Ready, Set, Launch!

Yesterday we officially launched Holmestead Farms into the public arena by participating in the Vashon Farmer's Market.  The day started early with Amy carefully packing the pickup and slowly driving up to the market (she did not want to bruise one plum), while Toby played parent extraordinaire to G & F back home.  By 10 that morning the whole family was gathered at our market table underneath the chiseled driftwood sign Papa Ed made some thirty years ago that read "The Holmestead".  Gus and Freja ran around the market area selling everlasting bouquets that Shirley put together for them, while Amy and Toby helped the early, serious shoppers buy big quantities of plums, apples and raspberries.

It was a beautiful day, very social, and the day was punctuated by many a surprise visitor.  We ended up supplying the snack for the Seattle Sounders professional soccer team, reconnected with too many friends to mention, met our neighbors around the farm, and even got to see Mary.  Mary, and her husband Phil were the previous owners of the farm, and she just happened to be on the island that day.  She made a stop at the market, because it is the social place on Saturdays, and you could see the surprise in her face to see us selling the delicious apples, plums and raspberries that she and Phil worked so hard to grow and pass on to us.  She beamed with pride to see us use so many of the things they left for us, like the antique crates and boxes we used to show off the fruit.  And we were proud too, to show her that we take the land seriously, and don't just see it as "someplace" new.

All in all, we turned a small profit, even after accounting for the start up costs of business cards, a market scale, produce bags, gas, labor, and paying out a percentage of our sales to the market association.  We certainly gained more respect for the other local farmers that do this every day, and were reminded why local, organic produce costs "so much".  We hope that maybe just a few people outside of farm owners really start understanding that soon, and really start supporting us and other small, local farms with more vigor.  This week on our local public radio station they are highlighting farming in our region, and we encourage everyone to have a listen and maybe even take the time to check out the following website: 

Thanks and happy eating, plums, apples, plums, tomatoes, plums, raspberries, and plums!