First transplants are coming
The high tunnel is making real progress, and the next milestone is getting the first plants into the ground. The first things going in are peas, kale, lettuce and beets, and they should be transplanted within the next week.
Before they go in, they need time to harden off under the tunnel so they can adjust to temperature swings and the intensity of real light. The goal is simple: help them transition without shock, so they can establish roots and start growing with strength.
Transplant shock is real (for people too)
As I think about transplanting, I can’t help but think about job role transitions.
When you move a plant from one environment to another, it’s not just “put it in the soil and hope.” You provide a little extra care at the edges. You reduce unnecessary stress. You give it time to adapt.
People aren’t that different.
Right now at ThreeWill, Kirk is stepping into a new COO role and Will is about a year into Marketing and Strategy. Both are being exposed to new responsibilities, new expectations, and new kinds of pressure. My job as a leader is not to “throw them in” and see what happens. It’s to nurture them with context, support, clarity, and steady encouragement as they ramp up.
Protection is not weakness
I saw a version of this lesson with sugar snap peas.
If you take starts that have been grown indoors and drop them straight into full outdoor conditions, you can create setbacks that were completely avoidable. That’s why I was mindful not to plant them right before temperatures dropped into the 20s with strong gusting winds. It’s not fear, it’s wisdom.
In leadership, the same principle applies. If you put people into turbulent situations, you may need to protect them from unnecessary stress so they can set roots in their new role. That protection can look like:
- clearer priorities
- fewer simultaneous changes
- quick access to information
- a safe place to ask “basic” questions
- feedback that’s specific and kind
- air cover when things get noisy
Not forever. Just long enough for the transplant to take. BTW, I am not perfect at this and taking time to reflect on this reminds me of how I should be leading my team.
A simple question to carry with you
Who in your world is in a transition right now that could go better with a little more “hardening off”?
And what’s one practical way you could nurture them this week so they can set roots and thrive?
This post first appeared on February 27, 2026 in Sowing Success, my weekly LinkedIn newsletter on leadership and organic farming. Read the original on LinkedIn.
