Giving myself a solid ‘F’
Many things have gone very well this summer.
Staying in communication with my email list VIPs (that’s you!) was not one of them.
So, for keeping in contact with you all and for blogging regularly - an F.
I’ve done a better job with Instagram and would give myself a B- for social media posts, so if you want to see more of what the summer was like, check me out on IG @wallawallaflowerfarm (icon below).
Where the report card starts to look a little better is when I see things like this…
The season is still going strong, but I must admit there are days I look forward to that first frost when the harvesting will come to a screeching halt and my house can get a good cleaning.
Until then my trusty snips and I will press on.
Failures Galore
Things don’t go to plan on the farm.
Every. Single. Day.
I often post to social media pictures of the gorgeous flowers, pictures of cute animals, and cute grandkids.
You know what gets the most views on social? THE BAD STUFF.
My gopher war reel has over 7K views to cute Maizy’s 300.
So interesting, and not the first time my failures get way more attention than the pretty stuff.
Most days my clothes look ridiculous (so bad my husband laughs and takes pictures of me), my hair is messy and pulled out of my face with a headband or a hat, I say and do the wrong thing, I focus on the wrong things, I break things, I don’t drink enough water, I don’t take that extra moment to give attention…
Are you with me? Can I hear an ‘Amen’?
I guess it is nice to be reminded we aren’t alone in the mess.
Well Friends, let’s take that mess and be like this glorious ranunculus!
She is going out into the world to share her beauty, make people happy, and make whatever environment she is in better just by being there. The ever-present weeds (like the one in the upper left corner (did you even notice it?)) can just be along for the ride and in the background.
A sneak peek because Greta and Maizy can’t help themselves.
Meet Greta and Maizy!
These two will be hanging out under locust trees behind a little building referred to as ‘The Hut’ which means they will get to see YOU!
How can this be?
WWFF IS OPENING A SELF-SERVE ROADSIDE FARM STAND!
As luck would have it, it is right between the road (you), and the locust trees (Greta and Maizy’s future hang-out).
There is much more to tell about this farm stand, but the silly goats have been bugging me to let you in on the plans. I think they jumped the gun a little, but who am I to argue with those fierce horns?
Isn’t she cute?! The Hut - not me.
But wait… there’s more! So. Much. More. If you poke around the website you will find breadcrumbs. The official launches are in the works, and I’m having so much fun!!
Spring Prep
Things are literally smoking as we prep for the 2024 summer season. The field is being prepped, irrigation fixed, seeds started and seedlings tended to. The tunnel crops are coming along, and we have BIG plans brewing.
You can take the girl out of the farm…
I always loved going to work with my dad - I mean, how many five-year-olds get to ride on a Caterpillar (where is my ear protection, btw)?
See that Mac truck in the background? I spent many hours riding along while hauling hay or cattle, and Dad would let me pull the cord to honk the big horn. Kid heaven.
This is how I grew up. Playing and working on the farm - which were often the same thing - especially when I was with my cousins.
Anne, Dad and Cousin trapping gophers circa 1972
I remember very well going out to trap gophers with dad. He would set a trap and then walk shovel-over-shoulder to the next gopher mound. I would be straggling behind asking him to ‘wait up’. Let’s be honest, my ‘wait up’ calls were likely emphatic cries of a three-year-old thinking the world was ending. Dad never did ‘wait up’ (there was a job to be done!) but would encourage me to keep following and assure me that I would catch up at the next gopher hole.
He was right.
I grew up, went away to college, got married, moved even further away, raised three amazing children, got a job, got another job - always with the goal of somehow making it back home - back to the farm. Twenty-seven years later I made it back to the Walla Walla Valley!
Throw in a couple more jobs and a few more years trying to figure out how I could farm, and here I am today…
Still catching up.
It’s All About the Ducks
I’ve been hanging out with chickens for over two decades. Even living in town there were chickens in the back yard. If you have ever had chickens, you know what they do to your garden (peck every red strawberry or tomato), or clean car. Ducks, however do not cause the same sort of damage, so are perfect for a flower farm.
Knowing I wanted ducks, my daughter filled her incubator with duck eggs (and a chicken egg), and thus began our journey with ducks - and one chicken who thinks it is a duck.
The pond picture makes me laugh! We were filling the new pond and that was the birds’ first foray into the water. The chicken has not since ventured into the water. She has her limits!
See the little brown duckling on the left in the pic above? My grandkids were quite taken with it’s color they dubbed “carmely green” which turned into that ducks permanent name.
Not all of the ducks have names, in fact most don’t - including the chicken. The chicken really does deserve a name as she leaves me a beautiful green egg in the duck house most days. Help me name her by leaving your suggestions in the comments!
Another notable duck is Albie - the only flyer of the bunch. He/She (we aren’t sure) flies down to visit the chickens a couple times a day.
Albie the flyer
Ducks on an evening walk
Season Extension
Look what my friend Cameron of Natural Medium Design did with WWFF grown tulips!
