tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11619305046978544732024-03-13T08:59:37.962-05:00Seeded EarthNourish Your Life with Locally and Sustainably Grown Specialty Cut Flowers.
Specializing in fresh flowers and bouquets for life's beautiful occasions!Seeded Earthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01214301059861905215noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1161930504697854473.post-65207768082429696202013-08-02T20:37:00.003-05:002013-08-02T20:58:15.024-05:00The Plan.It has been months since I've posted on here. Flowers, weddings & life have consumed my time. Life. Is. Busy.<br />
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In case you haven't heard, Celia has a sibling on the way!!...which has made for an interesting start to the flower season. Guess what nauseated me the most in the first trimester?? Flowers (sight & smell) and bouquet photos...especially bouquet photos! Can you believe it?! I had to change my Facebook cover photo because looking at the bouquet I had posted made me beyond queasy!<br />
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Being a flower farmer & designer with a 14 month old and one on the way is interesting. Travis and I have had some serious talks about how to adjust Seeded Earth to fit our lives. Babies are only babies/children for so long. Before we know it, they'll be flying the coop and we'll look back wondering where the time went. We want to savor our time with our sweet, silly little ones. After many flip floppy "decisions", we've finally come to one...<br />
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We are scaling back. Flower farming is A TON of work. To really do it well, I should be putting in *at least* 40 hours (& likely more) in the field each week -- this doesn't include design time. Well, 40 hours doesn't happen. My mom helps a lot & watches Celia when she can, but she's busy, too. And...honestly, I don't want to spend less time with my little girl. She brings so much joy to my days.<br />
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So, the plan is this:<br />
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1.) We will only be doing three weddings each month and only one per weekend.<br />
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2.) We are adjusting our crops. Less labor intensive crops, more direct seeded annuals (these are much more self-sufficient requiring less planting and weeding labor), more bulbs & more perennials.<br />
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3.) Our large high tunnel still sits empty. We have been waiting to have good, fertile soil brought in. The river flooding four times this season has made our soil source inaccessible. We will get the high tunnel completed this fall so that it is available for next season. Any labor intensive crops that we grow will go into the high tunnel. It is close enough to our home that I can work in there while our babies nap. <br />
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4.) We will likely no longer sell at the farmers' market. We love seeing customers & friends every week, but the market is very time consuming. Travis has his full-time job with Arthur J. Gallagher during the week, so weekend family time is very important to us. BUT...when we do have an abundance of flowers, you may still be able to pick them up from the farmers' market. We are working on the details of this and will let you know as soon as it is all finalized.<br />
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I think that covers it. <br />
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We are so thankful for all of the support that you continue to show us as our family grows!<br />
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<br />Seeded Earthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01214301059861905215noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1161930504697854473.post-66006418943682111382013-05-10T15:45:00.000-05:002013-05-10T16:02:05.449-05:002012.05.10 ~ Busy, busy!Life is busy, hectic, crazy, non-stop. We are knee deep in our flower season with continuous seeding, bumping seedlings up, planting, cutting, arranging, covering our hoophouse, getting fabric prepared for planting and So. Much. More. I missed last week's blog post because I didn't want to skip or delay taking Celia's 11 month photos...especially since the weather was going to be crummy for the next couple days. They turned out so great! I can't believe she's going to be 1 year old in just a few short weeks. How time flies! <br />
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Right now, all of the perennials are really starting to pop. Bleeding heart, pulmonaria, brunnera. So pretty! And...good news, next weekend's brides will most likely still have lilacs for their bouquets (thanks to some very generous, kind friends who are willing to share stems from their plants) and lily-of-the-valley! Next week is going to be rockin' with two large weddings and one small wedding. Keep an eye on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/SeededEarth">Facebook</a> for photos! <br />
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My bouquet for this week's <a href="http://theseasonalbouquet.wordpress.com/">Seasonal Bouquet Project</a> will be finished up and posted on Facebook tonight after Celia goes to sleep around 7 p.m. Lots of pretty happening around here!<br />
<br />Seeded Earthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01214301059861905215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1161930504697854473.post-66535095937263224212013-04-25T09:55:00.002-05:002013-04-25T09:55:36.355-05:003 Weeks Out...babies are goin' in!Alright...I really tried posting this last night, but our internet didn't want me to do anything. So, here it is...just a smidge late...<br />
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It's official. I am declaring Wednesdays blog update days. This will hold me accountable...and hopefully end the slim {to none} postings. I'll put a reminder on every device I own! Pinkie swear.<br />
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The weather has been pitiful lately. Cold, rainy, dreary. When I say rainy, I mean RAINY. Our creek was *way* out of its banks last week...although, nothing like the nearby Mississippi...<br />
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In other news, we managed to get our smallest hoophouse almost completely enclosed! We pulled the plastic last weekend. Saturday was a fairly calm day. Travis & I got it all fastened down except for the bottom sides. Sunday morning came along and was extremely windy. As soon as I made it home from a wedding consultation, we booked it outside to get the sides secured before the wind beat them up even more. Blood, sweat & tears that day -- blood from me, sweat from Travis & tears from little miss Celia (our supervisor who was bundled up in her stroller).</div>
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The projected forecast seems to be going in the right direction. Next week is supposed to be beautiful! We're about 3 weeks out from our official/unofficial (who knows what's official these days?!) frost-free date. So, today's the day. Some of the more cold tolerant seedlings are going in the ground! Fingers & toes crossed that Mother Nature is kind to us these next few weeks!</div>
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In case you missed it on Facebook, here are the photos from this week's seasonal bouquet: </div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151383512797555.1073741827.101886587554&type=1">Click Here to See Them</a>! </div>
