Busy as a Bee

It's been a busy year, as it always is for a farmer. Things have not gone as planned and there are some sad days filled with disappointment but I snap out of it and forge ahead.

I have planted 650 dahlias, 2300 lisianthus, ornamental corn, sorghum, zinnias, snapdragons, ageratum, verbena, sunflowers, tomatoes, tomatillos, eggplant, peppers. Still more to plant! Weeds to pull. Irrigation to set up. A walk in cooler to build. And on and on.

Life's a garden, dig it! - Joe Dirt

Our Indiegogo Fundraiser for a New Cooler

Hello Everyone,

I just went live with our Indiegogo fundraiser.  We are in desperate need of a walk in cooler.  With our business expanding this season, we fear that not having a cooler would result in lots of waste in flowers and hard work.  Harvesting flowers is a lot of work and to watch it wither away is heartbreaking.  That can all be solved with a nice and chilly cooler for all of our beautiful blooms.

If you can donate, we will love you forever!  Plus, there are perks to being a donor.  Just follow this link, Walk-in Cooler Fundraiser.

Thank you so much for taking the time to check out our fundraiser!  We appreciate you whether you can donate or not.  Also, please share the link to our campaign, if you can.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Michelle and Andrew Shackelford
Perbellus Flower Farm

We are on Instagram

Hi folks!

If you are on Instagram come follow us!  @perbellusflowerfarm.  We are on facebook too facebook.com/perbellusflowerfarm.

Stay warm!

Michelle

Before the Snow Came

Some shots of the backyard just before the snow started flying. I miss it already.

Winter has arrived!

I wasn't expecting it yet! I thought I had more time for planting. Clearly, that is not the case. Looks like I'll be doing lots of potting in the greenhouse for the things that didn't get in the ground.

We are adding eight feet onto the greenhouse this weekend. Plus, putting on the new plastic. Then we'll be getting the new propane tank and heater all set up. Can't wait!

A Spectacular Fall

Fall colors are nearly gone but they were magical while they were here.

We are busily finishing up planting, weeding, and cleanup before the snow comes.   We've had some great weather lately! My mom has been in town helping me with all the field prep.   I'd be really scrambling workout her.   Thousands of perennials, peonies, roses, shrubs,  bulbs, and seeds have been going in the ground. We are in the home stretch! Whew!

Summer

Summer has been cool.  We rarely made it into the 80's.  I wasn't complaining aside from the fact that flowers and vegetables prefer the warmth.  Plus, we didn't get rain for two months.  

This summer I realized that I don't want to grow vegetables commercially anymore.  My heart just isn't in them.  It is the flowers that captivate me!  I'm looking forward to streamlining.  Vegetables are a whole other animal and it was just too time consuming and annoying.  I'll still grow veggies for ourselves and I'll likely still grow way too many, especially, garlic, tomatoes and peppers, and I think I will actually eat more of them too.

I grew lisianthus for the first time ever and I'm smitten!  Such a dreamy, romantic flower.  I'll be putting in around 2 to 4 thousand next year.  I'm posting in a photo with an arm full below.

I am going to the ASCFG national conference this October and couldn't be more excited.  I'm also attending their Growers School.  I know I will learn so much and have a refreshed outlook on flower farming.  I need all the help I can get!  My organizational skills are lacking.  I'm a right brainer with A.D.D., go figure.

I'm giddy with excitement at all the new plants I acquired this year.  The perennial beds will be impressive next year.  I'm putting in hundreds of varieties of goodies, many of which I started from seed.  My greenhouse is stuffed with plants ready to get into the field.  Not that the veggies are gone I will have lots more space for flowers.

From here on out I plan to be more involved with this blog.  I really slacked this summer.  I worked over 40 ours a week and then with the farming I just didn't have time.  Next summer, I am only working three days a week.  I will have so much more time for weeding, and tending the flowers.  I'm really looking forward to being able to focus on the flower field and do more writing about it.

I'm on Instagram now too.  Check me out @perbellusflowerfarm.