Add the stirrup hoe to the list of the world’s great inventions
You really can’t beat a stirrup hoe for manual weeding of a garden plot. As with many great inventions, it’s simple and effective, and easy to use. Stirrup hoes have been around for 300 years, but the modern version of the tool, with a oscillating head that makes it work on both strokes, has been around for only 50.
…bring May flowers
In Maryland where we farm, May is when the blooms start to pop. Perennials and Cool Flowers Flowering perennials and cool annuals that can withstand frost are the first to bloom. In fact, many bloom before the last frost. It seems strange to us that we can’t plant...
Iceland Poppies aren’t from Iceland (but Sessy is)
We don’t grow Iceland Poppies because Sessy is half Icelandic, although she is. We grow them because they are beautiful, popular with our customers and bloom in early spring (now) when few other flowers are doing much of anything. Unlike Sessy, Iceland poppies did not...
We are a manufacturing company! How cool is that?
We were putting together dried flower wreaths last week in the mow of our barn and chatting as you do when you’re doing repetitive tasks with your hands, and we came to the realization that Blue Gables Farm is a manufacturer. We take raw materials, apply processes to...
Our stock froze to death
A very windy, cold February night shredded our low tunnel and killed our stock crop. It was a disappointing setback, but weather-induced crop failures are a part of farming. We have already replanted and will carry on.
Is there a flower seed shortage?
We were taken aback when our go-to flower seed suppliers told us they were sold out of some of our essential seeds. They attributed it to Covid, wildfires, increased demand and supply chain issues. Fortunately, we found the seeds we needed, although some will arrive later than we would have liked.
Another lap completed around the flower field
December is the time of year when we take a pitstop and assess the most recent “lap” of our business. It’s a time when we finally have an opportunity to slow down and reflect on our successes, critique our challenges and rethink our strategies and tactics. It’s also a time when we remember with gratitude all the people that contributed in large and small ways to our success.
Feeling Thankful
The Thanksgiving season has us feeling grateful for all the blessings in our lives, including the people and things that have contributed to the success of our flower farm. The list is long and our gratitude runs deep. Thank you to everyone who has helped us — we appreciate your acts of kindness!
Buying local flowers has global implications
Locally grown flowers are an important element in a healthy local economy. Supporting small businesses increases the “velocity” of money, a measure of how many times a dollar is used to purchase goods and services measured in the GDP. There are myriad other reasons why it’s a good idea.