It’s been a while since I put a plant in the spotlight, and I thought this week I would highlight one that is currently blooming here on the farm: Baptisia. This beautiful plant is one of my favorite perennials to grow, and if you’re not presently growing it, perhaps after reading this, you’ll want to. …
Make a Note of It
On May 20th, 2012, we ate our first homegrown lettuce of the season. In 2014, I harvested 44 pounds of tomatoes, 21 pounds of potatoes, and 20 pounds of beans. In April 2016, I planted twelve blueberry bushes in seven varieties. In 2021, we had seven inches of rain in one week at the end …
Growing in a Changing Climate
I’ve noticed a difference for years now; we all have. Snow that comes later and later in the year, stronger and more frequent storms, and what seems to be ever-persistent wind. I remember big storms as a kid, but these have now become normality instead of anomalies. Droughts, wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, and floods are …
What’s Growing on in the Garden: February 2023
Spring is just under twenty days away, and I couldn’t be more excited! Are you looking forward to spring and missing flowers as much as I am? It seems like a long wait since the last flower bloomed all those months ago. Although I’ve kept busy during these long winter months planning our bed layouts, …
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What’s Growing on in the Garden: July 2022
How is it possible that it is August already? Time certainly has been flying this summer. Our lives here at Whistling Bee Farm have been hectic this past month as the annuals we are growing are finally hitting their stride. The flowers are at their most abundant, and we are trying to keep up with …
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What’s Growing on in the Garden: June 2022
What a busy month June has been! With the school year closing, there were final soccer games, concerts, field trips, recitals, and competitions to attend with our son. I didn't know if I was coming or going half the time! So during this busy month, I tried to squeeze in as much time as possible …
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From Garden Hobbyist to Flower Farmer
That's right; it's official, I am taking the leap from garden hobbyist to flower farmer! It is exciting and scary and everything in between, but I'm ready for this new stage in my life. My passion for being around plants has grown drastically over the past few years, and I could no longer ignore the …
What’s Growing on in the Garden: May 2022
It's hard to believe that May is coming to a close and that we are heading into June. One of the busiest months in the garden, May certainly kept me on my toes! This month had both beautiful and trying moments between planting, watering, harvesting, starting seeds, working on the new garden space, and trying …
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What’s Growing on in the Garden: April 2022
It's almost May, one of the busiest times of the growing season for those gardeners in my neck of the woods. There are many items on the to-do list, from sowing seeds to caring for seedlings and harvesting early bloomers. Add to this the big job of garden cleanup from weeding, preparing the beds, scrubbing …
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And Sow It Begins
The April showers have arrived, and they are doing their best to bring the May flowers. Everywhere I walk outside, I notice that nature is waking up. Delicate buds about to break open and determined shoots pushing up from underground. Ahh, Spring, how I missed you. These signs tell me that it's time to dust …