A Year in Review
Since today is my birthday (#42), I am feeling reflective and incredibly thankful for the last few years. In our family, we always ask eachother what the highlights and lowlights were of the year, and what we are looking forward to in the next year. So here are some highlights, lowlights, and things I’m super excited about.
When I had lunch with some bright eyed students the other day and told them I planted 10,000 tulip bulbs and their jaws dropped, it hit me—I’ve grown! The amount of information I’ve digested over the last two years is incredible and feeling that personal growth is definitely a highlight. Moving forwarding, leaning in, using creative energy and developing my business sense for something I’m passion about is exhilarating. Here are some other significant highlights:
Moving In! I am happy to report we successfully renovated a 1949 farmhouse (including 300’ of sewer, all electrical, interior and exterior plumbing, and all interiors), we moved in this summer while Rodman was traveling, and we still love eachother today. Building a farm on property we own is instrumental to our long term vision.
Working as a Family (kids included). It is not always pretty but working together as a family to build this business is bringing us closer. Rodman now understands more of the infrastructure needs of running a farm and he regularly tells me ideas on how to grow the business, and the girls are catching the gardening bug and even recruiting their friends to come help. I love hearing Rodman and the girls brag about the flowers to their friends when they think I’m not listening.
Learning Market Gardening. Growing crops for market on <3 acres is legally considered a “Market Garden” in the city of Arvada. So technically that makes us a garden and not a farm but I’ve learned how to grow ALOT of speciality flowers in a small amount of space. This year I’ll be growing approximately 200 different varieties of flowers and herbs, and what I love most is learning about the plants and how they are used by designers, herbalists, chefs, and bakers. From foliage to focal flowers, and everything in between, there is something about flowers and herbs that feel ethereal.
Selling 3 Seasons of Flowers. The first season I only had flowers from July-October but the second year I had flowers from April-October. I love the shoulder seasons and am focusing on strengthening those programs in the coming years. Using caterpillar tunnels last year helped to have flowers in early summer and I’m excited about growing under larger hoop houses for early spring flowers next year, and in a greenhouse for winter tulips.
Building a Community. From my next door neighbor telling me he wanted to help, to meeting growers all over the world, to developing relationships with customers—connecting with a community of flower lovers has touched my heart. It reconfirms my belief that there are good people everywhere. I am also blown away with how powerful social media can be when growing a business and finding a community. I’ve grown a following from 0-2,000 in two seasons on IG (which I know is a drop in the bucket to some but I’ll take it) and I’ve been on the news, in the paper, on a podcast, and featured in Florets online book. Its amazing what happens when your actions align with your purpose.
Telling My Story & Learning Photography. Both telling my story and relearning photography has been unintended gifts of the farm. Diving deep and getting clear on my personal journey has made me more confident in the decision to go ‘all in’. I remember creating my website and adding the “My Story” section then posting it to Facebook. It felt like I jump off the dock into the lake in canon ball fashion. A huge wave of support followed and the amazing feeling of swimming in cold water was exhilarating. I remember thinking, I jumped in now lets see if I can swim.
And relearning photography started as a necessity to build my website, but sharing photos with customers, and telling the behind the scenes story is feeding my creative self. I still have a lot to learn but I treasure the days of crawling around in the garden at sunrise to shoot photos. People have even asked that I teach them photography with is flattering for sure. So I might do a few posts on photographing flowers this year or teach a Basic Course on the farm. Let me know if you’d be interested.
The lowlights of the last year were scary, challenging, and sad but there is no light without the shadows so here they are:
Managing Construction Crews. We had a huge dumpster fire where I saw everything we’ve worked hard for flash before my eyes. It was a wake up call to be in charge of crews and if something seems wrong stand your ground. As a woman, it takes a lot of guts to tells a construction crew of men that they are doing something wrong and even more guts to force them to shovel ashes out of a dumpster. I did the first half the equation but failed to stand my ground. Never again will I go against my instincts.
Lack of Infastructure. Not having the right infrastructure in place is like not having an oven for a restaurant. Having a cooler is critical for any farming operation, as well as having a place to process, package, and design. Whether its flowers, herbs, or lavender—when they are ready to be harvested they have to come out of the field right away and without a place to hold them in storage, hang them to dry, or package them for a customer they go to waste.
Weeds & Pests - Weeds and pests are always part of the organic growing equation. Last year was the year of the cucumber beetle and the first year I bought mesh baggies to put over dahlia blooms. It is not something I care to do over an entire field so this year I made a plan of attack which starts in March. I’m putting almost as much time and energy into planning ahead in this realm as I am for planning the fields.
Saying goodbye to Jessie - Gardens bring people of all ages and demographics together and through the community garden I’ve had the opportunity to build friendships with all types of people. Over the last few years I built a friendship with an elderly woman at the garden named Jessie. We’ve worked together on Sunday mornings to restore a pollinator garden but this January I had to say goodbye and Godspeed to her. She definitely left the world a more beautiful place and I am forever grateful for her friendship.
At 42, the puzzle is taking serious shape and I’m starting to work on the details of the picture. I love having my fingerprints all over what is unfolding in my life and seeing God’s fingerprints on pieces that I never dreamed could be so beautiful.
Looking toward the future, I am most excited to build the barn and greenhouse but there are so many good things coming down the pipeline. Here is a list of things that are going to make 42 a year to remember:
Infrastructure - As I said, we are finally doing our “build out.” My family is in the pizza business so building out a space up front to operate a business feels normal. Front loading the business may feel risky so some but we are committed for the long haul.
Building a Team - We are slowly developing a team of people. Nate will be coming back this year (our amazing neighbor), we’ll continue our summer teenage intern program, and we are starting an apprenticeship program which we hope will turn into longer relationships down the road. Keeping our team small is important and developing the right team is even more important.
New Annuals & our 1st Perennial Planting - The most anticipated new flowers for our field map this year is lisanthus, hummingbird poppies, a larger variety of dahlias and ranunculus, our first collection of garden roses, and numerous woodies and shrubs (smokebush, nine bark, lilacs, viburnums, hydrangeas, baptista, quince, and others). Perennials are investments for the future and will also improve the value of our property and give unique touches to our designs.
The demand for herbs is also picking up but we are still fine tuning our herb production plans. Selling bulk herbs has always been part of our vision but processing and the distribution channels are more similar to lavender—and very different than flowers.
Design - As our studio is being built, we are looking forward to more weddings and offering flowers to brides either in bulk for DIY weddings or Buckets & Bouquets. We are not a full service florist but really enjoying offering natural floristry to brides who may have a smaller budget.
Value Added Products & Farm Merchandise - In addition to offering locally grown flowers, we are working on a few small products to offer in our studio and online. People who bought the small batch of Savory Salt this year are calling with repeat orders and honey from our hives is frequently requested. So this year we hope to offer more of these products and add a few new apothecary goods from plants we grow.
Farm Courses - We still have so much to do on our farm but can’t wait to share it with those who love art & gardening as much as we do. Offering courses for artists and fellow gardeners has always been a dream of mine and this season with the barn being built we will finally have a conditioned space to do so. Stay tuned for more details for courses during this season.
The last trip around the sun was filled to the brim and the next trip is shaping up to be the same. A lot of people ask me how we do so much, but honestly, Rodman and I are happiest when we are working hard and staying busy. Thanks for reading, connecting, and being on this journey with me.
p.s. My littlest made me the cake at the top of the page. I’ve been cleansing for 3 weeks but it ended yesterday so you better believe I’ll be eating my cake.
Walking in the World,
Gina