Let’s Catch Up!

Hi friends! It’s been a crazy end to the busy season, so much so that I haven’t been on top of my blog posting the past two months. So, let’s catch up! For those who have not heard yet, Beverly Blooms has moved to Montana! After 3 amazing seasons in Washington, I have decided to move back to Montana to continue my flower journey and be closer to family. I have so much love for Washington, it’s where I started my business and built an amazing community that has supported me beyond what I could have imagined! I’m so grateful to have joined the flower community and learned all that I have here and, at the same time, am so excited for this next phase in my floral career and to be a part of this new community!

As you can imagine, the last couple of months have been busy preparing for this move while also wrapping up my busy season. I set a goal for myself to be fully moved before Winter, if you know anything about Montana winters you understand why this is necessary. But I’ll admit it’s been a challenge doing all of this in such a short time period and juggling my work commitments for the end of Summer and beginning of Fall. Between late season weddings, CSAs, putting my field to bed, and preparing my perennials and dahlia tubers to be transported to Montana, my plate was overflowing! I kept reminding myself that hard things are worth doing and am still reminding myself of this as I transition into developing my life and career in my new home. Moving and starting a new life in a new place can be exhausting, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t feeling it, but I know that all of this is leading to so many opportunities and so much growth. So what drew me to this decision and put myself through this, you may ask? A large part of it is my family. Most of my family lives in Montana now, and they have started a farm (Mission Valley Cattle Company) up near St. Ignatius. This is where I will be growing flowers at an even larger scale and helping as I can to contribute to the family farm as it grows. It’s become more and more important to me to be near my family and have that support system. especially as my business grows. So, when the offer of growing flowers on their farm came up, it was hard to pass up (see picture below of the new field!)

I also went to school in Helena, Montana at a small school called Carroll College and lived around the state after graduation for 4 years because I loved it so much. Ever since, I’ve traveled back to visit friends and family at least once a year and each time I went I felt myself missing it more and more. Montana is a special place, once you get a taste it’s hard to stay away. Aside from its obvious beauty, the people are incredibly kind, and the lifestyle has always felt very relaxed to me. Montanans are great at finding that work-life balance! It’s always been a place that I love so when my parents offered space on their farm for me to grow flowers, it was hard to pass up. Between being close to family, having that support system, being able to contribute to the family farm, and having the space and resources to continue my floral career in a place that I love, it felt like an obvious decision. So here I am! Back in Montana, figuring out each step as I go.

Now that I’m actually in Montana, it’s crunch time to get the field ready before the snow hits. Montana winters are intense, with the first snow typically in November and lasting to March, and often even April. There’s lots to do in these next few weeks. This past weekend I marked off the field area, next will be to run a soil test to determine what amendments the soil needs. I’ll likely cover the field in compost and then till the dirt. Tilling will both mix the nutrients from the compost into the dirt, loosen the soil, and help rip up the roots of the grass and weeds that are there right now. Once this is done, I’ll cover the entire field with heavy-duty tarps for the winter, weighing it down with rocks and sandbags. Lastly, I’m hoping to get a greenhouse set up on the farm for a place to start my seeds early, even if it’s still freezing out, and to potentially serve as a place to grow more tropical plants and flowers. This likely won’t happen until the Spring though, so stay tuned!

The farm is located in a Zone 6a, which is a significantly colder and harsher climate than Washington. This means I have a lot to learn about how to grow, care, and maintain the plants and flowers in this zone. I’m about to dive into the book Rocky Mountain Month-By-Month Gardening: What to Do Each Month to Have A Beautiful Garden All Year - Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming by John Cretti. I plan to read through the whole book this Winter, take notes, and add what I’ve learned to my annual list of to-dos. I’ll be sure to report back on how this helps me through the year in this new environment.

I have a busy few weeks ahead of me getting settled and completing the necessary field work before the first snow hits but there are still some exciting happenings coming up for you all! For now, I’m not taking any custom orders but, if you’re in Missoula or Western Montana, my 2025 books are now OPEN! Reach out or fill out a Weddings & Events Questionnaire if you are engaged and need a florist for your special day! I will also be at the Missoula Wedding Fair on Sunday, January 5, 2025 at the Hilton Garden Inn. Be sure to stop by the Beverly Blooms booth and say hi! Lastly, I will be doing a holiday wreath pop-up early December in Missoula, stay tuned for more information on where that will be and support local this holiday season!

That’s all for now. Signing off from my new home in Montana :)

Chase