We get a lot of people who ask us why we’re not open more often, why the fields look like we’re purposely growing Johnson grass Why we haven’t done this or that.  We thought we’d try to explain a little more about our philosophy.

This business is an extension of our family not the governing principle of it.  As we apply the concept of stewardship to our land, to our farming practices, and to our family, we try to apply it to our time as well.

Maybe we are just foolish but this farm is so much more than a business to us.  It’s…

–        A place to raise our children

–        An opportunity to be caretakers of a piece of land so that it doesn’t get turned into another strip mall (the actual intended fate of this place when we stepped in)

–        A chance to provide the community a connection with their food

–        An extremely expensive garden

So we don’t run it in a very traditional business manner.  It is run by a family, the farm is part of our family, and it will be cared for in different manner than most folks are used to.

Our storefront may never be open 7 days a week.  It is a choice we had to make as we look at time that we are given and the other responsibilities we have, as well as several other governing principles which guide our decisions when to open and close - Not the least of which is that the next most profitable day to be open would be Sunday and we would like to set Sundays apart for church and family as much as possible.

There are also further issues other than time.  We appreciate your patience as we delve into a very steep learning curve.  This is our first year of a business we didn’t even anticipate on buying…yes we dreamed about it…but it became reality in a very abrupt and surprising manner.  We bought a dream but had no mentorship to walk us through to the reality.  This year is being played by ear.  We’ll figure out what works for us, what works for all of you, and what mistakes not to make next time.

Another principle which drives our decision to set hours is the amount of inventory.  We would like to provide the community with local, fresh produce grown in a sustainable and organic manner.  It is not easy setting up those contacts.  But it is important to us that what we stock our shelves with will bless you and your family.  We don’t have a problem with HEB, we shop there ourselves, but we don’t want to be HEB.  If I didn’t grow it, I’m going to know the person who did, I’m going to have met him and shook his hand, and I’m going to have seen the field in which it grew.  There’s nothing necessarily wrong with the veggies bought by the case at the commercial produce terminal in San Antonio, but that’s not what we are here to do.

And, yes….our time is not our own.  We are accountable to God for every moment He has given us and what we spend it on.