Reflections on the year by Faustino varela martinez

Faustino wrote a beautiful reflection upon this past farming year. We are incredibly grateful for his care, hard work, and passion. His writing follows.

photo by Henry Busby

It is a cold and rainy morning, with a lot of fog and strong wind. The countryside is completely calm, silence reigns and the stillness gives a touch of nostalgia to this long-awaited autumn. The sun tries to infiltrate the clouds, but its rays are quickly absorbed by the fog and clouds, without allowing its clear ray of light to be seen. The field is now at rest, you can only hear the singing of some small birds that are migrating in search of warmer temperatures, fluttering around. The deer, in search of green pastures, gather in herds and in the distance they can be seen running, alerted by the noise of our presence.
 
My day has started with my breakfast: a steaming cup of coffee and some crusty toast. The aroma of coffee wakes me up completely and prepares me for what needs to be done for the day. During the trip to the farm, I thought a little about everything we have worked on this season. Spring is beautiful, it welcomes a new season with its colorful flowers and green vegetables. This spring we harvested the lisianthus flower for the first time (at least for me). That bright purple color gave a noble view to our greenhouse and, at the same time, the subtlety with which it is handled gives us a clear example of the gentleness with which nature treats us. I tell them that next season they will be back so they can prepare and admire them. In summer, the sun rises over the horizon with intense heat, forcing us to get up early and making us start our day much earlier to prevent the sun from withering or drying out the crops, and thus keeping them of excellent quality. The rainy days in this season are a welcome rest for the thirsty land, and of course, for us as well.
 
Throughout the season we have perfected our cleaning technique and have anchored ourselves to it as a basis to significantly improve and ensure the quality of the vegetables. But, like every year, there are things that are out of our control, and this year was no exception. For example, when a family of raccoons and opossums showed up and ate most of the watermelons. Although it is a little frustrating, in the end you can't help but smile when thinking about those little thieves. The sweet potato harvest has been one of the most rewarding times of the year. Excellent, good quality, with a sweet and pleasant flavor. Although the deer also got their share, I can't blame them for their good taste!

​This year has been a journey of learning and growth. Despite the challenges, we have managed to grow an incredible variety of vegetables, knowing that each one requires different care, but the result is well worth it. Nature is a constant teacher, reminding me of the importance of perseverance and gratitude. And although the field can suddenly be challenging, I am grateful for the opportunity to work in it.

The day is over and I am glad to be able to write these lines. Knowing that you read it with great curiosity and delving into our work gives me the certainty that you will appreciate it very much. I say goodbye by adding that there is no better satisfaction than seeing vegetables grow and mature, and the knowledge that I am working to provide healthy and fresh food is my motivation.
Greetings!