November 15, 2025
Season’s blessings, friends!
My first news is that we’re going to pause mail orders and internet orders until January 12, 2026. I’ll explain why at the end of this letter.
2025 was a good year for us overall. Ralph, Abbey, and I are all still here and healthy considering our ages. And we’re so glad to be able to still be working together at what we love.
The drought from mid June through mid October was a challenge, but at least we had good rainfall preceding it so all the transplants did well and had a solid rooting before the drought took hold.
And one good thing about a drought is that no water = no fruit diseases and no leaf diseases. So all the berries were able to be picked perfectly every two days and were free of any kind of dampness. Starting with strawberries, leading into red and black currants, blueberries, summer raspberries, blackberries, elderberries, and the glorious autumn raspberries we had good yields of perfect fruit - sweet and juicy.
Peaches were on an off-year (tree fruit that isn’t heavily fertilized tends to be alternate-bearing, and last year’s crop was record-breaking, so we weren’t surprised to have a low-fruit year.) But what we did pick was large and perfect!
Tomatoes came on strong and long without leaf disease to zap their energy, and no blossom diseases to lead to rot of any kind. Every time we take some from the freezer to cook down into Tomatoes Rustica, we marvel at their perfection. I ate the first sun gold on July 4, and the final tomato just a couple of weeks ago.
Peppers were late, but that was because rabbits and chipmunks nibbled the baby seedlings which then had to grow new stems. When they finally came, they were abundant.
Likewise, our zinnias were late thanks to the bunnies, but put on a solid show of brilliance in August through frost. All the flowers were generous with blooms and the flower beds were really lovely. Cutting blooms for the farmstand provided joyous color. Visitors to the farmstand love the view into the gardens and the bright colors in the beds beyond.
Now to the mail dilemma….
We really love the USPS and have been loyal customers for a long time. We agree with Benjamin Franklin that it is a vital resource for these United States and we don’t mind paying for it. Sadly, it’s been maliciously defunded and decimated and the remaining workers are trying to do the Herculean task with little support.
We’ve been sending out holiday gifts since at least 1989 and went online in 1999. In some years we mailed out more than 200 packages during the busy holiday season. We’ve been pulling back in recent years, but even so we sent out a hundred packages or so during the season, a couple dozen packages on some days.
But lately, we’ve had packages take as long as seven days to reach Boston (at 72 I could walk there faster!) which I think is due to the closing of so many regional sorting centers.
I worry about so much during the year -
Will the greenhouse freeze? Will the seedlings survive? Will the rain come? Will the rain stop?
By November I am tired of worrying, and since there’s nothing I can do about the mail once we put the package in the box, I need to stop. (Ralph packs every single box - he carefully wraps and double boxes everything, and I send everything out first class priority mail)
But whatever the reason for the unpredictable service, I just can’t take the pressure of sending out people’s gifts with the expectation that they will arrive in time and in tact for the holidays.
So, my friends, no mail order until next year. Now we have some customers who get preserves every month, and people who rely on elderberry syrup to help keep viruses away for their families. If this sounds like you, just send me an email. I’ll take your order and you can pay by PayPal, Venmo, or mail a check. As long as you recognize that it might take a while, we’re good. I just want to be clear that I simply can’t send out gifts or anything with a deadline that I can’t control.
The Tiny Farmstand has been a beehive of activity and we really love how many people have discovered us and return again and again. Pies are the main attraction which gives us great joy because we love making them! And everyone who tries them loves our Dark Chocolate Moon Cakes - and then they explore Fruit Preserves, Elderberry Syrup, and our tomato and pepper and vinegars offerings.
Our plan is to remain open daily until the end of the year, then reopen again in spring - likely in April. (Mail and internet orders will resume in January. If you are local and need anything during our break, just send an email and we’ll arrange a pickup.)
Tiny Farmstand has a tiny heater, but if December temperatures dip into the single digits or we get lots of snow, we’ll pause and reopen when conditions improve. You can always email us or use Instagram or Facebook to message us to be sure we’re open before you come. We’re also happy to reserve a pie or moon cake or any preserve so you’re sure to get what you want.
Abbey is slowing down and is too sleepy to great everyone these days, but she does make it up to the farmstand a couple of times a day to say hello. [if she comes while you’re there, you are a chosen one!] She spends lots of time sleeping and dreaming. Her eyes and ears are weak, but her nose works just fine and she eats with gusto. When her BFF Elisha comes she prances and dances like a puppy and follows her everywhere - then sleeps for a couple of days.
Ralph and I are both doing well - hiccups here and there, but nothing traumatic. This is our favorite time of year for baking pies and making preserves. The house fills with warmth from the stove and the aroma is comforting and delicious. We both also enjoy baking breads and cakes and generally having fun just cooking together. During the growing season we’re too busy to experiment with new recipes and flavors, but during winter we really enjoy it.
Sending out warmest wishes for a season of comfort and joy at your house - whether it’s hosting a house full of merry-makers or enjoying quiet times by the fire with a good book, we hope that you can do what you love, with those you love.
Thank you for your love and support from the bottom of our hearts!
Peace and Love,
Patti and Ralph and Abbey the Joyful
Patti rolling out dough for PattiPies