First, an ode to where we started in 2017:
Our first banner in 2017 was hand-painted on upcycled burlap the night before our first ever market selling bagged lettuce and tomatoes.
And a happy lil nod to where we are today:
Our brand got a facelift this season from our dear friend, Emma Julian. Her design and creativity has added so much life to our flower stand and social media pages and website.
June has been unforgettable. Total brand makeover, website launch, deliveries and markets began, the first of our flower rows have really started blooming.
It's been a wild few weeks and I've definitely consumed too much caffeine as I harvested our flowers, picked-up local blooms, spoke at a local elementary school's Career Day about being a farmer florist, worked on banners & business cards, and stayed up way too late creating bouquets. Season two of full-time flowers has felt a bit like we jumped into the deep-end head first without floaties on. But we're out here trusting God and doing it anyway! And we've felt so encouraged by everyone who's stopped by the booth to say "hi", shop for flowers, or even just to slow down and admire the locally grown beauty.
We're taking some time off of markets to get the farm at a manageable level before blooms truly kick off in July. But an unexpected blessing to come from the frustration of a slow growing garden has been community. Because of our lack of blooms, we've had the unique opportunity to collaborate with other local flower growers. And what a joy it has been to create with local flowers that were skillfully grown on seven other local farms around Virginia. An absolute dream!!
Collaborating with other flower folk was on my heart all winter. I felt so new in this space last year that I retreated into my introvert shell and didn't reach out to other local flower people. Big mistake because as it turns out, flower people are the best people. I've met and worked with the kindest, most creative, and knowledgeable growers. I'm so excited to see how these relationships grow as seasons pass. My heart is so full as we reach halfway through our first month of markets + deliveries. My favorite thing about flowers so far has been that there's room for everybody in the flower field.
Check out the amazing growers featured in our arrangements this month:
Red Handle Farm, LLC in Amelia
Patterson's Backyard Farm in Powhatan
Yellow Finch Farm in Powhatan
River City Flower Exchange in Scott's Addition
Tupelo Farm and Garden in Urbana
Toano Botanicals at Crow Meadow in Toano
Hazel Witch Farm in Mechanicsville
