Humble Pie Farm

We began flower farming and designing in 2013, the same year we gave birth to our first child. Our small family farm business, relationship, parenting and just simply living the good life are inextricably interconnected. Farming is an ongoing process that has different parts and activities related to each season of the year, and our family life ebbs and flows with that process. The spring and summer planting, harvest and design season are so very intense with early mornings and late nights and working when the sun and rain allow us. The fall and winter seasons slow down a little, but hold their own essential activities and intensity. There are some truths to the beautiful idealistic farming lifestyle myth, but often the reality is that we have to try just as hard as everyone else to slow down, be present and step out of the rat race. The truth and the beauty is that we have chosen to do what we love and we get to be together as a family a lot, all day, everyday. 

This is the story of our family flower farm, week by week. This blog was available for our CSA members last season, but this year we'd like to welcome all interested readers. Thanks for being here.

Our 2015 story really began in November as we were wrapping up 2014. Good planning is an essential piece of farming and the last couple of months have been spent huddled over our computers and seed catalogs, ordering the best researched supplies, seeds, bulbs and figuring out how we'll fit ALL THESE FLOWERS in our rented two half acre fields and hoop house space. We also have detailed greenhouse, field and hoop house plans. 

December and January are also a time of respite and re-connection for our family, and we've taken a few little trip adventures and spent a lot of time doing our favorites: making and eating good food, and snuggling on the couch eating popcorn. It's been lovely. 

And now, we're back at it, my friends! Yesterday we began seeding, the symbolic and literal beginning of an exciting season of flower-growing. Seeding tiny sweet little flower seeds. 8000 of 'em to be precise.We started flowers to be planted in the hoop house and field at the end of April. We put lisianthus, snapdragon, sweet pea, sweet william, delphinium, foxglove, bells of ireland and a few other seeds in the soil. Oh it did feel good. Amanda volunteered her seeding service, and some good conversation, the greenhouse was warm and bright and the dirt smelled good.

Mostly I use the hand vibrating seeder which is speedy fast, and seed into these trays that we call 288s because they have 288 little seed cells. These pelleted (coated with a wax so you can actually see them because they're so teeny tiny) seeds are so darn slippery that we hand-seeded them. They will sit on the top of the soil until they germinate as they need light to germinate. As you can see, I'm very serious about seeding. :)

Misty mornings. We mist our seeds oh so gently so as not to wash them away until they germinate, then bottom water to prevent build up from minerals in the water and soil on the top of the seed cells. 

The soil is a balmy 80 degrees. That's vermiculite on top of the soil to hold moisture and aid drainage.

Soon to be beautiful orange snapdragons.

The fruit of our labor. Can you see the fields of flowers?

Air temp is almost 60. Not bad when it's 5 below outside. We've built mini greenhouses with hoops and plastic inside the big greenhouse over heat mats to keep soil temperature consistent.

So here we go. Humble Pie Farm flower season 3. Many great, beautiful things start really small. This little dream of ours has grown. Our flowers, our toddler, our knowledge and love of flower farming all have grown as we enter our third year. Our love and appreciation for nature and its abundance has grown. Our trust and respect for and reliance on each other has grown. Were we really married just four years ago?! 

It all begins with little seeds in fertile ground.

Thanks for joining our journey.

Jennifer, Mike and Earl
Humble Pie Farm