June = Crazy Time

June 15, 2025

June will always be crazy time at the farm. The first harvests are underway, entire fields have yet to be planted, and weeds are growing at breakneck speed. Everywhere you look, something is competing for attention. This time of year, office work loses priority except for two key tasks—payroll and the weekly plan. The necessity of payroll is obvious, but the weekly plan less so. In June, any crew member can pull into the field and find something to do…but is weeding more important than seeding? Is harvesting more important than mulching? It depends on a multitude of factors. About a decade ago, after years of farming on the defensive, I learned the value of having a weekly plan that identifies which tasks are most critical, which can be postponed, and which will be most cost-effective if addressed immediately. Since then, Dan and I have gotten into the Sunday routine of drafting a plan, sharing it with the crew, and adjusting as needed. With a plan, we can make well-informed pivots in the field. Without it, we’re just putting out fires.

Drafting the weekly plan is even more important if you have new employees. This year’s crew isn’t the newest we’ve had, but it’s pretty close. Thomas Lennon spent 2 years at a commercial nursery in Washington before returning to Long Island to be close to family. Alice Sztabinsky is a CSA member double-majoring in environmental/sustainability studies and art at UCONN. Vivian Babich is a Long Islander majoring in psychology at Columbia University. All are familiar with plants, and none mind getting dirty. In the short time they’ve been with us, they've learned how to apply and remove row cover in the wind, how to plant at just the right depth, the pros and cons of various long-handled hoes, and much more. Their enthusiasm to learn is infectious, and I’m driven to sustain it through a weekly plan that includes constructive feedback, builds camaraderie through teamwork, and provides space for personal growth. So far so good, I think.

Out in the fields, the crops are finally turning the corner toward summer. The cold, wet spring got us off to a slow start, and for a while it seemed as though nothing (including the weeds) wanted to grow. But that changed last week. It’s still too soon to predict what kind of season we’re in for, but at least the season is underway. The last major plantings—sweet potatoes and winter squash—are complete, and our focus now shifts from planting to harvest. The first major crop will be garlic, due to start exiting the field next week.

With CSA pickups also underway, we owe a big shout-out Nancy Galgano, our CSA coordinator. In addition to working part-time in the field, Nancy attends to all rescheduling requests and email from CSA members—a big task, in case you wondered. Quick with both answers and empathy, she provides that old-school customer service that never goes out of style. We're also lucky to have Jackie Ford provide continuity for our crew. Jackie knows where everything is stored and the why behind each task—a fresh, abundant, well-presented harvest at each CSA pickup. Novice crew members are in good hands when they’re working with Jackie.

With the climax of the growing season—the summer solstice—less than a week away, it’s tempting to ignore the world at large. Nevertheless, with two kids in school, three newspapers delivered to my door, and social media on my phone, I’m well aware of what’s going on in our country. And yes, I’m very disturbed. Like so many Americans, I worry that climate change will continue unchecked, that ICE will disappear people I know and care about, that neighbors will turn on each other in fear. I worry that war and political violence are becoming the norm. But I also believe that the best remedy for collective anxiety is meaningful action. To repeat a phrase that never gets old: think global, act local. That's what Dan and I hope to achieve through the farm. For years, people have told me the farm is their happy place, and in times like these, we all need a happy place. So this Sunday and every Sunday, I'll be focusing on the weekly plan, in spite of everything else.

Thanks for reading,

Caroline