Dear Friends and Valued Customers,
February on the farm is cold with a fresh coating of snow, and most of our activity stems from the greenhouses where Ellie’s Eden starts are incubating. Throughout the week, you can find me peering in, hoping to catch a glimpse as the first seed leaves break the surface of the soil, stretching up towards the light. I imagine that the glimmer in my eye as I watch the beginnings of new plants emerging looks a bit like the bright eyes of a child when she first spots a nest of robin’s eggs, baby bunnies nestled in the brush, or a young fawn hidden in a hedgerow. I love witnessing the wonder of new life beginning.
Perennial herbs and flowers require the longest greenhouse time, so the rosemary, lavender, thyme, and echinacea we planted back in December and January have already sprouted and are thriving. Stevia, too, is looking strong. And our first batch of peppers is poking up! There is something new to watch each day.
Our greenhouses give us a headstart to hit the ground running as soon as the earth is warm and ready to nurture plants to maturity. Greenhouses were an innovation that allowed the grower to be more successful and productive, extending the season and expanding the good that God brings to us through abundant crops.
This year here at Azure, we have experienced phenomenal growth from brand new customers and loyal customers broadening the types of products they order from us. We are thankful that you have trusted us as a partner in your journey to healthful living. You have challenged us to be more productive and innovate in the best way possible!
Just as the greenhouses allow expansion through innovation, I see that now is the time for Azure to expand for the greater purpose we serve in supporting healthful living. Part of our innovation is to build a new warehouse, and I am having a lot of fun looking at designs that will make us more efficient and able to do more with less. Not only is this good environmental stewardship, but it benefits our team in terms of work efficiencies and our customers in terms of costs. Another innovation is building apartment housing for our team members. Our town is very small and has limited resources. I would love to provide housing opportunities for those who wish to live in the Azure community.
I think Azure has always been creative and innovative. For instance, we built, in-house, every piece of equipment for the carob line we offer because carob equipment is not something that can be purchased! We discovered that chocolate equipment makes a poor carob, so we put our heads and hands to work creating something better. We failed a time or two, but that is just part of the innovation process.
I am reminded of a quote from Thomas Edison. He said that genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. I think the same is true for innovation: a great idea is the small part, and the rest is just a lot of hard work!
At Azure we aren’t looking for easy; we are looking for things that make a difference. We welcome the challenge of hard things that promote all that is good, right, and worthwhile. Cooking at home, exercising, and eating well are all difficult at times. They take more effort, but they are the right things to do.
As we go through winter and watch snow swirl here on the farm, I consider that “To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.” There is a time for each of us to build onto what has been entrusted to us. There is a time to plan for the future, both for next season and those to come. I want to encourage you, too, to prepare for and act in positive, forward-thinking ways. Our lives are more fulfilling when we view challenges as opportunities and work toward making a difference in our family, community, and the next generation.
With purpose,
David Stelzer, Azure Founder and CEO