Perfect 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!

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.

For instance...

...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!

...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!

...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.

...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!

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! 

I'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...

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!"

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!

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!

Prioritize.

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.

Now, having 10 acres of *our own* land available to grow on gives me a great feeling of permanence & an actual beginning! 

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.......

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.

Here are a few of the plants that I'm excited to get growing this fall!

Seeing 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!!

Now, let's keep some steady rain coming through fall so that I can get lots of these planted...!!

& these...

& these....!!!

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!

Strictly business.

Last night, I decided that it was time to do some work.  Real work.  No more of this playing around seeding, weeding, tilling, mulching stuff.  Work.  Marketing is an important part of a business, right?!  Yes...and of course, it's a horrible job...but...someone has to do it...

Funny....let me tell you, it was pretty rough!  ;)