Excited. *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! 

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!

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!

Bursting to Life!

Holy Buckets!  We enjoyed some fantastic weather this weekend!...highs in the upper 70's to low 80's!  Every green, living thing seemed to suddenly burst to life!  From Saturday to Sunday, I am certain that the lily of the valley & some hosta shot up a few inches!...and the magnolia buds decided it was time to pop open to see what was happening for themselves!

 

Along with A LOT of raking, cleaning, planting and mulching, I found time to create my first wedding bouquet of the season!  I love being able to create little works of art from nature!  What do you think?  The textures & colors of this bouquet make me wish that Travis & I had decided to move our wedding up a month!  So organic, pure & pretty.  

Don't forget ~
Mother's Day is Sunday, May 8th!...right around the corner!  

Place your orders now for a fresh arrangement! 
Or...there are also many perennial plants & crafty options available ~ button flower bouquets, recycled wine bottle hydroponic planters, terrariums and appliqued tea towels! 

The Freight House Farmer's Market Opens their outdoor season on May 7th. 
Feel free to pickup your gift for Mom from me there or email {SeededEarth@gmail.com} & we can arrange delivery!   

New flowers are bursting open daily! 

Many more bouquets & blooms to come!