Hey guys!

So I just thought I would be spontaneous and update the journal for once. I don’t have anything prepared but it’s a rainy Saturday and I feel like writing. So here we are.

I have noticed many other farms talk about this and its funny because I have wanted to talk about it as well. What do farmer’s do in the winter? Honestly, up until the past few years I had the impression that I would have time to take it slow and read all the books. But that has not been the case in these beginning years, nor do I think it will be the case in future years. My schedule is different, yes. We get to clean our house a little more, and the dishes usually get washed pretty quickly so that is definitely a plus. Our focus and the type of work just changes.

This winter we have spent a lot of time working with our potential brides on their floral design plans for their weddings which is very exciting. I love this time of year because its like I get to gather up a new circle of friends. Its my job to see how we can fit their needs during the season and so this break from the seasonal hustle allows me to think more creatively for them. These are the first plans that start to shape what our year will look like and it gets me excited. It stirs up dreams of warmth and green and unique, new flower varieties that fit into bouquets just right. If you are thinking of reaching out to us to see if we are a good fit for your floral design, head on over to our Contact Page! We have gotten more inquiries this January than in years past and spots are filling up but we still have dates available! I would love to hear from you!

Another big task for our off-season is to focus on the business side of things. It gets so hectic during the growing season that we have little time to sit at the computer and go through systems and workflows, so its important to be able to focus on that now while we still can. To me, this also means locking myself away and dreaming up how we want 2019 to look like. This is our fifth year growing flowers (if you count the experimental first year). Looking back on 2018 and seeing areas of opportunity and growth and knowing where to clean it up, systemize and organize. And let me tell you, there are lots of things to clean up. I haven’t yet set my goals for 2019 but I do know that one big focus will be on ORGANIZATION! Jumping full steam ahead on that Kondo train.

I think the biggest surprise people have when I tell them what we do during the winter is the actual seeding and planting. Most of the first flowers to bloom in the spring are cold hardy, which means they can withstand our winters. We seed late summer to plant in the fall and those plants are busy growing roots underground during the cold, winter months. Then we start seeding again in January! This gives us another succession of those beautiful, ethereal spring blooms in the spring. And its a great way to get some green time in during the dead of winter. We sow things like lisianthus, stock, sweet peas, campanula, poppies, some perennials that I am excited about, and more. Soon we will start filling our instagram feed with pictures of the little babies and track their progress as they head out into the field in February.

Truth is, the winter is still a busy time on the farm. Our focus and schedule shifts. We do get to breath a little deeper, maybe sleep a little later, and wash our dishes. But it’s also a very exciting time when we get to make concrete plans from our big, big dreams.

How would you like to see Southerly in 2019? I love hearing from everyone during this time and learning how we can serve you better?

Sarah

Winter Update 2019