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January 3, 2007

Live the Seasons- Freeman

The pomegranate tree stands leafless; hung thoroughly with drooping, split, faded red fruit. A mocking bird has flown to the top of the tree and is meticulously picking at the red ornaments looking for some plump seeds or perhaps plum insects instead. The clear blue sky, new shoots of green grass inching towards the green round Satsuma trees and warm rays of sun entering and warming the house through its windows makes me double check. No, its not spring.

My childhood was marked by the coming and going of these red ornaments, as with other fruits and vegetables of the seasons. Spring I would look forward to the first cherries becoming available from the neighbor down the road, when heirloom tomatoes finally came in the summer I felt like I had been waiting for ages, and the first splitting ripe pomegranate was a sure sign fall had arrived on the farm. Now we enjoy the robust greens and sweet citrus from the winter crops. For the past year my wife Carol and I have spent in San Francisco at the farm’s produce shop in the Ferry Building, receiving and cooking a box that we received every other week. The snapshots of the farm’s seasons taken with each monthly visit home combined with the boxes that we received allowed me to realize how much I had taken the seasons for granted.

Working the retail part of the business I could not help but analyze the produce section of each retail store I walk into. This time of year there seems to be one common theme in these stores; a pyramid of faded red tomatoes on an end display or perhaps taking a place of honor in the center of the layout. What if I never lived on the farm and only shopped at these places, would I realize the produce seasons? Would I expect to find figs in January or think winter tomatoes could be local? Putting together this weeks box I realized for the first time how much I enjoyed living the seasons through the produce I eat and hope that Farm Fresh to You customers can feel the seasons in their boxes as Carol and I did in ours.

With the retail business slowing down for the winter I am back on the farm for the majority of the week and enjoying it very much. The unusually dry winter has allowed Ricardo to disk the upper field, releasing the rhythmic sound of the clanking steel tracks. The chard has been about picked out; waiting for some warmer days to spur new growth. Chris is putting together seed orders for the spring and summer plantings and we are busy in the office making sure we can provide the best service possible in the coming year. I hope you enjoy your box and want you to know we sincerely appreciate your support of our family farm.

Freeman

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April 9, 2008
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The Canal Season

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The Spring Rush

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The Frog Hole

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Herb Garden

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