2025 UPDATE- January 16

From Ricky:

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Hi Everyone,

 

Happy Holidays to all and thanks for being loyal to Sheila Bird Farms.

 

It's December 26th, and I’m sitting here at my dinner table reflecting on the last couple of years and dreaming of the future.  The seed catalogs for 2025 are all in, and I’m drooling over all the possibilities.  But I am also reflecting on the last couple of years that have been very difficult for the farm.

 

As you all probably know, 2023 was a disaster and we barely stayed open.  After a difficult July we were able to recover somewhat and fulfill our share obligations but not much else.  The weeds completely took over and we were heartbroken at the loss of production.  Maybe down 50%.  It was hard to measure how bad it really was.  We just covered our eyes and did what we could.

 

We had great hopes for 2024 but again we lost the battle to the overwhelming amount of weeds.  It’s was also difficult to find labor on a consistent basis even though the average pay was roughly $14-$15.00 an hour.  We ended the season on a good note with the Tuesday Local Market in Undine Park and a number of pop-up driveway sales.  We had a terrible tomato year but felt renewed by our abundant chili pepper harvest for the first time in years.  We also experimented with growing flowers and were very happy with the results. 

 

Rodents continue to be trouble for us.  The prairie dog invasion has subsided, probably because either the barnyard dogs or a fox have been coming onto the farm.  Rabbits are nearly gone.  It’s the voles and moles (I can’t tell between the two) that have been very hard to control.  They damage carrots, beets, and turnips the most ,which are some of our most well-loved crops.

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To make a long story a little shorter, it is with a heavy heart I must announce we won’t be offering CSA shares this year.  I plan to take out at least 1/3 of the farm on a rolling basis to get a handle on the weeds and revive the soil with cover crops.  We have discovered a new organic weed killer and will use that, along with 40% vinegar and a flame weeder to wage war on the weeds. 

 

We also had a precipitous drop in CSA sales last January for some unknown reason.  Down 60%.  Something that has never happened before.  We have always had growing demand each year.  Never a down year that I can remember.  We are still stumped about why this happened.  We would appreciate you thoughts on the matter.

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We are really looking forward to the Tuesday Undine market this year.  I also plan on the pop up driveway sales in June, Sept, and October.  I am going to focus on peppers, cucumbers, and tomatoes and a more diverse selection of head lettuces.  Really looking forward to it. 

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It’s Jan 2nd now, and I’m recovering from holiday writer's block.  I’m still optimistic about this coming season and am plotting the first greenhouse plantings in March.  This weekend will bring in the seeding of tomatoes, peppers and eggplant.  I'm firing up the heat mats too.  I just get so excited when I see the little seedlings pop up and start their journey.  I will be ordering potatoes and onion and leek transplants soon, so if any of you would like some please let me know.

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To all of you, thanks again for being loyal to this giant labor of love, Sheila Bird Farms.  Stay tuned for more updates.  I will post pictures of the seedlings and the progress inside the greenhouses.  Put the Tuesday Local Market on your schedule this summer- July and August only this year- and we hope to see you all there. 

 

Please share your thoughts.  I can be emailed at sheilabirdfarms@gmail.com or rkent@sheilabirdfarms.com.

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Cheers, and weeds be gone,

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Ricky

Sheila Bird Farms