February Updates From The Farm
As the calendar flips to February, love is in the air, and so is the buzz of activity as we get closer to Spring! From Valentine’s Day preparations to planning for the growing season ahead, there’s plenty to share this month. Here’s what I’ve been up to lately!
Field Planning and Seed Organizing
While the fields are still resting under the winter snow, I’m deep into planning for the growing season. Maps, field plans, notes, and spreadsheets are taking over the workdays as I finalize crop placement, flower varieties, and planting schedules. Organizing seeds is one of my favorite February rituals, taking inventory and imagining the beautiful blooms each tiny seed will produce.
Last year, I adopted a new method for keeping my seeds organized, and I plan to use it again this year. As a visual learner, I’ve found that I need to see things clearly to fully grasp them. My sister introduced me to an idea she came across: creating a seed binder. The binder is organized with dividers labeled by the ideal start time for each seed, based on the last frost date. Between the dividers are pocketed sleeves, each large enough to hold seed packets. The back of each seed packet provides instructions on how many weeks before the last frost date the seeds should be started. With this approach, I can simply flip to the section of seeds I’m starting each week and know exactly where I left off and what still needs to be done.
The end of February always marks an exciting milestone: starting the first seeds indoors! It’s such a rewarding process to nurture these tiny green shoots and imagine the fields of flowers they’ll grow into. I’ll be starting with Lisianthus, Delphinium, and Sweet Peas and will be sure to share updates along the way! Stay tuned to see how these little beginnings unfold.
Experimenting with Cold Stratification
This year, I’m trying something new and a bit experimental: cold stratification for some of my seeds. Certain flowers, like larkspur, lisianthus, foxglove, and native flowers, need a period of cold to germinate properly. In the wild, many plants drop their seeds in the fall. These seeds spend the winter exposed to cold, moist conditions before sprouting in the spring when temperatures warm up. For gardeners, cold stratification is a way to mimic these winter conditions to help seeds germinate successfully. Fingers crossed that this experiment leads to even more robust and beautiful blooms come spring!
Cold stratification is surprisingly easy to do at home. Here’s a step-by-step guide to get you started:
Check Your Seed Packets: Before starting, check if your seeds require cold stratification. This information is often listed on the seed packet or can be found online.
Prepare Your Seeds: Place the seeds in a small plastic bag or container. Add a moistened medium I just used a damp paper towel to keep the seeds hydrated. Be sure the medium is damp but not soaking wet.
Label Everything: Be sure to label your bags or containers with the seed variety and date. This will help you keep track of how long the seeds have been in the cold climate.
Refrigerate: Place the seeds in the refrigerator and avoid storing them in the freezer or near fresh fruits like apples, which release ethylene gas that can affect germination.
Wait: Depending on the seed type, the cold stratification process can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. Check your seed packet or trusted resources for the recommended timeframe for each flower/plant type.
Plant and Enjoy: After the cold stratification period, sow the seeds in soil as you normally would, whether that is starting early inside or direct sowing outside. With a little luck and patience, they’ll sprout and thrive!
Valentine’s Day Bouquets
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and I’m so excited to be offering beautiful bouquets to help you celebrate. Whether you’re gifting them to someone special or treating yourself (self-love is always encouraged!), BB’s bouquets are crafted with care and creativity. The pre-order window is still open, but don’t wait too long as orders need to be placed by February 5! I can’t wait to share these blooms with you and your loved ones!
CSA Bouquet Subscriptions
If you’re dreaming of a season filled with flowers like I am, I’d love for you to join BB’s CSA bouquet subscription program. It’s such a joy to create hand-tied bouquets of fresh, seasonal blooms each week or biweekly. Not only do CSA members get the very best of what we grow, but your early support helps make the magic of this farm possible. Subscriptions are open now, and I can’t wait to share the beauty of the season with you. Here’s to a season full of beauty and growth—let’s bloom together!
New BB Platforms
Lastly, I wanted to share a few new platforms where I will be sharing more content and information as I try to move away from, or limit my use of, Meta platforms. Of course, the BB Blog is always a great place to read all about what I’m up to each month. Sign up for my monthly email newsletter below to know when a new blog post is up and to stay in the loop on all of the updates and happenings! I’ve also created a Bluesky account and a Youtube Channel. I’ll be posting more consistently on these platforms including some fun tutorial, how to, and day in the life videos to the new channel, the first video will be up early this month! Stay tuned for more as I get used to these new platforms and new posting cadence.
As always, thank you so so much for all of your support. Navigating the best ways to run a small business during times like this can be challenging but seeing the strength of my community makes it feel easier :)
Chase