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Be sure to hop on over to <a href="http://theseasonalbouquet.wordpress.com/">The Seasonal Bouquet Project</a> to see more gorgeous bouquets from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lovenfreshflowers?fref=ts">Love 'n Fresh Flowers</a> & <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Floret-Flower-Farm/100435853417947?fref=ts">Floret Flowers</a>! Also, be sure to link up & share some of your own! </div>
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Now, out to the field! Loads of seeds to be sown & work to get done!</div>
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See you next Wednesday!...pinkie swear. </div>
<br />Seeded Earthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01214301059861905215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1161930504697854473.post-87746980249841155792013-02-25T10:01:00.000-06:002013-02-25T10:01:25.255-06:00So close I can smell it!My to-do list is increasing day by day. I walk outside and I swear I smell hints of spring. I'm not sure how that can be when it's still so cold and there are about 4 inches of snow on the ground, but somewhere, somehow, the scent of spring is there. I have the itch to get outside, soak in the sun & work, work, work! Plugs are ordered for the plants that are just too difficult & time consuming for us to grow from seed -- although, I promise to give a few of these another shot next season! Seeds will all be here this week and there are just a few more bulbs, tubers & perennials to order. The high tunnel is waiting to have good soil brought in and then be covered. Hopefully we can get that project tackled within the next month so that we can get plants in! SO EXCITED! <br />
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We're busier than we've ever been with weddings! It's a great feeling, but golly...it comes with A LOT of "paper" work. It will all be worth it. It's so much fun to work with so many fun, neat people and to see the final products come together so beautifully on their wedding dates!<br />
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On today's agenda: finish up wedding quotes, go through the dahlias to see which ones are still viable for sprouting and work out the details of our planting schedule for this season. Better get busy!<br />
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<br />Seeded Earthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01214301059861905215noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1161930504697854473.post-48319660858391784392013-02-07T19:11:00.001-06:002013-02-07T19:11:07.885-06:00Keeping up?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Things are getting busy around here. The Jaycees Bridal Expo was a huge success! We met so many brides who were interested in what we do and loved the idea of using locally & sustainably grown flowers for their wedding day. All of the interest has kept me on my toes. I've been busy trying to keep up with e-mails, meetings, quotes & contracts. We are really starting to get dates booked!<br />
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Can you believe that I'll be getting the first of our seeds started this weekend? We're going to be knee deep in field work before we know it! As soon as the weather allows, we'll be getting our high tunnel covered and bringing in soil to get growing! <br />
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Today, I'm ordering mums! These aren't your typical garden mums...they're fancy, antique & gorgeous! I cannot wait to see how they perform for us! They are going to be so awesome for wedding work!! We'll grow some of in the field and some in our high tunnel so that we have some variation in bloom times. Here is one variety that we'll be trying:<br />
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Beautiful, right?! Ready for spring? Me, too!!! <br />
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Oh, and of course...I can't leave you without a couple 8 month photos of our little Celia! :) <br />
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<br />Seeded Earthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01214301059861905215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1161930504697854473.post-26680705050447223172013-01-05T14:34:00.001-06:002013-01-05T14:35:43.432-06:00Back in the groove!<br />
It's been forever since I've posted (what's new, right?!)! We are kept insanely busy (& sometimes sleep deprived) with our sweet, little Celia! She is so much fun & is growing so quickly! It will be fun to have her toddling through the flower field with us this year! <br />
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I'm busy getting ordering completed today. Very, very soon, we will be getting all of our seeds started! This time of the year is still so cold & dreary, but it's also so exciting because I feel like we're finally over the darkest part of the year and we really have something to look forward to. We really do have a great season planned already! We'll be growing many new varieties this season...and really up-ing our flower quantities. There are so many beautiful weddings planned for 2013!<br />
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Oh, & I really need to get outside to take some photos of our great news...THE HIGH TUNNEL IS UP! We don't have the end walls or the plastic on, but as soon as the weather allows, we'll have it ready to go for this season! It is going to be so wonderful to have the covered growing space! It will allow us to grow some more exciting flowers and really extend our growing season by providing the extra protection from the unpredictable Iowa weather. Travis, my stepdad & some friends really worked hard to get it all constructed! I'm so thankful! <br />
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Well...I should get back to ordering flower seeds & supplies! Really looking forward to our 2013 season! <br />
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<b>Don't forget!! </b></div>
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The Jaycees Bridal Fair is on Saturday, January 26th from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. at The River Center in Davenport, Iowa. </div>
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Here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Davenport-Jaycees-Bridal-Expo/182583911760066?ref=ts&fref=ts </div>
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We'd love to see you there! </div>
Seeded Earthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01214301059861905215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1161930504697854473.post-59650725141086041262012-08-25T17:22:00.001-05:002012-08-25T17:23:05.201-05:00That time in the season...I can hardly believe it, but, here we are, again. It's that time in the season when we start dreaming of next year. The drought has made growing flowers a bit tricky, but I am so, so thankful that Travis insisted on spending a 100 degree day getting irrigation setup in our field. I felt horrible knowing that he was working so hard out in the heat. He kept saying that he had to get it done and that it just couldn't wait. He was right...from that point on, any minimal rain that we had been getting stopped. Our flowers would have been very, very sad had it not been for Travis coming to their rescue! It was amazing to watch the dahlias! They went from being pale with dried up flower buds to bright green beauties full of nice, plump buds! <br />
