Look at the gardens right now!

It's feeling like summer these days with the soaring temps and muggy heat hanging in the air.  I've been sweating profusely for the past few days from sunup to sundown and doing every rendition of a rain dance between my work tasks. We did get a nice soaking of overnight rain the other night, which the flowers and fields deeply appreciated in conjunction with all our supplemental watering. Each day, it seems the warmth draws out a few new flower faces in the gardens. The Larkspur is so colorful in the fields right now, the Orlaya is blooming like crazy, and I've never seen a dara crop so tall and perfect in my life! It's like a fun little discovery adventure every time I walk the flower rows.  

We opened the farm last weekend for the official start of our pick-your-own year, and it was humming with folks all weekend. In fact, just seeing folks out enjoying the flowers motivated my husband and 12-year-old daughter to take a break from the AC and join in on the fun!  It was rewarding to see them come inside beaming with pride while holding the cup full of flowers they enjoyed picking together. Those flowers have brought so many smiles as we all pass by them on the dining room table. 

My sister Stephanie had a planned but major abdominal surgery, and after a week in the hospital, we took her home- with flowers of course! Thank goodness for my responsible 16-year-old, who has been playing house nurse/nanny and helping out so I can keep both companies running. It sure does take a village to get through life, and I'm so grateful for mine.  We've done a great job giving her time to rest and keeping the farm running smoothly.  I just hate that she doesn't get to come out and enjoy it right now because it's so darn pretty in the gardens. I keep sending her pictures and updates so she can stay in the loop of what's going on.

We are beginning to prepare to plant our beloved fall heirloom chrysanthemum crops in the tunnels for the season, and doing our best to stay on top of all the weeds and watering needs of the farm. While it's a lot of balls to juggle, it's fun doing it with this team. You can see the pride everyone takes in what we do here when you enjoy the flowers from all the hard work. They just look better, smell better, and last longer when grown with so much love, care, and thought.

So if you're itching for a break from the AC and a chance for a backyard adventure, swing by the farm to explore the gardens, pick a cup of flowers to enjoy, and don't forget to stay hydrated in the heat!

XOXO, Jess

P.S. The kids are hot, and since Aunt Fluff's pool is getting a new liner, we had to get creative in cooling them off. Nothing a little river time can't cure! We are so lucky to have such wonderful water access close by. If you want a nice little park and creek to visit in the area, I highly recommend visiting the town of Grottoes Park (yes, they do have a community pool as well) and maybe even the caverns, too!