Picking up the Pieces

It’s been hot, which is what the plants have been waiting for. We look forward to seeing them grow over the next week.

Three friends came over on Saturday and took Tunnel 1 apart with me, and on Monday I picked up all the pieces with Adrienne, who is home from college for the summer, and took it to the recyclers in Rock Valley. We look forward to replacing it.

As I mentioned last week, a small group has stepped forward to help the farm recover from weather-related damage. On Monday, June 2, we’ll launch our fundraising campaign on Indiegogo.com, a site that allows small businesses to pitch their dreams and ideas to friends and strangers and raise funds to support their projects. We’ll send you that link next week and ask you to share it with as many people as you can think of who might be interested..

Please save Saturday, June 14, for a big fundraiser at the Fruited Plain in Sioux Center. Starting at 5 p.m., there will be an all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner with sausage meatballs from a locally raised organic pig, as well as brats and beer and a band on the patio outside. All proceeds will go toward our rebuilding costs. RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Fruited-Plain-Cafe/262085718038

In all, we hope these efforts will raise the $28,000 in material costs that it will take us to replace the two large high tunnels we lost in recent years. The new structures will be significantly sturdier, and we also will put up a retaining wall and trees for a wind break.We hope to put at least one new structure up in time for fall season planting in August!

Thank you for your patience and your support.

–John Wesselius