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I'm diving into planning for next season -- what to grow, how & where to grow it and how to sell it. We've been very fortunate this season (not only to be blessed with our amazing baby girl!) to have had many business opportunities come our way. Wedding dates for 2013 are filling up very fast and we continue to receive many wedding inquiries. I love this part of what we do! Also, we've had many florists and floral designers interested in purchasing our flowers. We'll be working hard to meet their needs next season. One more exciting opportunity, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/barkandbloom">Bark & Bloom</a> has contacted us about selling flowers in their shop at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NewBoCityMarket">The NewBo City Market</a> in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. They will be opening in late October of this year. Our supply to them may be a bit limited starting out, but early next spring should be wonderful!<br />
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Our high tunnel was delivered this past week! I'm so crazy excited to get it built so that we can begin growing in it! I desperately want to grow ranunculus & anemone, but am unsure about how they'll do without heat. I'm exploring this with some members of The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers...hopefully they'll have good news! We may need to just do a small trial batch this year to see how it goes. Wish us luck! <br />
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What else? What else? There's so much going on & so much work to do...as always. Weeding, planting (lots of perennials to still go in the ground), transplanting, tilling, watering, ordering for 2013, building the small & large high tunnels...the list goes on & on! If you're ever bored..... ;)<br />
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One more thing! We have a new stall at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Freight-House-Farmers-Market/109525481690">The Freight House Farmers' Market</a>! We are located in the large lot in the row closest to the railroad tracks -- right next to Iechen's Tomatoes & Beacon Woods Farm. So far, this spot has been great for us! We receive a lot more foot traffic and have made many new friends! Today, some of our sweet customers brought us each a John Deere hat & their little girl, Laura, made the cutest card for our little Celia! So sweet!<br />
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I have to show you the cutest video of Celia that I can't stop watching...I love her and her adorable little laugh! It's a little long...I love the whole thing, but maybe that's just because she's ours. You can find the video here: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RA0rnFA_bmU&feature=share">Celia's Video</a>. Enjoy!! :) Seeded Earthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01214301059861905215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1161930504697854473.post-79583216597591145392012-06-21T09:18:00.000-05:002012-06-21T09:18:22.203-05:00Pretty, New ThingsIt's been far too long since I've visited the blog...it seems like I said that a lot over the 9 months of my pregnancy! ;) <br />
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The pregnancy part is over! As of June 1st at 9:00 a.m., we have a new, pretty lady in our lives! Miss Celia Opal has arrived & we're in love! We're working on figuring out our flower work routine with a little baby who likes to eat pretty often & needs to stay out of this brutal, humid heat that we've been having recently. Travis has been doing a TON of work! He's tilled rows, run water out to the field, planted hundreds of dahlias, bulbs, seedlings & is constantly moving our soaker hose around to make sure that everything gets watered. The watering part of things is going to get a bit easier soon...Travis just placed a large order for irrigation hose, tubing & timers! <br />
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The flowers are all growing like crazy {so is Celia...!!} and we'll be continuing to plant more over the next few weeks so that we have plenty of flowers to get through fall. With Celia being so little, we've decided to wait until the end of July for The Iowa City Farmers' Market. By this fall, you should be able to find us there & at The Freight House Farmers' Market. In the meantime, we'll be at The Freight House every Saturday from 8 a.m. til 1 p.m...this weekend we'll have some newly blooming Chantilly snapdragons, fragrant lilies & loads of other pretty things! <br />
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Thank you so much to everyone for your kind words and sweet gifts for Celia!<br />
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<br />Seeded Earthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01214301059861905215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1161930504697854473.post-54567526188247174852012-04-30T12:35:00.000-05:002012-04-30T12:35:29.793-05:00A month ahead = A month behind??With everything blooming about 3-4 weeks ahead of schedule, we've been very grateful for the opportunity to begin selling early at The Freight House Farmers' Market. <br />
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Our March weather will go down in the history books as one of the warmest on record! Now, April & May seem to be back on track and slowing things back down to normal. To say that I'm confused about what to expect for the coming weeks/months would be an understatement! We're still ahead of schedule as far as typical bloom times, but maybe we're getting a little closer to being on track? We'll see...this wacky weather makes me feel completely behind. We are still a good two weeks away from our usual frost-free date, though, so I'm trying to stay calm. <br />
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I'm continuing to seed flats so that we'll have a nice succession of flowers this season. As soon as the soil dries out a bit, I'll be out planting loads of little seedlings, lilies, callas, glads & dahlias! I'm most excited about the dahlias this year! I may have gone a little crazy with them this season...but I just don't know how you choose when there are so many gorgeous ones out there!! <br />
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Oh, oh!...I almost forgot! Beginning on June 9th, we'll be at the Iowa City Farmers' Market as well as The Freight House Farmers' Market! We were lucky enough to get a season-long spot right outside the parking ramp! We're going to be busy, busy in May with The Freight House Farmers' Market, weddings & the arrival of our baby! We'll be hoppin' with flowers in June! You'll find me at the Iowa City Market on Saturdays from 7:30 til noon. Travis will be at The Freight House Farmers' Market from 8 a.m. til 1 p.m...take it easy on him...he's still learning all of his flowers! ;) <br />
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And...I apologize for the lack of posting & pretty photos. I'm getting myself back in gear & will, again, start taking my camera with me every time I step outside! Seeded Earthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01214301059861905215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1161930504697854473.post-88905886566123785602012-04-01T21:25:00.000-05:002012-04-01T23:21:20.411-05:00Perfect Timing??I've spent the afternoon picking tulips like crazy! I should have been out there this morning before the heat of the day, but I was feeling the effects of being almost 32 weeks pregnant with a little baby who likes to throw dance parties in my belly all night long! Many of the gorgeous double & parrot tulips are beginning to burst open from all of our crazy, warm weather. I'm bummed because quite a few of them are pretty short...also an effect of the weather. I think they'll be fine, though...as long as I can come up with some creative and clever arrangements for market this weekend!<br />
