Back in the groove!

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!  

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!

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!

Well...I should get back to ordering flower seeds & supplies!  Really looking forward to our 2013 season!

Don't forget!!  

The Jaycees Bridal Fair is on Saturday, January 26th from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. at The River Center in Davenport, Iowa.  

Here's the link:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Davenport-Jaycees-Bridal-Expo/182583911760066?ref=ts&fref=ts  

We'd love to see you there! 

That 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!

 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, Bark & Bloom has contacted us about selling flowers in their shop at The NewBo City Market 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!

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!  

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.....  ;)

One more thing!  We have a new stall at The Freight House Farmers' Market!  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!

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: Celia's Video.  Enjoy!!  :)

A 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.

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. 

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!!

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!  ;)

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! 

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!

It Begins!

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...

...the official sure sign that spring is here & that loads of beautiful blooms aren't far behind!  

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!!  

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!  

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!  

Now that many winter projects are behind us, we're back in flower action & can't wait to see everyone, again, this season!!

Thankful.

Travis & I have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.  We have accomplished a lot (A LOT!) within the past year! 

We...

...went to Houston, TX in January as my {warm!} surprise 30th birthday present from Travis!

...made the trip to Seattle with my mom for Cut Flower Growers' School {& to visit our friend, Lacey!}!

...participated in an awesome event, The Handmade City Spring Art & Craft Fair!

...ran the Boston Marathon!



...got married!

...bought a house with 10 acres of land!

...had a very successful season at The Freight House Farmers' Market thanks to our wonderful customers!

...had a very successful season of wedding work!

...bought our first tractor & tiller!

...got chickens!

...and Travis built them a coop!  

...planted rows of perennials!

...made an appearnace on Paula Sands Live!



...planted 1,000's of spring bulbs!

...planted 50+ flowering shrubs!

...planted about 100 peony roots!

...brought home a new rescue puppy, Kevin!

...still have a very happy, healthy little Olive!  ;)



...bought our first little hoophouse!

                                          Okay...no photo yet...

we still have to get it put together!  :)

...made the trip to Reston, Virginia for the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers' National Conference! (sorry...better photos to come soon!!).

...have many wonderful weddings booked for next season!

...are expecting our first baby this spring!!!

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!

 

Wishing all of our friends & family a very Happy & Safe Thanksgiving!