September Newsletter
Hello and happy September!
After a year of silence, it’s time for an update on what’s happened in our world. First, some housekeeping -
The End of Field Notes on Substack
We have decided to close down our Substack, but all 100 Field Notes originally published on that platform now live in the Stories section of our website. From now on we’ll be sharing similar updates here, blog style.
Personal Health Update
The final Field Note published in August 2025 announced that I (Betsy) was heading towards my 3rd round of surgery and chemo to address a cancer diagnosis (Peritoneal Mesothelioma), that was first discovered in 2014.
At the end of last year I went through a cytoreductive surgery + HIPEC (hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy) throughout my abdomen. This combo is referred to as “the mother of all surgeries,” and I endured it for the first time in 2016. Before that I had my initial abdominal debulking surgery, plus several rounds of systemic chemotherapy, in 2014.
Those early experiences inspired us to pursue our farm dreams in 2017, which ultimately led to the establishment of Foggy Blossom the following year. While all of these treatments have been brutal beyond imagination, the fact that I’m still here after 12 years, living on this beautiful land and pursuing all of our varied projects, has made the agony worth it.
This aspect of our life is one I will share in greater detail some day, but we are still recovering, and the future of my health remains uncertain. Today, I am focused on rebuilding strength and mental fortitude for whatever we may face.
What We’ve Been Up To
Post-treatment life, as always, has been a rocky reestablishment of reality, with inevitable shifts in perspective and priorities. We’ve mostly been taking each day as gently as possible, but creativity has been therapeutic for us both.
In between being my top-notch caretaker, Dan was able to finish the willow harvest by late spring, but didn’t return to basketmaking until midsummer.
Lately, he’s been on a tear.
All the baskets shown above will be available for purchase in our next newsletter, which will be sent in early October.
I’ve returned to my Botanical Illustration studies at the Phipps Conservatory, and also became obsessed with large scale bead weaving. More on that soon.
Graphite, watercolor, ink
Thank you for your support as we navigate this latest opportunity to develop a new normal.
Whatever comes next for FBF will be shared here first, and we intend to send monthly newsletters moving forward.
It’s good to be back.
See you soon,
Betsy & Dan