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As I was feeling bummed about everything bursting open so early {when I was *really* wanting these for early-mid May weddings}, I couldn't help but think about how maybe timing has been perfect in a strange sort of way.<br />
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For instance...<br />
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...when Travis brought home our small hoophouse from the auction last fall, the plan was to get it up as soon as possible so that I could get things planted in it. Well, because I was in my first trimester of pregnancy & not feeling so hot, many things were pushed to the back burner...including the hoophouse. Just imagine how sad I would be if I had planted all of these bulbs in the hoophouse where I'm sure they would have all blown open weeks ago & probably within a single day! Since we were forced to plant them outside, we'll at least get some use out of them...and there is still some space within bloom times so I'm not completely losing my mind!<br />
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...we hadn't intended on having a baby due at the end of May, but had things gone as planned with being due in late fall, I'm sure I would have been a complete failure this season. As I was just out harvesting {slowly...and wishing that my arms were longer}, I realized how much worse this season would be if I would have been pregnant all the way through. Thank goodness this little baby snuck up on us like she did! May initially seemed like such a horrible time, but I'm thinking that Baby C. knew what she was doing. Thank you, Baby!<br />
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...I had contemplated staying at John Deere full-time a few weeks longer. Had I done that, there is no way I would have ever been able to get all of these tulips picked & all of my seeding done. <br />
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...things may be blooming WAY ahead of schedule, but in the grand scheme of things, maybe that's best for me right now? Baby will be here at the very end of May so my June sales opportunities at market will most likely be very limited. Should I say that this weather is a blessing because June will maybe {maybe} give me a little down time with blooms? It's probably too early to say for sure, but I'm going to be optimistic and say that for now. If I end up being wrong on this one, at least I know that Travis is a fantastic help & will always chip in on his own if I'm not able to make it in to market for a few weeks!<br />
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So, for now, I'm going to say that things have been timed perfectly...whether on purpose or not. Now, enough of a break for this pregnant lady...back to work! <br />
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<br />Seeded Earthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01214301059861905215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1161930504697854473.post-34390332425326190622012-03-28T22:47:00.000-05:002012-03-28T22:47:25.674-05:00I'm sorry...but we just can't be friends...Last fall, we bought a quarter of beef from our neighbor. It was fine & dandy since I rarely saw the cow...no attachment...no friendship. Well...Travis is planning on buying another quarter of beef this fall. Here's the trouble that I have with this...<br />
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Look at those faces!!...these cows are cute! AND...every time that I walk back to the flower field, they run along the edge of the fence to say 'hi'! They watch me and beg me to come over and talk to them. Stay tuned...I may become a vegetarian this fall...with two new friends living in our shed! For now, I'm stuck saying, "I'm sorry guys...but we just can't be friends...I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"<br />
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In flower news, Travis is building our cooler!! He's made amazing progress in just two days! It's 10:00 p.m. & he just came inside from insulating the floor! This is going to be sooo helpful for keeping our flowers fresh!<br />
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The flowers are popping open! This season is so wacky...redbuds, forsythia & daffodils are blooming at the same time as lilacs, double tulips (some of my latest bloomers) and perennial scabiosa! Because of this wackiness, I'm looking into starting at The Freight House Farmers' Market next Saturday...a month earlier than the normal outdoor market season starts. The flowers are ready!<br />
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<br />Seeded Earthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01214301059861905215noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1161930504697854473.post-63178635842703007922012-03-20T12:36:00.000-05:002012-03-20T12:36:28.923-05:00Excited. *Very* Excited!Early last fall, I applied for a high tunnel grant. It really didn't sound likely that we would get one for 2012...especially since there was only one awarded in Muscatine county for 2011! Well, I kept hoping...and bugging the guy in charge about once a month. About three weeks ago, I received a phone call saying that we ranked high enough for grants for a windbreak & high tunnel!...we would definitely get funding for the windbreak ($1,010), but would have to wait to find out about the high tunnel. The good news came a couple days later...we are getting high tunnel funding, too (somewhere close to the tune of $8,000!!)!! I have been over the moon excited since getting the news! With me quitting my full-time job at John Deere (7 days left!) in order to grow Seeded Earth & stay home with our little baby that is on the way, the budget will be tight. It probably would have taken us at least 2 years...maybe 3, until we could afford to put up a high tunnel of this size ourselves. This will be so great for Seeded Earth! We'll be able to add a couple of months to our flower production & be able to grow some things that just don't do well for us outdoors. It's going to be so, so wonderful! <br />
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What else?! Spring is here!...or maybe it's summer already. Whatever it is, it's beautiful! It does have me a teeny bit worried, though. If it's this warm already, what will we get for summer & fall?? I'm hoping that we cool down a bit, don't get a hard freeze that damages everything that is already leafing out & blooming, get a bit of spring rain and then ease into a nice, mild summer with an even amount of moisture. I'll keep my fingers crossed that the weather doesn't get too wacky!<br />
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<br />Seeded Earthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01214301059861905215noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1161930504697854473.post-67206671068952609322012-03-02T12:16:00.002-06:002012-03-02T12:17:22.594-06:00Got the Fever...So, don't look out the window today...we have another late winter/early spring snowstorm blowing in. But, next Tuesday when it is 61 degrees, I expect everyone to be out cleaning, digging, composting...for goodness sakes, do anything you can to get outside & get your hands dirty! I'm so ready for spring, it's silly!<br />
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We have our little hoophouse frame still sitting in a pile outside. All we need to do is make a home for it by preparing the ground with a little tilling & composting, get everything marked out & then call in a few friends to help get it all put together (and maybe do a teeny bit more research so that we can limit the number of hiccups that we run into along the way!).<br />
