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July 7th 2014

An Evening Stroll

Written by
Floret

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A few years back when we started working in earnest to document the beauty and magic that fill our days, taking photos was a struggle. Neither Chris or I understood how to use the camera. We’d end up arguing longer than we spent actually shooting and neither of us enjoyed the process at all. At the end of the day we’d plug the memory card into the computer and see what snippets we actually were able to capture. There were a few stunners but most photos weren’t anything like we have envisioned in our heads. This awkward cycle went around and around and around until we discovered Erin Little’s Eyes Open Photography E-Course.

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I was the one who actually signed up for the course. I was a HUGE fan of Erin’s photography and felt deep down that if she could figure out how to use her camera, then I might be able to as well. I’ll tell you, her course was a serious game changer. The way she covered the material, explained each core concept and then what I learned through the homework process…. it all just clicked. What I didn’t expect though was that Chris would also dig it as much as I did. He took the material and totally ran with it. Just a short time ago our photography was totally hit and miss but now that guy is getting exactly the shots he’s after. He’s consistently getting the magic.

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Last night we were working on capturing some my favorite textural elements from the garden and found ourselves talking f-stops, shutter speed and light as if it were no big deal. Once we realized that fact we both burst into laughter, did a huge high five and then turned our gratitude to Erin for sharing all that she knew through that course. I promised myself that I’d share our journey this morning and let you know that even if you have no clue about what you’re doing, how your camera works or even anything related to making a great picture, you too can get to the place where you’re loving your work.

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These images were taken a few weeks ago. We had some VERY special guests (more on that later) out to the garden and it was an all hands on deck affair to get things looking tidy and sharp. We had to bask in the beauty while it lasted because I’m pretty certain, it’ll never look that good again!

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The weather has been warm and steady. Wave after wave of flowers are blooming their beautiful little heads off. I’m having to work hard every day to let go of the fact that we’re leaving so much in the field untouched. There just aren’t enough hours in the day or enough hands to help bring in the bounty. By experimenting with tighter planting and more innovative planning, we’ve about doubled the output of the little plot of land. We were already breaking harvest records in previous years so the bounty is a bit overwhelming.

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My motto is always plan for the worst. I like to look at all of the possible outcomes and build in a cushion anywhere I can. This year I thought, let’s see if we can double our production on these two measly acres and then when we move to the bigger farm, we’ll know what’s possible. Well, my plan worked but I hadn’t accounted for all of the extra labor support needed to bring in said bounty. Gosh, if it isn’t one thing it’s another. But I’m learning and that’s really what counts.

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We’re in the process of frantically flipping beds. Taking out spent spring crops, ammending the beds with compost and fertilizer and then replanting them with late summer and early fall crops. The cut off for final plantings is between July 15-21 so we’re hustling as fast as possible to get as much out and then back in as we can. Farming is such a fine juggling act. Some days I feel like I’ve got it all figured out and the next, I feel like a complete failure. But we press on.

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The earliest few waves of spring crops are now gone and have been replaced with the things that will carry us through to frost. Marigolds, millets, zinnias, grasses, amaranths, celosia…all planted in abundance. Ornamental kale and sunflowers are next. Fingers crossed we can get it all in before the cut off date later this month.

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Well, my helpers are rolling in for the work day so I’ve gotta sign off and get out there to start today’s harvest. Here’s to a good week filled with abundance and hopefully some balance too.

17 Comments

  1. Jennifer on

    Erin, I’ve followed your work since we began our little flower farm last year. Playing a little reading catch-up this afternoon, I read this post with a huge lump in my throat and tears in my eyes as I see what a flower farm can become. We are in the thick of our second year; early mornings and late nights, and what the heck happened to that, I can’t believe I killed all of that, who’s eating that, why didn’t I pinch that, when am I supposed to harvest that, etc. And also, I can’t believe I get to grow these beautiful flowers!
    Your photos are beautiful, and how DO you cram all those beautiful flowers into that 2 acres? :) Someday I will come for a workshop and have my countless questions answered. Thanks so much for keeping me inspired and linking me to the flower lover/farmer tribe that I haven’t met yet.

    Reply
  2. cole32344 on

    It looks like you use a lot of support netting. Can you give us a list of which flowers are given support netting at your place? Thanks.

    Reply
  3. vera on

    Your beautiful photos would convince anybody that what they truly want is start a flower farm :-)

    Reply
  4. Randi on

    Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication educating the rest of us on flowers and the business behind them. I am taking horrible/to mediocre pictures of my arrangements and would like to get a camera to help me take better ones. Can I ask what camera you use? Thank You!!!

    Reply
  5. Hillary on

    “blooming their heads off” I love it. Gorgeous photos!

    Reply
  6. Kim Graves Smith on

    So amazing! All your dedication and hard work paying off. Thanks for sharing!!

    Reply
  7. Julia Hails on

    Oh Erin, I am never disappointed in reading your posts – but your photographs too speak a thousand words!!! So much time, effort, calculation, muscle, love, dedication, adventure and happiness goes into your garden (or farm). I’m envious at your ethic and of course where you live to produce such an abundance of amazing flowers. Thankyou thank you thank you for your continued inspiration in my endeavour to grow my own flowers for wedding work. I’m weeding a garden today – so I’ll think of you while I’m throwing witchery grubs to the butcher birds and pulling out noxious weeds – it’s all in pursuit of a perfect patch. :)

    Reply
  8. Anna on

    Hi Erin,

    I love your website, it is amazing and beautiful what you and your family have achieved. You are an inspiration to my dreams and one day I hope to come to your farmer florist workshop. For now though I’ll have to keep saving as I am all the way over in NZ! :)

    Reply
  9. Marian on

    So love it to read your story! The story of how it all started was also so amazing to read and now the evolution, it really is… amazing! That’s the only word that describes it. Lots of work but o so fullfilling in the end. And it all looks so organized and all crops are so healthy and abundant. Have a great harvest! Really wish I could come over and help ;) and take some pictures while I’m there ;) Your photography is wonderful btw!
    Marian

    Reply
  10. Jeanette Schnell on

    Love your photos & face book updates! Claude Monet & I BOTH must have flowers, lol!!

    Reply
  11. Sajina sunil on

    Mind blowing Erin.! Honestely waiting for this kind of post. Thank you for sharing your world to us. You are a great inspiration for lot of us especially when you do not know the farming of this hemisphere .once again thank you and all the best for your future dreams too. And one day may be I would like to join your work shop ?.. ~~~ Wish list. :) :) :)
    Anyway you made my day!

    Reply
  12. Renita on

    Your field is beautiful! There’s something that remains a mystery to me and that is whether you use landscape fabric with the direct seeded crops. If you do, do you put a seed or two in each hole? Or you don’t use it all and hand weed the bed? I get the burning holes in landscape fabric and planting plugs, but haven’t read how you do direct seeded beds.

    I so appreciate all your help to us newbies :)

    Reply
  13. Melissa on

    Gorgeous! I love seeing all the nice neat rows of flowers! Everything looks so healthy and beautiful!

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  14. Mrs. L. on

    Absolutely beautiful photos, Erin! They really capture the light and the magic of your beautiful world of flowers!

    Reply

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