Hi Friends!
I had the best of intentions to continue weekly posts, but life happened and I missed a couple. Thanks for coming back. Our family has been reconnecting and eating good fall food and enjoying this fine weather (with a bit of skepticism, it’s really too warm), and planning, planning, planning for next year. It has been really nice for us to have extra time to get our fall stuff done in a less hurried manner. These mornings of low, golden sun have been pretty glorious.
Next year, we’re going all in on this farm dream, friends. I’m going to cut back my hours at MOSES in later spring, so Farmer Mike and I can be here together and farm this beautiful place like our lives depend on it. Cause really, they do.
We have different skills that benefit our farm business, and I’ve been so busy working off-farm that my skills haven’t helped the farm like they can. Even though farming is risky financially, and emotionally, it’s what we love and what we’ve come here to do.
We feel we can do this because we have the support of you, our wonderful community of buyers and local and sustainably-grown consumers in the Twin Cities. And we don’t take it for granted. Especially after chatting with flower growers all over the country this week.
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| Heidi from Field and Florist |
Farmer Mike and I attended the Association for Specialty Cut Flower Growers Conference (ASCFG) in Grand Rapids, Michigan earlier this week and hung out with some of our people. It was pretty awesome to be immersed in flower growing and growers and marketing and harvesting for two days. I met some of my flower farmer icons, and was able to say “thanks” in person. Thanks for teaching and inspiring me all along this journey through feeds and posts and bulletin board questions. We’ve belonged to the ASCFG since our first year, and it’s been an invaluable resource.
We also met some other growers in our area so we can connect and share resources. We all do better when we all do better.
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| Steve and Gretel from Sunny Meadows |
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| And oh my gosh Erin was there and I got to say thanks in person for all she's unknowingly taught me! |
planted garlic, and this weekend are seeding some fall-sown
flowers for early bouquets next year,
started setting up a better, bigger greenhouse system so we can
grow some starter plants next year,
begun putting in low tunnels in the field for spring wind
protection and earlier production next year,
started working on some wreaths and dried flowers for a few
lovelies’ orders this fall,
begun working on a production plan with at least 10 new
varieties for next year, so we can offer more single stem bunches, and of
course, more variety in the mixed bouquets,
and are just trying to hug each other a lot and make a strong, rockin’
effort to stay in the present and just love.
You too?
Be well, and big hugs!
J,M+E