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I may be nearly 28 weeks pregnant, but I'm eager to head outside, hop on the tractor and get things rolling! I have definitely come down with a nasty bout of Spring Fever!! <br />
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<br />Seeded Earthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01214301059861905215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1161930504697854473.post-72411607868965883732012-02-12T07:14:00.000-06:002012-02-12T07:14:53.415-06:00Local Bouquets from West to East!<div style="text-align: center;">
I adore flowers. I can't remember a time in my life when I wasn't captivated by a new bloom. Dandelion bouquets for my mom, clover chain necklaces for friends at recess, ditch bouquets for my grandma...from those childhood flower interactions, I've developed a deep love for flowers and floral design. </div>
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It's always so much fun to find people who share that same love and to see how they put that love to use in their floral careers. Through searching the internet & through the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, I have found some amazingly talented flower fanatics. Here are a couple of them that I love and that are great inspiration! </div>
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One of my absolute favorite flower farmers is Erin Benzakein of <a href="http://www.floretflowers.com/">Floret Flower Farm</a> near Seattle, Washington. I am always sending Travis and my friend, Kelly, links to Erin's <a href="http://www.floretflowers.com/">blog</a> and telling them that *this* is what I aspire to be someday...with my own little spin on it, of course, but just wait until you see it! You'll understand. Warning: Be prepared to be sucked in for hours!...she does such amazing things on her less than 3 acre farm! Here are a few of her awesome photos & creations:</div>
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Amazing, right?!</div>
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Okay...one more favorite...Jennie Love of <a href="http://lovenfreshflowers.com/">Love 'n Fresh Flowers</a> from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Like most of us wacky flower farmers, she seems to just go & go & go! She does oodles of weddings each season, has a flower CSA and offers some pretty fun workshops. I love her creativity and her use of anything and everything in her designs. Travis often gives me interesting looks when I venture out into the woods and come back with branches, berries & anything else that I think has a great look or texture. I'm pretty certain Jennie would understand my madness. Check out some of her awesomeness:</div>
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See even more of Jennie's photos on her <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/albums/?id=107142992651099#%21/lovenfreshflowers">Facebook page</a>!</div>
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Such talent, such beauty...and all with locally grown flowers! </div>
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Don't you think these are far more beautiful and unique than the typical cookie-cutter type wedding floral pieces?! I do...and it's why I *love* this business! </div>
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<br />Seeded Earthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01214301059861905215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1161930504697854473.post-55587243886737304722012-02-10T09:16:00.002-06:002012-02-10T09:19:52.860-06:00It Begins!<div style="text-align: center;">
We began starting seeds under lights in our basement a couple weeks ago to get ready for an end of March wedding & the beginning of planting season! Final seed orders should be rolling in soon & we'll be seeding in full force! It gets busy & crazy, but I couldn't imagine it any other way! Looking back through last year's photos, we're only about a month away from these...</div>
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...the official sure sign that spring is here & that loads of beautiful blooms aren't far behind! </div>
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I'm so excited for this season! We have many super fun, beautiful weddings booked and we'll be jumping into action at The Freight House Farmers' Market as soon as we have enough blooming -- hopefully the first part of April! You'll also be able to find us at The Trinity Farmers' Market on Mondays from 3 p.m. til 6 p.m. and at The Iowa City Farmers' Market on Saturday mornings whenever they have openings. We'll still be at The Freight House Farmers' Market in Davenport, Iowa every Saturday from 8 a.m. til 1 p.m., too!! </div>
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Also, on Saturday, March 17th, I'll be participating in The Art of Gardening event put on by the Muscatine Master Gardeners! I'll be doing a presentation on growing your own cut flowers and another make & take demonstration on creating terrariums! We will also have a booth there with terrariums available for sale and hopefully a few flower arrangements! It should be a great time! </div>
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We just sent in our application for The Handmade City Spring Art Fair that will be on Saturday, April 28th at Bucktown Center for the Arts in downtown Davenport, Iowa! It's a very popular & fun event -- we're hoping to make it into the vendor lineup! We'll keep you posted! </div>
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Now that many winter projects are behind us, we're back in flower action & can't wait to see everyone, again, this season!!</div>
Seeded Earthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01214301059861905215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1161930504697854473.post-81368763113810989082012-01-02T12:29:00.003-06:002012-01-02T12:29:59.310-06:00Catching Up!I'm a bit behind, AGAIN. As usual, things have been busy & exciting around our neck of the woods! During the first week of November, my mom & I (Travis couldn't get away from work) made the trip to Reston, Virginia for the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers' National Conference. We had a great time & I came home with many great ideas! Here are some photos from the trip!<br />
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Lynnvale Studios is gorgeous! </div>
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I'm in love with dahlias...as I'm sure you'll figure out with the coming season! :) </div>
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Yes, those are ALL lilies!! </div>
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Gorgeous callas! </div>
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I would LOVE to have this many growing houses! </div>
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My arrangement for the conference...a little sad by the end of the week...loved those orange dahlias, though!</div>
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A great winter foliage for wreaths! Loved Bob Wollam of Wollam Gardens!...what a neat guy!</div>
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It's so much fun getting to meet and learn from so many people who share the same passion & enthusiasm for locally-grown flowers! I left the conference with such a feeling of excitement to get jumping into the 2012 season! </div>Seeded Earthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01214301059861905215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1161930504697854473.post-83039530256507311122011-11-23T09:10:00.001-06:002011-11-24T09:44:02.774-06:00Thankful.Travis & I have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. We have accomplished a lot (A LOT!) within the past year! <br />
