Hello everyone,
What a beautiful day! Farmer Jason here, and gorgeous days like this are just one of the reasons that May is such a special month on the farm. Things are greening up fast, and the bluebirds are busy at work feeding their young. On a good day, the mother can catch up to 2,000 bugs! We love watching them in the birdhouses posted all around both of our farms. It’s a treat see how their young grow so fast, and they are able to have multiple broods each spring and summer.
There are more than just birds adding happy chattering to the field! May is also the busiest month for school groups visiting the farm. Hundreds of elementary-age students are shuttled to our location with the Learn Team awaiting their arrival. Educator-guided tours are given along with hands-on opportunities to connect children with where food comes from.
There’s so much to see on our farms! Tours cover the accessible raised beds, sensory garden, greenhouse, hoop house, beehives, both cold and in-vessel composting systems, no-till and living soil techniques, not to mention the thousands of plants growing in the fields. It’s no wonder the kids often tell us they want to be farmers when they grow up; we make it look cool. Children get to leave with loads of information that all ties STEM curriculum.
Whenever possible, I attend these school group visits to lend a hand and even get to teach at times. These moments leave me with a smile that lasts all day. Whether it is seeing kids’ eyes light up when they try a cherry tomato ripe from the vine, or having a kid bring me back a bouquet of dandelions from the field because he learned they help the soil, I never get sick of bearing witness to the next generation experiencing all that the farm has to offer. One of my standing goals here at KFB is to make sure every child knows where a carrot truly comes from—the ground—and they don’t just come from a grocery store.
Ottawa + Allegan counties are also beginning to see the fruits of our labor over the past 18 months. Volunteer shifts (we need your help!) began on our new farm on May 15. Volunteers are transplanting tens of thousands of plants over the next couple weeks. Zack Allen, our site lead, will oversee care day to day as we await their bounty for distribution to community partners throughout the Ottawa + Allegan area.
Thank you all for taking the time to catch up with me this month. We’ve got a big, exciting summer of growing to do. I’ll see you in the field!
A big green thumbs up to you all,
Farmer Jason and the Grow Team
