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Who said starting a flower farm would be easy?

It’s a dreamy thought, all by itself. Beautiful blooms, butterflies flutter about. The sweet aroma of fresh dirt after a good, summer downpour.

And then reality kicks in, and boy, has it kicked in. The past week the heat index has been atleast (if not more) than 100 degrees Everyday!

Shew…and these were not hot, cloudy days. No, these were good ’ol burning hot, sunny days. And let’s not forget the humidity. Here on the Eastern Shore our humidity is so thick that we joke that you can “cut the air”. Ok, that is not funny. I dream of cool, crisp mountain air. I really do not tolerate heat well. And the work never ends…starting seeds, planting, weeding, pulling out spent plants, running more rows, cutting flowers, and making bouquets for market.

My intention here is not to be a “Debbie Downer“ but to give you a glimpse into the life of a flower farmer. A snapshot of the daily grind.

To say that it takes “GRIT” would be a very honest statement.

So…is it worth all the sweat(a lot of sweat) and tears(a lot of tears)?

YES!!!! ABSOLUTELY!!!!

The joy and beauty definitely outweighs the sweat and tears. It is so satisfying to have hands in the dirt…it is healing in some way. God put Adam and Eve in the garden for a reason. It is an occupation that is necessary for man to live and thrive. And no matter what kind of farmer you are…food, flower, or livestock; there is a satisfaction and fulfillment that comes at the end of a hard day‘s work. So yes, it takes a lot of determination and grit to be a farmer of any sort but the rewards are priceless.🌸

Often times as I am cutting flowers my mind wonders, from this to that, the shape of a fluffy cloud, the sweet song of a bird, oh, and then the amazing smell of the sweet peas I am

picking! If you have never smelled a sweet pea, their smell is reminiscent of honey suckle, light and sweet, like nectar. As I gaze at these beautiful flowers I decide right then and there,

if I could be a flower I would choose to be a sweet pea…so graceful and feminine, they use their tendrils to delicately climb upward towards the blue sky. Their aroma is heavenly and their

Colors of soft pink, deep pink, light and dark purple, even red, they never disappoint.

So…if you could choose to be a flower, which one would you be?

I am truly a lover of nature. I am thankful that our Amazing God created so many diverse creatures and how each is important to this planet… the busy honey bee, the ever so strong ant, the beautiful bluebird, with its warbling song. I Love to just stop and watch all that surrounds me.

Earlier this week when inspecting the blueberry bushes I came upon several praying mantis cocoons. Praying mantis are great insect for any garden. They are like soldiers defending the plants and flowers from harmful invaders. It makes me smile to see them. On the other hand, this week I also saw one of most dreaded sights…a snake. I know, many of you may like them, but I don’t. I just don’t like anything about them. They scare me!

On our farm we have three primary types: black, water, and copperheads. Yes, copperheads. We have killed 2 copperheads in the past 3 years. I recently read that black snakes are territorial and will keep copperheads and other snakes away. Therefore, I am really trying to at least appreciate them. So when I saw this one, this Really, Really long one, slithering into our flower garden and then into our barn I Did Not kill it. I was proud of myself and thankful to see it a different light. Helpful.

I am learning to at least appreciate all creatures Great and small.

Amazing how things grow… ideas, dreams, and flowers! What once started as an idea or better stated as a “dream”, has like a tiny seed planted in healthy soil, began to grow! We are so excited to have you come along side us as we begin this new, exciting journey! There will much to learn, and we realize there will be a HUGE learning curve this first year, but we are anxious to watch our little farm bloom with color and beauty!