I feel so grateful to live in the Canadian countryside with my little family, where we live each day slowly, surrounding by nature and farm tasks. I'm learning how to be a mom of two under two, while also jumping into the world of flower farming. The truth is that every day is a little different depending on the weather, the season, and what the flowers need, but most days follow a similar rhythm.
My mornings usually start early. Before the kids are awake, I head outside to check on the chickens, refill water, and make sure everyone is doing well. After that, I'll spend some time watering flowers if needed or tackling a bit of hand weeding while the day is still cool.
This year, those early mornings often include a baby monitor or stroller. Our newest little farm helper is still too young to participate, but she enjoys spending time outside with me. Sometimes I'll wheel her stroller beside a flower bed and let her nap while I work nearby. There are certainly worse places to fall asleep than surrounded by flowers and birdsong.
As summer progresses, mornings become harvest time. Flowers are at their best early in the day when they're fully hydrated from the cool night temperatures. I'll cut blooms, bring them into the barn, and hang them to dry after stripping off leaves. Watching bunches of strawflowers, statice, and other everlasting blooms slowly fill the drying space is one of my favourite parts of the season.
Before long, it's time to switch gears and focus on family life. Getting everyone dressed, fed, and outside can sometimes feel like a bigger project than running the flower farm itself. We spend much of the morning outdoors before eventually heading in for lunch.
Afternoons usually begin with nap time, which means it's back to the garden. This is when I tackle the most labour-intensive part of organic flower farming: lots and lots of weeding. There's always another row that needs attention. I may also spend time pinching plants, checking for pests, harvesting additional flowers, or foraging for wildflowers and interesting grasses to use in arrangements.
The reality of flower farming is that most of it isn't arranging bouquets or taking pretty photos. It's often repetitive work done one plant at a time. But there's something deeply satisfying about caring for a crop from seed to harvest and watching it slowly transform over the season.
By late afternoon, the focus shifts back to family. We have dinner, spend time outside, and enjoy whatever energy remains before bedtime routines begin.
Once the house is quiet, my workday usually isn't quite finished. Evenings are often spent answering emails, planning tasks for the next day, researching growing techniques, or trying to figure out why a particular flower is behaving the way it is. Growing flowers is a constant learning process. Every season presents new challenges and opportunities to improve.
As someone building this farm largely on my own, the internet has been an incredibly valuable resource. I've spent countless hours learning from growers on YouTube, reading articles, and studying the experiences of other flower farmers. I also draw heavily on the time I spent volunteering at organic farms and a flower farm before having children. Those experiences gave me a foundation that continues to help me today.
For now, the kids are still a little too young to be truly involved in the farm work, but I look forward to the day when they can help plant seeds, harvest flowers, and care for animals alongside me.
While summer is the busiest growing season, winter brings a different kind of work. The colder months are filled with preparing wedding orders, marketing, blogging, ordering seeds, planning next year's garden, and expanding and perfecting my indoor seed-starting setup. The farm may look quiet under the snow, but there's still plenty happening behind the scenes.
Flower farming and motherhood both require patience, flexibility, and a willingness to embrace a little chaos. Some days feel productive, some feel messy, and many feel like a mix of both. But at the end of the day, I'm grateful for this life we're building here—one flower, one season, and one day at a time.
