Good evening, friends,

This email is going to be a bit different, but we wanted to share something from our hearts.

This has been one of the hardest weeks of our lives.  Last week Thursday, Doug unexpectedly passed away.

We lost our husband, father and grandfather.

Our teacher, mentor & friend.

He was an incredibly positive and compassionate person.  The stories that have been flooding in the past few days from customers, employees and friends have been amazing. His smile and kindness touched so many people.

Doug appreciated all of the little things in life.  Doug would get so excited to show everyone all the crops growing.  A great looking field of potatoes.  Giant heads of broccoli or a big butternut squash.

Doug was a full speed ahead kind of person.  Full of energy.  An incredibly hard worker. He only stopped at coffee time and he would want everyone to join him.  He loved people. He genuinely loved life and lived it to the fullest.

He had incredible faith.  “Don’t worry so,” he would say.  He trusted God to take care of us, always. One of his favorite verses was Matthew 19:26: “With God all things are possible.”

So, friends, a few reminders and lessons we have learned from one of our favorite farmers:

Kindness matters.  Kindness is something the world desperately needs right now. This was a way of life for Doug.   He proved to us that a smile and kind word can have a huge impact on people’s lives.

Appreciate all of the little things.  Farmers appreciate the little things in life because they know every little thing counts. Every blossom, every honeybee, every earthworm in the dirt, every drop of rain that falls.  Doug knew this. He loved the simple things in life like beautiful produce and a good cup of coffee.

Don’t worry so.  Doug lived this.  It takes incredible faith to put a seed in the ground and believe that it will grow a crop to provide for your family.  He trusted God and did not worry about the future.   “Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”  Matthew 6:34.

We are so grateful for this special man.  He left us an amazing legacy of faith, family and farming.

Thank you all for your support this past week.  The outpouring of love from the community has meant so much to us.  We truly appreciate each & every one of you.

– The Visser Family