Epic Summer 2011

"Hands full, still smiling"

(Photos from this post Courtesy: Matthew Williams @ Eye of the Shutter Photography)

This picture perfectly describes the summer of 2011

Yes my hands have been completely full handling this place by myself but..lots to smile about! For the first time - money was made directly off this land through flower farming! Don't get me wrong, it's not enough to quit my day job by any means, but thanks to my little honor system box installed out front, its been enough to cover the expenses of the supplies for row and irrigation installation, seeds, and a little extra to throw towards the money pit of farm stand construction. Might not be a ton but certainly has given me a taste of what is to come. I know there is so much more potential and so many more creative ideas on the horizon to tap into. This summer is just the beginning!

As the last weekends of August are upon us, I am filling my notebook full of ideas to apply for next season, what seeds to order, what color flowers were most popular, which were not, and lessons learned to assist planning of 2012.

Some of the notes include...grow more herbs...dual purpose ones for culinary and bouquet fillers...more fillers, more fillers, more fillers! print up a great pesto recipe to hand out to customers...more blue egg chickens, heck...more chickens in general...can never have enough eggs! Create handout with little farm tour with philosophy/descriptions/future vision for visitors, get labels for plant rows, expand spring seed swap party into the coolest farm networking event ever. Rent a chick was the bomb - need more coops asap so we can rent chicks every month of spring,summer, fall.

Will be busy using the off season to figure out the workshops and events to be held here, finding great people to partner with, as well as seeking local products to sell in the farm stand.

I have noticed neighboring farms putting their "closed for the season" signs up, and feel families mentally shift from their carefree beach mode into their back to school mode. Despite the visual signs, I've been steadily tending to my flower acre and expect blooms to still be going strong for another few weeks at least...

The "OPEN" for business sign is still up and the buckets of flowers are still rolling in.

In addition to the success of the farm, it was an epic summer emotionally for me. Temporarily blindsided by a unexpected and head spinning-ly swift divorce, I've found relief one day, one chore, one construction project, one to-do list at a time around here. I have come to realize that I can handle the farm as a suddenly single farm gal and everything will be alright. I'm already beginning to see its going to be beyond alright and in fact, so much better than it was before. Lots of help from friends and family to partner with, and customers feedback and encouragement has kept me going. Plus, a gigantic sigh of relief was felt when I got master carpenters on the speed dial.

Having a creative outlet of photography and blogging has kept me farm focused too, and its fun to help showcase the farm business and what it can and will offer. Started this blog with just a camera phone, remember a few months ago when I was too afraid to take this Nikon out of its box when it arrived. That was until I met Matthew, who owns his own photography business. Despite his hectic schedule in frenzy of wedding season no less, he found time to bring his family out to the farm, give me a photo 1o1 and sent me off to do my damage. :) Life through the lens was never the same. Very cool dude with much patience, knowledge, and also a great educational blog about what it takes to be a photographer www.eyeoftheshutter.wordpress.com

Well Matt preaches that every small business owner deserves some uniquely personal "about me" pictures for busting tail to make their mark on the world. Seems he could detect some tail busting and that it would be a good time to turn the camera on me to capture the moment. Thanks Matt for giving a glimpse of the new and improved spokeswoman to this farm.

One summer lesson's for sure: This farm is my baby, I'm gonna rock it!