Life is what happens while you’re making plans
Hello!
Tuesday night's storm brought 2½ inches of rain to the flower farm. By morning, a few stands of sunflowers and milkweed had bowed to the weight of the rain and the wind. Compared with the devastating flooding elsewhere in West Virginia, I feel very fortunate.
Wednesday is not my usual harvest day, but I was in the fields with the wagon and snippers. I walked the rows, counting my blessings, cutting back fallen stems, and making mental notes for this week’s market flowers, my to-do lists and next season’s seed orders. Then I recalled the task at hand: a harvest for a custom bouquet order. And such a wonderful request, "Just make it happy colors!"
We are at mid-year, and I don’t think I’m alone in thinking July is going by fast. Next week I’ll be installing the stage flowers for the Pickin’ in Parsons bluegrass festival. It is the first week of August every year. An anchor on my calendar. And, for me, a week off in Tucker County. But August!
That means that these are the last weeks for “Hail Mary” seed planting. One more batch of fast-growing summer flowers. It is a risk and a prayer for autumn bouquets – if the Labor Day frost holds off and the frost cloth does its trick. (Yes, staging the hoops and frost cloth is on the To-Do-Soon list). Once the music quiets, the focus in August turns to getting the “cool flowers” started for overwintering. And harvesting all the heat-loving summer flowers that are so, so close – dahlias, zinnias, amaranth, marigolds. I am so excited for them!
This week, the pilot Season Pass holders get their second bouquets. I’m enjoying the rhythm and creative challenge of making something special for them. I think their bouquets will feature snapdragons and delphiniums this week. Both are blooming prodigiously.
(The snaps and stock are marching through my supply of cardboard tubes, as my efforts to defy gravity and maintain straight stems continue. Thanks those of you who brought your used TP and paper towel rolls to the market last week. Keep ‘em coming!)
Flowers sold out at the market last Friday – an exciting milestone! I’m so glad so many of you are enjoying the bouquets and bunches, and hope to see you again this week. With that in mind, I’ve decided to wait until Saturday afternoon, after the Canaan Valley pop-up, to stock the bucket at Stumptown.
On the herb front, basils have also come along. I’ll be bringing them to market this week, too. Genovese (the Italian one for pesto and mozzarella slices), two types of Thai, Lemon, and Lime. The plants look and smell great!
All to say, many plans. And a custom order to fill. I smiled to myself and got to the task at hand, harvesting happy colors. How did I do?
Let there be flowers!
Lizz
PS – This weekend’s Points of Sale are:
• Friday - Sunday, bud vases at Blackwater Galley in Thomas (delicious breakfasts and baked goods from 7 am - 2 pm!)
• Saturday afternoons - until sold out, bouquets at Stumptown Ales, Davis
• Fridays, 4:30 - 7:30 pm, Davis Farmers and Artisans Market, next to Davis Riverside Park, across from Shop’n’Save supermarket
• Saturdays, Canaan Valley Pop-Up, 9 am - noon, on Route 32/Appalachian Highway (by the Canaan Valley Garage)
• For custom orders or just because – contact me! hello@canaanvalleyflowerco.com
• I’ll be at Pickin’ in Parsons August 4–8, so I won’t be at the Davis Farmers Market or the Canaan Valley pop-up that week. If you need flowers or herbs then, let me know beforehand so we can be sure to get them to you before the music starts.