May 30, 2016

Our Community, Our Choice

FARM NEWS

Every so often I am asked about the favorite part of my job. My mind quickly scrolls through a slide show of vivid memories of the things that are most dear to my heart − fields during a sunset with beautiful clouds and unimaginable colors, the smell of the first rain, the whistling and chatter of a crew working as a team and the sight of Farm Fresh To You boxes in random kitchens and door steps.

I spend a fair amount of time in the city (for a farm boy anyway), and one of the most satisfying experiences is going to a friend of a friend’s home and seeing a Farm Fresh To You box on the doorstep or realizing that the farm news is hanging on the refrigerator. My initial reaction is to interrupt the conversation and point at the box or farm news and say “That’s us!!!” However, that can be awkward. I have learned to wait for a break in the conversation and ask, politely, how they heard about Farm Fresh To You and let the conversation go naturally from there.

While wandering around fields, checking on what urgent and unexpected item needs attention now (water has been the theme this week), I think about how my friends, family and their friends are happy Farm Fresh To You customers (even before they knew of the connection). It is clear to me that Farm Fresh To You is a lifestyle choice that people make.

We are a community of individuals who care about the quality and selection of our food, and we care about our local food system. We have made a choice to make local fruits and vegetables delivered from local farms part of our lives. My kids, who don’t yet understand their connection to Farm Fresh To You, expect the delivery each week, and our family is happy to work our way through each Farm Fresh To You box just like you are.

Think about your friends - I am willing to bet that your friends share the same values you do and would be just as happy as you are to choose to make Farm Fresh To You a part of their lives. If you think that might be true, please check out our “Refer a Friend” program online, which makes it really easy for you to spread this lifestyle and food choice to others who will enjoy it.

Thank you for supporting our farm and know that one of the favorite parts of my job is realizing when our farm has made a permanent connection to another member of our community.