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...went to Houston, TX in January as my {warm!} surprise 30th birthday present from Travis!<br />
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...made the trip to Seattle with my mom for Cut Flower Growers' School {& to visit our friend, Lacey!}!<br />
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...participated in an awesome event, The Handmade City Spring Art & Craft Fair!<br />
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...ran the Boston Marathon!</div>
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...got married!<br />
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...bought a house with 10 acres of land!<br />
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...had a very successful season at The Freight House Farmers' Market thanks to our wonderful customers!<br />
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...had a very successful season of wedding work!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s_3nnluNoV4/Ts1STg1Rt7I/AAAAAAAADHA/4YZ188RuZAY/s1600/DSC08950.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s_3nnluNoV4/Ts1STg1Rt7I/AAAAAAAADHA/4YZ188RuZAY/s320/DSC08950.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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...bought our first tractor & tiller!<br />
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...got chickens!</div>
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...and Travis built them a coop! </div>
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...planted rows of perennials!<br />
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...made an appearnace on Paula Sands Live!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kb0YoMRlxoM/Ts5c5GYd8TI/AAAAAAAADJk/BCBatZKOcnk/s1600/Sarah+%2526+Paula+Sands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kb0YoMRlxoM/Ts5c5GYd8TI/AAAAAAAADJk/BCBatZKOcnk/s320/Sarah+%2526+Paula+Sands.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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...planted 1,000's of spring bulbs!<br />
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...planted 50+ flowering shrubs!<br />
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...planted about 100 peony roots!<br />
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...brought home a new rescue puppy, Kevin!<br />
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...still have a very happy, healthy little Olive! ;)</div>
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...bought our first little hoophouse!<br />
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<span style="background-color: lime;">Okay...no photo yet...</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: lime;">we still have to get it put together! :)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">...made the trip to Reston, Virginia for the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers' National Conference! (sorry...better photos to come soon!!).</span><br />
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...have many wonderful weddings booked for next season!<br />
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...are expecting our first baby this spring!!!<br />
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As you can see, we have so much to be thankful for!...and I'm sure there is so much more that I have left out! In between all of this busyness, we found time to hangout with friends & family...for which we are always thankful!</div>
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Wishing all of our friends & family a very Happy & Safe Thanksgiving! </div>Seeded Earthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01214301059861905215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1161930504697854473.post-75972436175286144572011-10-27T12:34:00.001-05:002011-10-27T12:40:06.397-05:00Here, There & Everywhere!Holy smokes!...I've been slacking on the blogging lately. We've been up to...A LOT! Tilling, planting, cleaning, traveling...a little bit of everything!<br />
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This coming weekend will bring more of the same. Travis is off to visit some relatives while I stay home to do wedding design, work at Deere & hopefully get the dahlias dug. 40 yards of compost is arriving tomorrow for the flower rows! We'll till more 50' rows and get the compost all worked in so we're ready to go with planting next spring. Travis will be home Saturday night & we'll hopefully take ourselves out on the town for a date! Sunday morning, Travis is going to pickup our new/used hoophouse!!! I cannot wait to get it setup, covered and begin planting in it this spring! It's going to be a great help in extending our growing season!</div>
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So...about the wedding design that I'm doing this weekend...I sort of took it on as a favor for a lady that I work with at Deere. Her daughter was getting married in 3 weeks & then headed to Japan. I knew that I wouldn't have flowers on October 29th, but I agreed that we could order the flowers. While the customers have been very kind, I will never, ever, ever...EVER...order flowers again. The quality is really unbelievable...in a bad way. I will make them work & it will be a lovely wedding...but when you work all season long with fresh, unchemicalized (is that a word?) flowers, you really develop a standard for what you expect a flower to be. To me, these are not flowers. I'm disappointed...and sad. It's so sad that these dilapidated, scentless, vibrancy-lacking "flowers" are what the average consumer expects flowers to be. My fresh, local, sustainably grown flower mission has become even stronger with this experience...... </div>
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Anyway...I will save my sad flower ranting for another day. For now, enjoy a few photos taken before our hard frost...</div>
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<br /></div>Seeded Earthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01214301059861905215noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1161930504697854473.post-85706540798454178242011-09-28T09:18:00.000-05:002011-09-28T09:27:17.113-05:00Routine<div style="text-align: center;">
I love fall. </div>
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It ranks right up there with spring as one of my favorite seasons. It just misses the title of favorite, though, due to the fact that it leads into winter {my very least favorite} and it is a bit more routine than spring. </div>
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Sure, spring comes with the typical seeding, planting and a whole lot of hustle & bustle to get everything done that needs to be done, but inevitably never all gets done & somehow everything works out anyway.</div>
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Fall has chores...normal chores...not so much of the excitement that comes with spring. That's where were are right now...in the routine. A lot of cleaning, tilling, composting, planting and preparing. The preparing part is actually a bit more fun this year because I am preparing to go full-time beginning in 2012! This will be an enormous help and alleviate a lot of the stress that comes with working a full-time job & then coming home to squeeze in as much work as possible for Seeded Earth. I am crazy excited to dive into more farmers' markets and weddings! </div>
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Olive loves to come help me in the field!</div>
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In the midst of routine, there is still much fall beauty to be found...</div>
