that, but he also manages our wash-pack. Every time you look at or touch a piece of produce from our farm, it is almost a guarantee Gerry has inspected it, written it a song, sung the song to it, and gingerly tucked it into a crate. This is Gerry's second year on the farm. When Gerry isn't making jokes about produce, he is singing songs in the wash-pack. When Gerry is not working here or at his other job, he attends butcher school, brews beer, ferments anything, or plays, sings, and writes for his band. 

Kay: Kay grew up on a ranch in Northeastern WA. Kay has worked as a raft guide both in the US and Mexico, as a liftie at a ski resort, and is now attending grad school at UW. This is Kay's second year here at the farm, and shows up every day with sunshine shining out of every nook and cranny of her body. She is truly a beacon of positive energy. Kay always has great stories to tell about friends, family, previous experiences, or drama from her weekend activities. Kay is also one of the most empathetic individuals I have ever met. She is always in tune with others' feelings and takes the time to ensure everyone feels seen and heard. 

Jacqueline: Goofball. Jacqueline worked on the farm a few years ago (2022 at the South 47), before my time. She brings experience, fun conversation, high energy, positive vibes, and good work-ethic. Getting to know Jacqueline is a fun experience. She has many layers (like Shrek) and I consistently find myself admiring her life-experiences, laughing at her goofiness, and enjoying her odd questions. When not at the farm she works as an ER nurse or frolics somewhere in the wilderness. 

Sam H: This is Sam's first year with Eco, but has experience volunteering on other farms. Sam brings a calming presence, a positive attitude, and takes great pictures. Sam is still pretty new, but is quickly becoming a strong market gardener who is eager to learn as much as I am able to share. Sam also works in media and advertising which is where he developed his phenomenal film skills. Sam loves caffeine, cats, and being outdoors.

Amelia: Amelia is quite new to the farm. While she might not be the tallest crew member, she might rival Kate for the strongest crew member. Amelia is a grad student with Kay at UW. She is originally from Wisconsin which is great because we can talk about euchre, corn, cheese, and how flat it is. Amelia is always excited to be here and loves learning the ins-and-outs of market gardening. Amelia enjoys biking, hiking, backpacking, and sizing up dudes twice her height at the gym. 

Sam C: Sam is our newest farm crew member. He is going into his senior year at WSU where he is studying business. He recently accepted an internship with a tribe in WA where he will help with asset and financial planning. Sam comes off as quiet, but once he starts talking he is quite funny and knowledgeable. He has lived in Alaska, but in recent years has lived in Woodinville. When not working he enjoys fishing and helping old ladies cross the street. 

Clo: Dope. Clo is quite new to Ecolibrium, but brings a fun perspective as a cook at a well-known Seattle restaurant (I forget which one though...). Clo is always brining in the tastiest-looking lunches that they prepare with our produce. They help the crew think like a cook when considering harvest specs, and teaches us what to do with kohlrabi. They are cool, calm, collected, hard-working, and loves to learn about the farm. Not a fan of the BCS (the small blue "two-wheel tractor" thing that sucks). 

Franklin (me): Dumbass with the hair sticking out the top of my visor. I smell like shit. Have no idea what I am doing 69.4% of the time. Somehow tricked Alex into letting me manage this place. 

I am from Michigan but moved out here a couple of years ago, and am now in my third year with Eco. I love mowing the grass, any and all outdoor recreation, getting injured (outside of work), type-two fun (ask me about it, it was awesome!), complaining about most tasks on the farm, and pestering Alex to buy a zero-turn mower for the farm. 

All jokes aside, this is the most fun I have had farming and we're only just getting started. I love the challenge, and I feel so fulfilled. However, I cannot overstate my gratitude for this year's crew from top to bottom. 

Truly amazing things are happening on this farm. I strongly encourage all who are able to walk around every week you are here, and pay attention at how fast everything is changing. Ponder how everything works, grab the soil, touch some bugs, ask questions, laugh, smile, and eat good food. Before we know it, the powdery mildew will set in, the sun will go into protective custody via the clouds, the rain will be endless, and we will all have to get used to buying boring, grocery-store produce. I love growing your food. It gives me an inexpressible sense of purpose. So thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting this farm and all the work that we do. You are all a part of something truly special. 

-Farmer Frank