Reflecting on Our Second Season at Whistling Bee Farm

Happy New Year, garden friends! I’m back after taking time to be with family over the holidays. I hope you also enjoyed the holidays and had time with loved ones. It’s 2024! With a new year comes new beginnings, and when a new year begins, it ushers in a sense of renewal and hope. A new year allows us to reflect on the previous year’s memories and embrace the new year’s possibilities.

As growers, we are intimately connected to renewal as our gardens grow with the seasons. There is a constant ebb and flow(er) as our plants go through the cyclical stages of life from bud to flower to seed to death or dormancy. We are given a blank slate to plan and dream for our next growing season each year. And while we dream of what’s to come, we also reflect on the past. The beginning of the new year offers an excellent opportunity for reflection.

I’ve been busy working on seed inventory, seed sowing schedules, and bed plans, all while dreaming of the season to come. I’ve also been reflecting on what our second season at Whistling Bee Farm has meant to me. It was a challenging year with many ups and downs, but as I look back at the last couple of months, I’m so proud of what we accomplished.

From a business standpoint, I ask myself some difficult questions, such as what I love about the business, what I like the least, what worked well, and what needs improvement. I think about all the varieties I grew and whether I should grow them again. Was the amount I grew too much, too little, or just enough? I reflect on the farm’s future and where I see it heading and think about goals I can set to get me there. There are so many aspects of the season that I want to take the time to reflect upon.

So, in today’s post, I thought I’d take you along while I reflect on the 2023 season and share a brief overview of our second season on the farm.

Here is our 2023 farm recap:

By the Numbers: The numbers are in! In 2023, we grew just under 250 varieties of flowers and foliage on our micro-farm. We harvested and sold 925 tulips this season and planted 2000 bulbs for 2024. I made hundreds of bouquets and donated approximately twenty-five buckets of flowers to Abloom. We held three CSA subscriptions, adding up to ten weeks of continuous subscription bouquets. We also extended our season this year from April to December, offering nine months of florals for our community. I shared my love of growing with 35 blog posts written and two classes held.  Also, we have one new certified Pollinator Steward, yup, that’s me! Thousands of stems lovingly went through my hands this season and into our community.

Challenges: There were many challenges this season, the most significant of which involved the climate. We had it all, from early heatwaves, late frosts, droughts, and then floods (oh so much rain!) to wearing masks while harvesting because of wildfire smoke! I felt like I stepped into a garden gauntlet every time I visited the flowers. And the severe weather brought a myriad of pests and diseases, all of which we learned to battle using natural methods. There was certainly a steep learning curve this season. Insufficient knowledge and limited experience were also challenging, but gardening and growing are all about trial and error and learning along the way.

Another challenge this year was learning to be a grower and a businesswoman. I’ve been working to balance family, farming, and business. Many demands come with each role, and finding the balance will prevent burnout.  Through all these challenges, I learned a lot this season, and I hope to continue improving into the next season.

Triumphs: Despite all of these challenges, we grew and shared a lot of beauty this season, and for that, I am so grateful.  I’ve been on a mission to bring joy with every flower I grow, ultimately bringing more happiness to the world through flowers, and I’m happy to say I have accomplished this over the past two seasons. I thought I would share a look back at our top ten flowers of 2023.

Tulips: With an early heatwave, the tulips bloomed rapidly. It was a scramble (and a bit stressful) getting them harvested and into our community without a cooler. But they were stunning this season and will always be one of my favorite cut flowers.

Ranunculus: We had our best ranunculus crop yet! There are so many gorgeous floofy petals on these!

Peonies: Always one of my favorites! As our peony plants mature, we’ll have more to offer each season.

Sunflowers: We grew a few new varieties and had the most beautiful sunflower crop yet! I love these cheery flowers.

Dahlias: The queen of the garden never disappoints! Despite some disease issues due to the weather, we still harvested bucketfuls of these beauties.

Celosia: We grew more varieties than ever this season, and boy, were they productive! There are so many beautiful colors for bouquets and drying.

Zinnias: These flowers bloomed all season long until frost! With an endless color palette, they will always be a favorite.

Veronica: A new favorite! Skylar White Veronica stole our hearts this season and added a touch of whimsy to every bouquet we put her in.

Hydrangea: Always a favorite! Our love for these versatile blooms grows as our hydrangea collection grows.

Japanese Anemone: A new favorite! Our Japanese anemone plants have matured and produced masses of beautiful flowers this season. They grabbed our attention and hearts as they danced in the breeze of the autumn garden.

Thank you for taking the time to walk down memory lane with me and look back at our second season at Whistling Bee Farm. I hope you take a moment to reflect on your growing season and delight in the successes while learning from any setbacks. And remember, 2024 offers a blank slate to grow the garden of your dreams. Why not grow for it?