Suppose a potential new farmer asked me what the most challenging aspect of operating a direct-to-market farm is. Drawing on 20 years of experience, I would have to say the most difficult part is matching supply to demand. If a farm is "micro," everybody understands if they are "out" of product. If a farm is giant, it sells a commodity into an industrial system that just buys whatever quantity it has. We at Carlton Farms are not micro, but we are by no means industrial. What we do is try to be the farmer that our community relies on, especially for certain products. We take that responsibility seriously and never want to disappoint anyone. When we are short on one of our key products, I lose a lot of sleep trying to figure out how to remedy whatever issue is occurring.

The opposite side of that coin is the situation we find ourselves in right now. Milk is flowing great, and the laying hens are producing lots of eggs. Right now would be a good time to throw a few gallons of milk in the freezer. They are nice to have in a pinch, or when production decreases in the summer heat. Eggs are on sale now, so stock up on those as well and make them a more prominent part of your diet. The buy-3-get-1-free deal is active now. If you don't need 4 dozen, take this opportunity to share a dozen with someone who may not know about Carlton Farms.

Thanks for your help managing these supply fluctuations as they happen. As farmers and consumers with an established relationship, we can work together to get through both shortage and abundance. The most challenging part of what we do may be matching supply to demand, but the absolute best part is knowing the names and faces of the people who consume what we produce. Thank you for understanding when things are in short supply, and it is our great pleasure to share the bounty when it abounds. Enjoy the abundance this week.