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Kevin says 'hi'!...he's beginning to settle in and become *much* more of a puppy! I see a portion of our yard being fenced sooner than later! ;)</div>
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Seeded Earthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01214301059861905215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1161930504697854473.post-21035056009985638042011-09-19T12:06:00.002-05:002011-09-19T12:12:17.098-05:00Oh, What Fun!<div style="text-align: center;">
What a busy, busy fun-filled weekend! </div>
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I began prepping for wedding floral on Wednesday night by getting wine bottles sorted & ready to use as vases...some full size & some cut in half. Flower cutting began on Thursday afternoon with a stop by Miss Effie's to get a milk jug of snapdragons, a few salvia and strawflower. It's always fun to talk flowers with her! Then, I made my way home to the flower field to cut as many flowers as I could before darkness set in...earlier and earlier these days! Friday afternoon was more flower & foliage cutting and then the fun part...design!! </div>
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I always have this vision in my head of how I want things to look...thankfully, Mother Nature & the Flower Gods {they must exist!} were very kind and provided fabulous colors & textures! I really loved how everything for this wedding turned out! </div>
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The excitement doesn't stop there! We had a chance to visit our friends in their new home right after the wedding floral delivery. The plan was to help them move, but the 2 p.m. delivery and then a 45 min. drive made us a bit too late. It was great having dinner & laughing with them, though! </div>
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THEN...on Sunday, we drove 3.5 hours to Niles, IL near Chicago. Travis & I have talked about getting a large dog to be a friend to Olive & I. He really likes Bernese Mountain dogs...I just wanted a nice, big dog...one that would be nice to Olive, too. Out of the blue, I did a search on PetFinder for a dog. Well...after two weeks of discussing & applying to adopt, we made the trip to Wright Way Rescue to get this little guy! It was a rough ride.....he gets car sick....but he was happy as could be once we got him home & cleaned up!</div>
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His name is Kevin. ha! Yep, I know...Kevin. Travis named him. We came up with some good names the night before with our friends...Oscar, Tom Selleck (!!), Grover...nope...Travis liked Kevin. Remember the bird from the Pixar move, 'Up'? The name reminded me of that silly guy (er...girl) & I did really like that movie. Kevin it is! So far {we've only had him home for 19 hours}, he is a really nice, sweet, cuddly dog. Olive isn't too happy about this new guy stepping on her turf, but I think she's going to be alright.<br />
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Seeded Earthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01214301059861905215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1161930504697854473.post-42174517632904126102011-09-12T09:57:00.002-05:002011-09-12T12:29:30.343-05:00A new love...<div style="text-align: center;">
We spent our weekend traveling to Wausau, Wisconsin for Travis' cousin's wedding. We had a great time!...the weather was perfect and we were able to make a quick stop at the Madison Farmers' Market on the way! I believe the farmers are severely undervaluing their product & shorting themselves! $5.00 for a large bouquet of flowers?!...how can they make any sort of a profit for their hard work?!</div>
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Seriously?...there is no way that they can even be breaking even on these flowers. I have to tell you, while the flowers were beautiful, I was pretty upset to see this...</div>
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A wedding shot with my crazy huge shades! We had a great time dancing to the 50's & 60's music played by a brass band at the reception!...just my style! </div>
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Guess what was waiting in our garage when we arrived home?! Our new tractor!! Travis is in love!<br />
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Olive would love to have chicken for dinner...<br />
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A few fall photos from the farm...</div>
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Lilies that were planted in July...just beginning to bloom!</div>
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Now that the tractor is here, I'll be hard at work getting perennials, shrubs, bulbs & peony roots in the ground!....very excited for 2012! </div>
Seeded Earthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01214301059861905215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1161930504697854473.post-24858334523969782892011-09-03T11:08:00.001-05:002011-09-03T11:12:04.789-05:00In the air...Last weekend, with the cooler weather and the smell of fall in the air, Olive & I took a walk back to the flower field to check on the flowers & count how many round bales of hay a local farmer was able to get from our land. When he cut this past spring, he baled 15...it added up to an extra $200 for us!...for doing nothing! This cutting.......an entirely different story! Olive & I counted 3 bales...$45. Eesh...that in itself tells you how dry this summer has been! <br />
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Olive wasn't too sure about these big creatures hanging out on her land.</div>
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I'm undecied on what this pretty piece of fluff is from. At first glance, it looked like a bunny lost a tuft of fur, but the closer I looked, it looks like it could be something from a plant? Not sure, but it sure is pretty & peaceful.</div>
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The helenium that we planted as plugs over the 4th of July are just beginning to bloom! They'll be beautiful next season when they're able to reach their full height!</div>
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Our best buddy, Olive...she *loves* being able to walk back to the flowers to run & sniff & play fetch!</div>
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Now, Labor Day Weekend is here! We'll be doing rain dances, hopefully getting a lot of plants in the ground & finishing up the chicken coop! </div>
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Seeded Earthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01214301059861905215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1161930504697854473.post-86249248851104756952011-08-30T12:38:00.003-05:002011-08-30T15:35:26.134-05:00Appreciating the Overlooked.Falling in love with most cut flowers is easy...they're colorful, showy, fragrant...what's not to love?! <br />
