Watching for the delivery truck to return home has been a ritual on our farm for decades. In my Grandpa Dale’s era, the truck would depart with newly-hatched poults heading to an area farm. The poultry truck driver had to watch temperature closely to make sure the birds were warm and cozy in back, and my grandpa often did the delivering himself to ensure the birds got off to a good start. Because this was before the time of cell phones and easy communication, I remember my dad keeping one eye on the window at home, watching for the truck and driver to return home safely.

I can vividly recall summer evenings playing baseball with my dad and seeing our truck return and back carefully into the hatchery garage. It was a sure sign that all went well (and this may also the root source for my love of trucks).

We experience the same today as our delivery trucks return home from their route, only today they’re transporting our Ferndale Market turkey products. Instead of monitoring heat, our drivers today watch the thermometer closely to ensure proper refrigeration, and we look forward to their weekly return to hear tales from the road and our customers that they see. When the trucks get backed into the shed, we know all is well.

The trucks and faces have changed, but the rhythm remains the same. Like my grandpa before me, I see the goods on the truck as the most tangible result of our collective work on the farm. Seeing our truck turn into the farm driveway is regular comfort that our driver is home safely and the product we’ve invested care and energy into has been delivered.

Few farms have the chance to experience this direct connection to their customers and markets, and we’re grateful that you help sustain the rhythms and practices here. From farm to truck to table, we appreciate your support!