After 16 years in the direct mail advertising business we decided to do something that was more about life & less about life style. We sold our business & started growing a few rows of broccoli, squash, heirloom tomatoes & garlic. After realizing we couldn't actually eat 200 pounds of tomatoes every week we applied to the Goshen Farmers Market and started selling a few things there on Fridays. That was our first year as a certified organic producer. It felt prety good to be outside growing things & have local people appreciate them so we expanded a bit to include microgreens. Then came a greenhouse and seedlings, although the chipmunks, mice & woodchucks almost got me to throw in the towel. You can't actually be smarter than varmints, only more dedicated. Then came Ella, born right smack on my 50th birthday - hence "Late Bloomer Farm". Let's see now, I have a new daughter, new farm AND chipmunk problems - oh, did I mention late blight? Hello Prozac! Now we sell at 6 farmers markets, Adams FairAcre & to a handful of restaurants. We grow some pretty nice stuff but I think our farm's future really lies in continuing to develop relationships with local producers of other good stuff & offer it all in one convenient location      year-round.              - Ron Hayward