Jan. 7, 2026

Hi Farmsters,

 

We had a very good turnout last weekend; we sold over 60 dozen eggs. We were sold out in the store by 11 am and the nests were picked clean by noon. The birds are now laying between 8 and 10 dozen eggs per day. Many of you also picked greens from the greenhouses. To serve you hardcore members, we will be open every Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm. If we get enough attendance on Saturdays we will start stocking the store with groceries. We now have a new freezer we acquired from the North Falmouth Cheese Shop so we can load it up with meat from Hanatow Ranch. The key thing is for you to get out of the house and socialize. Socializing leads to wellness. Staying away from news leads to wellness. Staying away from those deals offered by the all-inclusive resorts in Venezuela is also a good idea, for now.

 

Many of you are concerned about the farm’s survival. We have a plan, but it is complicated to explain. It involves dairy goats and cheese production. I think we may want to hold a discussion session for those that are interested in hearing our plan. It could be over coffee one Saturday on the back deck. Socialization.

 

Most farms in the world are subsistence level; they just provide enough food to feed the owners. Farms that have output to provide food to others are usually subsidized by governments. Subsidies can be direct; but usually they are indirect such as cheap electricity, cheap water, overlooking illegal labor practices, etc. In Falmouth, we get a real estate tax break and some exemptions from costly regulations. There are also government grant programs that have provided this farm with greenhouses, solar power arrays, and funded environmental conservation measures.

 

The biggest issue with food production is on the labor side. A “minimum” wage worker on the farm today costs $25 per hour (with taxes, insurance, health, etc.); $200 per workday. From a crop standpoint, we are very productive, but it still does not yield anywhere near what it costs to run the farm. Options are being discussed; research is underway; buying farmland in Greenland is under consideration.

 

Amy from CAI NPR just released her story on the potential for neon flying squid and moon snail fisheries - https://www.capeandislands.org/local-news/2026-01-06/could-moon-snails-neon-flying-squid-fisheries-save-the-scallop-industry-some-local-scientists-are-hopeful

 

Farmer Ron