Happy Friday y’all!

We’re heading into a stretch of mid to high 80’s now. Time to fire up the a/c a bit.

That section of spring where every single thing is bursting with freshness like you’re living in an 80’s commercial about mint gum or Irish Spring has come and gone. Beautiful plants are still emerging from dormancy, but all around them, things that were recently dripping with crisp freshness are now showing the other half of life. The hard truths we all must grow to swallow.

Snowball Viburnum dropping its petals!

I’m fascinated by people who utterly embrace the beauty of decay. Floral designers who treasure an arrangement in all stages – who love the dropped petals and wilted foliage as much as they love a freshly opened poppy pod. I’ve tried to will myself into that level of emotional evolution, but so far I’m coming up short. I guess it's all relative though. I’ve spent thousands of hours meditating on accepting unwanted change, and it has been game changing and life saving. That said, I started from where I started from, and I wouldn’t say I was anything close to an old soul.

So for now, I’ll just accept that I still love the easy illusion of perfect beauty and freshness that early spring brings, while nurturing my acceptance of the beauty that remains amidst surrounding decay for the rest of the year. One is overwhelmingly easy, while the other (for me) involves feeding the better parts of myself and starving the petulant child inside. It's probably a bit trite to say, but the seasons really are a great education in what life has to offer. Even if it's not beautiful at the surface, it is still quite magical. The dead and dying flowers are now becoming fruit to bear seeds and begin the cycle anew.

Biscuit with some of our final poppies of the season!

Speaking of spring’s progression, we are at that time where our flower production has dropped significantly. We’re getting DM’s and emails wondering why our website has less availability, and it is because the heat has come and the flowers we’ve been nurturing in the tunnels for the last 6-7 months are coming to their natural end. We have enough blooms to fill our subscriptions and a bit left over to sell on the website, but when those sell out, we have to wait until harvests reveal we can add more.

I wish there was something we could do to change that, but the weather is the weather and this season has been exceedingly short for our flowers. It started later than normal and is ending earlier than normal. I could talk climate change and its impact on farms, but I don’t want to, other than to say we’ve felt the impact and it is not good. Altered seasons are one outcome and they significantly affect what farms can produce. This is that.

Peonies budding in the field!

We do have some varieties that should hopefully be ready for Mother’s Day. Some peonies for sure and possibly some campanula and godetia. Time will tell and we’ll tell you when time tells us.

We've restocked the Farm Store with flowers, ceramics, and all sorts of delightful treasures!

The Farm Store is open today and tomorrow, so come on by and shop in the peaceful and lovely little hidden island of commerce in an otherwise sea of green.

I’ve gotta run and cut some flowers.

Have a great weekend!

Steve