Year Zero: Waiting on the Weather

The project has officially entered what is commonly referred to as “Year Zero,” the first planting phase of the pilot farm. Approximately 12,000 blueberry bushes are scheduled to arrive from the nursery, marking the transition from preparation to execution.

We had expected to begin planting this week. Instead, we have asked the nursery to delay delivery until March 15, the latest date the plants can reasonably be held.

The adjustment reflects conditions on the ground rather than a change in intent. Over the past several weeks, the region has experienced persistent rainfall consistent with its late winter and early spring climate. At this elevation, March remains part of the wetter season, and soils can stay saturated longer than anticipated. The recent weather has left portions of the property too wet to prepare properly for planting.

This is not unique to our farm. Across the region, agricultural projects are experiencing similar delays, creating a backlog of work for local crews and operators. Rushing into planting under these conditions would introduce unnecessary risk at the very moment the project moves from planning into the ground.

For now, the practical solution is to concentrate plant staging in an area closer to the house and pool where drainage has been more reliable, while allowing the primary planting blocks to dry and be prepared correctly. The goal is not speed, but stability. Planting into compromised soil conditions would have long-term consequences for root development and future production.

This is precisely why the pilot phase exists. Early execution reveals constraints that no spreadsheet fully captures. Adjusting plans in response to real conditions is part of building something durable.

We plan to travel to Portugal at the end of March to meet with local partners and oversee the initial stages of planting once conditions allow. Year Zero has begun, with a bit of a delay and a soggy start.