Friends of Sheldon Farms:

I have waited to report to you about the many developments at Sheldon Farms since my November (2018) update, as some of our initiatives were coming to fruition. I am going to follow the same format I have used previously, dividing my comments into the four sections which define our activities.

1. THE FARM. It has been a wet and mostly grey winter with little to do on the land other than try to manage the drainage, and keep things tidy. The seasonal slow-down of actual farming activities is good for body and mind, as the other three seasons are busy seven days a week. But winter is not an excuse to forget about the Farm, as plans need to be made.

I was so pleased that our Farm expert and colleague, Shawn Thackeray, responded positively to my invitation for him to take on a larger role in 2019. Shawn is so knowledgeable and capable, and he can do anything and everything that needs doing on a working farm. Before I knew it, he presented me with a list of plants and seeds we need to order now, for the twenty 6’ X 150’ planting beds we prepared and cultivated last Fall, which are now protected by our deer enclosure, with our pond-supported irrigation ready to go. Preparation of the beds will be starting very soon, and planting shortly thereafter. We will have a variety of vegetables and flowers, with an emphasis on things that our constituents can observe and help with, and learn the rudiments of agriculture (I am an eager student of these arts, too!).

Shawn and I agreed that tomatoes, with their high-maintenance requirements, could be left off our list, but Bonnie Waters had other ideas, so several heirloom varieties are now in motion. We are counting on her to manage her crop, but we will be close by when it comes time for harvest and enjoyment.

We are looking for a 6’ roto-tiller so we do not have to borrow from neighbors—this is an essential implement, which I hope will be in service for many years.

I am of the opinion that the wet winter, which has saturated the pecan orchards, is good for our trees. They do not like to stay wet (this is less of a problem since we removed about 14 trees in the wettest locations last year), but they do require lots of water to be robust, and I am hoping that they are gathering themselves for an explosive “bud-break”, which I expect in late March. To my eye the trees look great, and my 10-year learning curve is going to pay dividends this year, I am certain. We will begin fertilizing soon, and our first spray protocols, using our wonderful new orchard sprayer, will follow. The sprays control fungus and insect pests, and provide foliar nutrition, and our inadequate equipment (and inadequate expertise), have not been as helpful as they should have been in past years, but this season is going to be our best to date.

II. THE FACILITIES. In my last report I noted our progress on the build-out of the ground floor of 2245 Leadenwah, a/k/a “The Big House”, in order to provide additional bed capacity, a commons room, and an ADA-compliant bathroom. All of these objectives have been successfully and beautifully completed, and now we are close to being ready to receive an outing. I am debating the use of bunk beds, or fold-up roll-away beds, to increase our sleeping capacity (good quality roll-away’s are comparable in price to nice bunks, but have their advantages, particularly when the beds will be occupied sparingly, and the extra space better utilized without the bulky, immoveable, bunk beds.

Today we are installing a small refrigerator with ice-maker as an enhancement of the ground floor kitchenette in the Bunk Room. This will support the preparation and storage of light meals without using the full kitchen on the Main Floor. Also, we have decided to go ahead and install DishTV, to take full advantage of the 4 flat screen TVs that are already in place. Some additional furniture is needed for the commons room, and I am enjoying scouting the local consignment shops.

We also need to acquire outdoor furniture for the “logia”, which is the lovely sheltered area under the main floor porch, facing the “park” and Lake Martha Ann. All that remains is placing the furnishings, upgrading linens, towels, and dishware/flatware, and we will have a fully functioning “Retreat” facility, ready for our first group. Cannot wait!

III. THE PRODUCTS. This continues to be the choke point of our undertaking ... I have been so consumed with the Facilities improvements that I have had little time or energy for the ramp-up of our product placement or e-commerce promotion, but I have concluded that the Farm/Facilities/Mission has to drive the product marketing, not the other way around. In other words, trying to generate enthusiasm for the products in a vacuum is a slow-starter, whereas once the interactive use of the venue begins, the logic of selling our products as a vehicle to support the Mission becomes an irresistible concept, with many advocates. I have taken a small step forward: on a promotional basis (free) I have placed an ample supply of our signature Habenero Hot Sauce at the wonderful Sunrise Bistro on Johns Island, where I am a too-frequent patron. It seems to be appreciated by the “test” customers, and I even had a phone call from someone who liked it so much he wanted to know how he could buy it! I immediately met with him, and explained our story, which is much bigger than the retail sale of a few bottles of hot sauce, and he was quickly converted to a Friend of Sheldon Farms, whose numbers are growing.

Now that the Facilities are essentially completed, and with help from Shawn and Fonchelle Taylor (our valuable farmhand) on the Farm, I intend to turn my energies to marketing, and promise to have something to report in my next update.

IV. THE OUTREACH. Our family has cemented and expanded our relationship with the Dee Norton Child Advocacy Center, and that outstanding institution is our target therapeutic partner. I will be ready to solicit an outing with them soon. In the meantime, Jill Muti of Ashley Hall is due for a site visit and orientation next Wednesday, 1.16.19.

On the spiritual front, I am aware that our Grace Cathedral Church is embarking on a capital campaign, but their campus is limited to its historic boundaries. As their aspirations for varied activities for their rapidly-growing congregation, and for off-campus outreach opportunities expand, Sheldon Farms becomes an increasingly valuable asset for their groups. I will be working on this starting next week.

So, we have come so far, and yet there is a long way to go. We remain confident of our undertaking, and look forward to exciting developments to share with you soon. Please leave a comment to this Blog, and refer the link to your friends. We are telling our story to anyone who will listen.

Best wishes from Sheldon Farms—Rob