Field Notes

Winter 2026

A lot has changed since our last newsletter. Namely, Wilder Blue Smith has become a permanent fixture on the farm. Prior to her arrival, every parent warned me, “Caring for a baby is one of the hardest things you’ll ever do.” And to be honest, I thought y’all were wimps, and that not much about my life would change. Boy was I a fool. This little girl has rocked my world in ways that range from profound to trivial. My world now revolves around the smallest, most brilliant and perfect of suns— my daughter. 

So what does this have to do with the farm? Everything! Although Jac has shouldered the bulk of Wilder duty, my time in the field has a new set of limitations that I’m still adjusting to. But in an effort to achieve a high degree of efficiency, I have reached out to a farm consultant to help me tighten up my systems, increase productivity, refine a couple skills, and overhaul some practices both in the field and on the business end of things. This process has thrown me into a world of spreadsheets that I never envisioned when I began my farming journey. However, I’m already feeling more in control of the field. I’m beginning to reap the benefits of the old adage, “one hour of planning can save you ten hours of doing.” I’m very excited for my customers to enjoy the fruits of my labors, or lack thereof. 

When designed correctly, a crop plan designates what crop goes where over the course of a year. It also provides a rough draft template of when a crop is planted, how much is planted, the approximate first harvest date, the expected harvest window, and the date the crop will be removed from the field. This data is then extrapolated and used to generate a greenhouse seeding list. All of this planning takes place at the year’s end. From there, it’s up to the farmer to record what actually happens in the field and how it either mirrors or deviates from the crop plan. For instance, if my 2026 crop plan forecasts 300 lbs of pickling cucumbers, but my yield is actually 550 lbs, that discrepancy will inform how many bed feet I allocate to those cukes in 2027. There’s a lot of other details that are embedded within the crop plan, but essentially it is a data-driven forecast of what a farmer can hope to grow in a season.

The consultancy has been funded by the San Diego Food System Alliance’s Pollinator Program, for which Kind Folk Farm was awarded 10K for business development in 2025. Half of our funds were allocated to marketing (more on this to follow) and the other half was invested in the services of one of the small-scale farming greats, Josh Volk of Slow Hand Farm in Portland, OR. Josh has spent the last several decades mastering the intricacies of growing food on a human scale, and I’m very fortunate to be in the position to harness the breadth of his trials, errors, and expertise in service of my own operation. The abundance of insight and information that I’ve gleaned in the past few months will become apparent to our customers starting in late spring. Farming is a slow burn.

Aside from a newly developed passion for microlevel record keeping, we have also invested in a couple pieces of infrastructure and tools which will help us grow more efficiently. We’ve automated our humidifiers in the mushroom tent so they are refilled using laser levels and solenoids. Our nightshade and cucurbit starts in the greenhouse have gotten off to a record start with the implementation of a fancy germination/grow tent. And we’ve integrated Japanese developed hoses called Sumi Soakers to help with gentle, targeted overhead irrigation in the field. I’ve never been much of a “gear head” but I’m starting to come around to the importance of having the right tool for the job. Now if I can only convince Jac how crucial a Japanese mini-truck might be… 

New year, new ideas, new faces— and honestly she has the cutest little face. Same farm, same goal— to grow damn fine produce for our friends, family, neighbors, and strangers. We are so happy to have you on this journey with us. 

In Gratitude, 

Ayzsha

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