The Season Before the Season

January on the farm is always a bit deceptive. Standing outside, it looks like a pause—a deep breath after the long growing season. The fields are quiet, the work slows just enough to breathe, and yet the season ahead feels very present. There’s a flurry of activity just out of sight, both below the frozen soil and throughout the farm… seeds stocked and primed for sowing, winter greens still growing under plastic, and plans taking shape that will carry us months into the future. It’s not fast or flashy work, but it’s essential.

This time of year always invites reflection for me—about why we do this work at all, and what it asks of us in return. Farming is, at its core, an ongoing relationship: with the land, with the people who care for it, and with the community that eats what it produces. Reciprocity isn’t a lofty idea here—it’s practical. We take, we give back. We plan carefully. We pay attention. We try again.

Care looks different in January. It shows up in protecting crops through cold nights, in pacing winter harvests around weather windows, in taking a pause where we can so we don’t burn out before the season even begins. It also shows up in tending our relationships—checking in and planning improvements with the crew, making space for rest, and preparing thoughtfully for the year ahead so we can show up fully for the land and the people who trust us with their food.

So while the fields may look dormant, a lot is happening here. This month has been about setting the table: for another growing season, for the return of VegEmail, for new ways to connect through food and the farm. Yet underneath it all is the same intention we carry every year—the ongoing work of growing food in a way that honors the land, the people who tend it, and the community it feeds.

While the fields rest under snow, the high tunnels continue to anchor our winter work. We’re still producing, still harvesting—but winter harvesting is a game of patience and planning. In our unheated high tunnels, crops can only be harvested when temperatures inside the tunnels rise above freezing, which means watching forecasts closely and jumping on narrow weather windows when they appear.

It’s slower, more deliberate work, and it asks a lot of flexibility from everyone involved. But those cold-season greens are worth it, and we’re grateful to still be pulling food from the soil in January.

January is also conference season, and we were glad to attend the Practical Farmers of Iowa Conference this month. These gatherings are grounding in the best way—part education, part community, part reminder that farming is both deeply personal and profoundly shared.

We always come home with new ideas, renewed energy, and a longer list of things we’d like to try. It’s a good way to reset our perspective before the pace of the season picks up again.

After taking most of January off from VegEmail deliveries, we’re excited to say that VegEmail resumes on Wednesday, January 28, now on a bi-weekly Wednesday schedule. Here’s the link to that order form if you’re interested. It closes on Sunday at 10pm for pick up Wed 1/28 from 4-6pm.

That January pause gave us space to reset—and to focus on some big behind-the-scenes projects (more on that below). A calendar graphic is included so you can see delivery dates through April at a glance.

VegEmail remains our choose-your-own, no-commitment way to connect with the farm year-round. You decide what you want, when you want it, and we take care of the growing.

One of our biggest January projects has been building a new online store that will support VegEmail order cycles and offer a permanently open shop for Bounty Box memberships, pantry goods, fibers, and other shelf-stable farm offerings.

This has been a long-time goal, and we’re excited to finally be close. Our hope is to make ordering simpler, clearer, and more flexible—for you and for us. We’re aiming to have it up and running within the next month and will share more details as soon as it’s ready.

Here are a few upcoming events and milestones to keep on your radar:

• January 28 - Bi-weekly VegEmail deliveries resume

• April 30 - Bounty Box Membership balance payments due

2026 Bounty Box memberships are now available.

The Bounty Box is our 20-week farm share (June–October) and the heart of how we connect our farm to our community. Your membership supports our growing season and brings you fresh, local, chemical-free produce each week — grown with care and harvested in season.

What members love:
Opening the box each week and celebrating what the land has offered — crisp greens, sturdy roots, fragrant herbs from well-cared-for soil. Meals follow the season, vegetables become the star, and cooking feels both grounding and generous.

The details:
• 20 weeks of produce (8–12 items weekly)
• Enough for an average family of four
• Pick-up in downtown Des Moines, Knoxville, or on the farm
• Membership: $700 (payment due April 30)
• Optional add-ons available (Herbs, Jams and Seasonings)

If this sounds like a good fit for your table, we’d love to grow for you.

Questions? Just reply — we’re always happy to help.

P.S. Bounty Box memberships are limited and filled on a first-come basis. If joining has been on your “maybe someday” list, this is a good time to take a look.

I want a Bounty Box Membership!

🥕 Love the farmers market food, hate the fuss?
If you’re a Central Iowan looking for year-round, farm-fresh, chemical-free food without the crowds, guesswork, or farmers market chaos, our VegEmail program is for you.

Every week (or every 2 weeks in the winter), we send you an order form with what’s fresh, and you pick exactly what you want.
✅ No subscriptions
✅ No commitment
✅ Just good food, from people you trust

Pick-up is easy—every other Wednesday, 4-6pm in downtown Des Moines, Knoxville, or right here on the farm. Plus, Des Moines customers can also grab Ebersole Cattle Co meats and eggs, Lost Lake Farm LLC cheeses, and CottageScapes Bakery goodies—all from one pick-up point.

Sign up at www.bluegatefarmfresh.com for food you can feel good about.

Is a monthly newsletter not enough for you? Follow us:

Website: www.bluegatefarmfresh.com

Facebook: Blue Gate Farm

Instagram at bluegatefarmfresh

Bounty Box members can also connect with other BGF members to share recipes or ask questions on our FB community page at Blue Gate Farm Community.

January feels like a threshold—quiet, full of intention, and pointed toward what’s coming. We’re grateful to step into the new year with plans taking shape, food still growing, and a community that makes all of it meaningful.

That’s about it for now. If you have any questions or comments, be sure to let us know.
Best from the farm,
Jill & Sean (and the whole BGF crew)