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There are some plants, though, that make you look beyond their flowers {or lack of} to see their beauty. I have grown to appreciate many of these plants that are often overlooked or touted as outcasts due to their unruly, aggresive or weedy nature, lack of flowers, short bloom time, lack of fragrance, etc. Here are a few of the plants that I have become increasingly thankful for as foliage & fillers this season...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bmNPj6IQ814/TlvKyiwKcbI/AAAAAAAAC0Q/vVQLQuFumK4/s1600/IMG_4540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" qaa="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bmNPj6IQ814/TlvKyiwKcbI/AAAAAAAAC0Q/vVQLQuFumK4/s320/IMG_4540.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MnMHErNJe-M/TlvLSYAiJsI/AAAAAAAAC0Y/xZLvsBVYqlY/s1600/IMG_4568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qaa="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MnMHErNJe-M/TlvLSYAiJsI/AAAAAAAAC0Y/xZLvsBVYqlY/s320/IMG_4568.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Baptisia blooms are gorgeous!...purple, yellow, white & burgandy are available. When in bloom, they're a great addition to any arrangement!....but...they only bloom for about two weeks. The best time to use them is when they are just beginning to open...you'll get the best vase life. Once they're done blooming, though, I LOVE using the foliage!...and these plants produce tons of it!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X15wZkLiq_0/TlvLgj1p-LI/AAAAAAAAC0c/QJLhKdgi_fE/s1600/IMG_4795.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qaa="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X15wZkLiq_0/TlvLgj1p-LI/AAAAAAAAC0c/QJLhKdgi_fE/s320/IMG_4795.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Poor Gooseneck Loosestrife...it gets a bad rap. It's a crazy aggresive grower...very crazy! How pretty is this flower, though?! It blooms at a time when I always seem to need a flower just like this! It's perfect!...blooms for about 3 weeks. If it hasn't been too buggy of a season, I like to use the foliage in fall arrangements as it begans to turn to a red/maroon/orange...amazing!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YjK69AWyzvw/TlvLyHDxuVI/AAAAAAAAC0g/bif1FjIiueI/s1600/IMG_4804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qaa="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YjK69AWyzvw/TlvLyHDxuVI/AAAAAAAAC0g/bif1FjIiueI/s320/IMG_4804.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MDhmldv4mHM/TlvMD60LZzI/AAAAAAAAC0k/oy7u3QPkSmo/s1600/IMG_5085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qaa="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MDhmldv4mHM/TlvMD60LZzI/AAAAAAAAC0k/oy7u3QPkSmo/s320/IMG_5085.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Grasses are always a huge help!...such great texture & height! I especially love hackonechloa for it's pretty yellow color & airy feel. Chasmanthium reseeds like gangbusters, but the flower is gorgeous in fall arrangements.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oEK2wQhtuTc/TlvMKH5sAXI/AAAAAAAAC0o/QXm353c-mls/s1600/2010.06.01_June+Flowers_64.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qaa="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oEK2wQhtuTc/TlvMKH5sAXI/AAAAAAAAC0o/QXm353c-mls/s320/2010.06.01_June+Flowers_64.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Amsonia...I love you. The flowers are aren't too flashy, but work nicely as a filler for a short period of time in early summer. Like baptisia, this foliage is phenomenal!...it just keeps growing! I hacked away at this plant all season long & now, I'm getting more new, green growth to use! The milky sap is a bit of a bummer, but hot water seals it off & the foliage lasts forever in a vase!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y32R9_gyjKc/TlvMXIWDPeI/AAAAAAAAC0s/hTu4xlyLmNg/s1600/DSC07719.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qaa="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y32R9_gyjKc/TlvMXIWDPeI/AAAAAAAAC0s/hTu4xlyLmNg/s320/DSC07719.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Oh....sweet Solomon's Seal...the most beautiful foliage. I will be growing TONS of this little guy. Grown in a shady spot, the foliage stays pretty well through June...and lasts & lasts in a vase!</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VMd50RfposA/TlvMjD2GXjI/AAAAAAAAC0w/z3ytdn5eXUE/s1600/DSC07985.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qaa="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VMd50RfposA/TlvMjD2GXjI/AAAAAAAAC0w/z3ytdn5eXUE/s320/DSC07985.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I don't love weigela flowers so much for cuts...they're alright sometimes, but not my favorite. The foliage on the other hand is fabulous right now! I'm using tons of it!...it's great because it is available in tons of pretty colors, too!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Seeded Earthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01214301059861905215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1161930504697854473.post-25501742720167952112011-08-25T20:40:00.004-05:002011-08-26T07:18:46.998-05:00Prioritize.For about the past 15 years...since my fresh/soph year of high school {I'm getting old!!}, I have been planting & growing flowers on my parents' land...and for the past two years, about an acre of my grandfather's land. I have been very thankful for this, but haven't felt like I could really set permanent roots for Seeded Earth.<br />
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Now, having 10 acres of *our own* land available to grow on gives me a great feeling of permanence & an actual beginning! <br />
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Starting a flower farm takes a lot of work...and like most new businesses, a lot of money. We know what we need to prioritize when it comes to equipment.......<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But when it comes to plants, prioritizing gets tricky {especially for a plant addict!}. Of course, we'll have a huge selection of annuals -- most of which I begin seeding in January/February. The hard part comes in deciding which shrubs, bulbs & perennial plants to invest in first. We have a good start on many perennials & I think we have a good plan in place for continuing to add new plants each year. If you have any suggestions on what you'd like to see, let us know! In the meantime, I'll do my best to stick to the plan. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here are a few of the plants that I'm excited to get growing this fall!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Seeded Earthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01214301059861905215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1161930504697854473.post-88891907151516593822011-08-23T12:40:00.001-05:002011-08-23T15:28:33.860-05:00Seeing Double.First off...before I get into my current infatuation...IT RAINED! Not a few drops, not a quarter inch...a good 1"+!! Ahhh...a huge relief! I have been waiting & waiting for rain. I have found some great deals on flowering shrubs this fall & haven't been able to get them in the ground because it is just un-diggable. They'll all go into the ground this week so they can spread their roots & start growing! Oodles & oodles of hydrangea and other flowering shrubs for next season!!<br />
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Now, let's keep some steady rain coming through fall so that I can get lots of these planted...!!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">& these...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B3SbhuDr8f0/TlPle7jmoVI/AAAAAAAACzo/-G1ogyfo9-E/s1600/mount+tacoma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" qaa="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B3SbhuDr8f0/TlPle7jmoVI/AAAAAAAACzo/-G1ogyfo9-E/s320/mount+tacoma.jpg" width="264" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">& these....!!!</div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Aren't they amazing?! I am in love with double tulips!...and thankfully, have finally found a good wholesale source for them! I cannot wait to have all of these blooming next spring! They're going to be GORGEOUS in wedding bouquets!</div>Seeded Earthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01214301059861905215noreply@blogger.com2