Thanksgiving is nearing its end. Hopefully, thoughts of gratitude and delicious food have been shared by friends and family in your neck of the woods. Around here we enjoyed tremendous veggies pulled from the ground around us, a stupendous turkey from Ault’s Family Farm, hysterical family, one amazing brother(-in-law) cook, a new baby cousin, and scrumptious sweet potato pie…and cheesecake. We are full, happy, and contemplative.

We have had a roller coaster week here…with gratitude overflowing for the support you customers have shown us, thanks for the bounty on our table and in our pantry, and grief over the loss of a friend as well as the loss of a nearby farm.

Our dear friends and farming peers at Frog Bottom Farm are ending their business here and going to work on a well-respected farm in NY. Starting and sustaining any small business is difficult. And a farm business is a particularly strange beast. While small, diversified farms are on the rise again after a period of farms becoming larger, more centrally owned, and mono-cropped, it’s still risky business. Our farm business is still very new, along with many other small businesses alongside whom we vend at markets each weekend.

The 2012 season is winding down. But we still have a lot of delicious, nutritious food grown free from chemical inputs right here in Chesterfield. Markets end Dec 1, but we’ll keep taking orders via email until we have no more food to offer. And – We’ll start planting seeds for the 2013 season very soon. If you enjoy our food, food from other nearby farms, and the wares of our non-farm market peers, please do this: Continue to go to market. Patronize your local businesses – online, in their shop, or at a farmers’ market. Even if it’s cold, rainy, or you’re tired. And invite a friend or neighbor who has yet to discover our local businesses to check us out. Or invite two friends. We have a lot to offer.

Thank you enormously for your support, love, gifts, and enjoying the food we have grown.

In the news this week: The Richmond Times Dispatch ran an article by Janet. Feel free to read, enjoy, and follow up by sharing your thoughts with Congressman Eric Cantor (whose district covers most of our area, and is one of the key leaders in the Farm Bill’s progress).

Wine Bottles: We finally have enough! Thank you for your contributions. You can keep drinking, but send those bottles to the recycling. We’ll keep you posted on the oven’s progress.

Orders this week: Good Health Herbs is closed on Saturday, but I (Janet) will bring orders to the entrance of the shop at 9:00 am on Saturday morning. If you order, please meet me there to pick up your veggies at 9 am.

Available for order, and on our market tables this week:

Arugula ($2 or $4 bag), Bell Peppers (green – 2 for $1), Broccoli Raab (also called Broccoli Rabe – $3), Carrots ($4), Mixed Kale ($4 bag), Bunched Greens (Tender Tat [not our idea for the name], Kale, Chard, Senposai/Collards, Hon Tsai Tai, or Tokyo Bekana – bigger than in the past – $4), Bibb Lettuce (green – $2), Red Head Lettuce ($2), Hearty Greens Mix ($3), Radishes ($3), Salad Mix ($3), Scallions ($2), Spinach ($4), Turnips ($3)…and our own Pepper Jelly (mild, medium, & hot – $5).

Please email your order to BroadforkFarm@yahoo.com by 3 pm on Friday, and pick up at 9 am on Saturday at Good Health Herbs.

(All Photo credits: Teresa Ann Photography)