What a ride. We've passed the sixth month mark without Bill and it's been the toughest of moments, but also, it's been reassuring to not be alone in our sadness and our healing.
An Update on How We're Doing
Not a day goes by where we don't miss Dad. Our team - our staff of Lori, Tracy, Elizabeth, Clayton, Francisco, Felix, Jeremy, Max, Maria, Lynna, Jo, and Chuck - have kept us upright during the the last several months. Our vendors - many of whom shared decades of their lives with Bill, have been so supportive. We get choked up a lot, but we also have so much to smile and laugh about.
I haven't yet made it back to my first tradeshow without Dad - that's going to be a big one. Wish me luck.
But you each have become our family over the years - in small ways and big ways. It's incredible to have thousands of people who love your Dad so much. The letters we received and read to Bill as he rested in those final days. And now, you come in and you've shared stories about Farmer Bill and how he changed your lives. How you miss him, too. How everything is different, but you're also feeling him here, on our grounds, when you visit - we feel him, too.
Some of my favorite stories you share are how you've got things in your garden, or yard, that he encouraged you to plant - and they're still thriving, or they're blooming or fruiting for the first time this year and you can't help but think of him. How enthusiastic he'd be when you brought him in some to share.
Some of you have his prolific butternut squash seeds - from his prized collection. Others of you have shared about plants you didn't think you could grow, until Dad encouraged it, heck he practically compelled you to try it out and come back - and tell him how it went.
Our apples and figs are fruiting now - he loved this time of year. And persimmons. He loved to dry them in massive quantities and store in Mason jars - he'd dice and prep and stock up for six months of dried fruit, pressing a few quart jars into anyone who came for a visit.
And this year his lychee tree - his most prized tree on the property - has a crop like no one has ever seen in it's 20 years. I walk by that tree and have to smile; because he's never far from my mind.
Farmer Bill’s Lychee Tree - Full of Fruit
Looking Forward To Reopening on Sundays
We're gearing up to reopen on Sundays! Starting on September 19th, our in-store hours will be Wednesday-Sunday 10a-4p. We hope to slowly keep expanding our hours and days back to normal, and are working to make sure we can do that safely and balance healthy working conditions for our hardworking team.
A very special thanks to our reliable Sunday crew - anchored by City Heights natives, brothers Francisco and Felix. If you used our curbside pickup program, you've surely seen them hustling to load you - they have anchored our Sunday pickup program since our world was rocked in March of 2020. They turned up in rain, heat, and learned how to place orders on tablets - certainly a first for City Farmers!
A very special thanks, also to our online store manager, Max. Max deftly took charge of a brand-new system and has kept inventory, uploaded new product, and ensured that our temporary system was able to continue on. Our online store will have our last pickup day be 8/29 - we will pull the store down and refund any outstanding orders.
We'll be closing August 30th - September 3rd for our Annual Clean Sweep Week- where we prepare and ready for Fall. This year we'll be rebuilding plant benches, laying new bark from local trimmed trees, and tearing down our online store.
Our Thanks to You
We appreciate how considerate you have been with us getting ourselves stable. And you keep showing up for our family, and ensuring we are able make payroll for our team.
Dad instilled in us what a great privilege that is - to have people who will go out of their way to shop our independent nursery, when there are many other places you could go.
We'll continue to be here as you need supplies, fresh air, and a little bit of the country, right here in the city.
Warmly,
Sam Tall
Second Generation, City Farmers Nursery