It has been a labor of love to grow February tulips in quantity, and I would call the experiment a partial success. I will go into the process in more detail another time for anyone who wants to try. For now, let’s just say it entailed empty mineral buckets from my sisters cattle operation and a lot of messes in the house.
Earlier this week Scott and I had the opportunity to visit a large flower warehouse. It was fascinating and inspirational.
I believe we can never have too many flowers, but there aren’t a lot of local flowers this time of year. In order to have flowers in the winter months we turn to flowers grown in warmer climates like the beautiful roses from Ecuador pictured below.
One Walla Walla Flower Farm goal is to stretch the local season as long as possible so we can invite Walla Walla Valley grown flowers to our parties more often. I am proud to work alongside growers from across the country to flip the flower narrative from the current 80% of US cut flowers imported from other countries.
I’ll close with more WWFF tulips designed and photographed by Natural Medium Design. Vessels by ClayPotz.
P.S. Collaborating with local designers is my favorite. I love seeing what others do with the flowers I’ve grown. So much talent in our valley!
The Book of Tea
My friend’s son Jack always makes me think and exposes me to new ideas. Recently he had marked a chapter in The Book of Tea by Okakura Kakuzo, set it in front of me and said, “Here. I think you might enjoy this”. He was correct. An excerpt:
“In joy or sadness, flowers are our constant friends. We eat, drink, sing, dance, and flirt with them. We wed and christen with flowers. We dare not die without them. We have worshipped with the lily, we have meditated with the lotus, we have charged in battle array with the rose and chrysanthemum. We have even attempted to speak in the language of flowers. How could we live without them? It frightens one to conceive of a world bereft of their presence. What solace do they not bring to the bedside of the sick, what a light of bliss to the darkness of weary spirits? Their serene tenderness restores to us our waning confidence in the universe even as the intent gaze of a beautiful child recalls out lost hopes. When we are laid low in the dust it is they who linger in sorrow over our graves.”
Flowers are cool, and so is my friend Jack.
Hello, 2024!
It is impossible to capture an entire year in a few photos, but I’ve attempted to select a few (some deep cuts, and some by a pro (Thanks, Staci!!)) that convey the inaugural year of the farm.
A heartfelt thanks to each of you for a wonderful first year. I’ve heard it said that “flowers do things to people”. Your support allows us to provide the beauty and power of flowers in our valley and region. Thank you!
We have been planning for several months and can’t wait for the unfolding of 2024.
How to have a good day.
Recently I asked two very wise people if they had any words of wisdom. They did not understand the request, so I simplified and asked them what do we need to do to have a good day. What you don’t see on this clip is the little guy’s immediate answer to that question - “poop”. He is not wrong. Gut health is very important, and I believe their subsequent answers hold much wisdom.
May we all have fun, go for a walk and find worms. I mean, what else is there?
Thankful
Gratitude is not relegated to the end of November, but it is a special focus during this month of Thanksgiving. If you are reading this, I am thankful for YOU because you are a part of Walla Walla Flower Farm whether in a big or small way, and I thank you for coming alongside.
A highlight of this year, and one I am thankful for, was being contacted by Debra Prinzing, founder of the Slow Flowers Society [can you say ‘star-struck’?]. It was a true honor to have Debra visit Walla Walla Flower Farm and record an episode of her vodcast.
But wait, there’s more…
This is the beautiful - no, STUNNING new issue of Slow Flowers Journal.
Look who is on page 37! (link to podcast below)
A peek at the farm
It is difficult to fully describe what our farm is like and what goes on here. Thankfully, we have the ability to offer a glimpse into our world, courtesy of my brother and his trusty drone. While this digital peek is fun, nothing matches the experience of actually being at the heart of the farm - surrounded by vibrant blooms, hummingbirds, buzzing bees, butterflies, aromas. Magical.
Plans for the 2024 season include opportunities for farm visits, and we can’t wait to welcome you and share in the joy this little piece of dirt affords. Be the first to know about Walla Walla Flower Farm happenings by joining our email list. In the meantime, enjoy the video tour!
Firsts
There is so much pressure to write the FIRST blog post. What if what I write is stupid? What if it isn’t meaningful enough? What if I blow my first impression and no one ever wants to visit my blog again?
Do these sorts of thoughts keep you from doing things, too?
Six sentences in and I am still writing (and presumably you are still reading). I am here to tell you that whatever it is you are afraid of doing - be like Nike and just do it. If I had bought into those voices of doubt (they are liars, BTW) there would be no Walla Walla Flower Farm and that would be sad.
When I was little my cousin gave me Shel Silverstein’s Where the Sidewalk Ends and I was introduced to Melinda Mae. At the end of every row in the flower farm is a quote or inspiration, and Melinda Mae (my mascot) lives at the end of row #1, so it is appropriate she appears in blog #1.
I will hit the ‘publish’ button in a moment, and now that I’m at the end of writing a few short paragraphs all of those silly fears in paragraph one have turned into excitement to introduce Melinda Mae. Come on, Friends! Whatever your heart is tugging at you to do… Remember Melinda Mae, be like Nike, and as we say in my family, punch it in the throat. The world will be better for it and so will you!
