Positive Thinking ...........

OK -- if I think a lot of happy thoughts, can I get these flowers abloomin'????

I go through this EVERY year ........ it's that agony thing.  The thrill of victory comes once everything is up and blooming their pretty little heads off!

So I will  tempt you with things to come ........  and let me make this perfectly clear....................

WE DON'T HAVE FLOWERS YET!  

Soon but not yet.  :( 

I'm disappointed too!

Photo from Park Seed

This is Scabiosa or pincushion flower.  This is a perennial variety .... rather short-lived ..... that I am super excited about!  It has larger flowers than the Butterfly Blue variety .... stronger stems than most of the annuals.  It is called Fama Blue.

This is a new-to-me variety of snapdragons called Twinny Appleblossom.  It is shorter than most of the snaps that I use.  It grows 12-16" tall.  But I love the ruffled petals.  And look at that color!!!  If you know me at all, you know that I couldn't resist!!!!

I wasn't going to grow Green Trick dianthus this year.  I was disappointed in its performance last year .. and decided it wasn't worth the investment.  (Yea!  Like a major drought didn't have something to do with that!!!!)

But I ran into some fabulous finished plants ..... and I was all over it!!!!

I also tripled the number of glads I planted.  So hopefully, you will enjoy them as much as I do!!!

And finally, our lily beds need a serious re-do.  They have been picked hard ... they are growing in too much shade.  And I am totally unhappy with their performance the past couple of years.  As we all know, I can not live with out my lilies .........  I planted a brand new bed in the main cutting garden.  We will have to be careful cutting them this year.  Hopefully, we will be moving some of the bulbs and figuring out our needs later this summer.

I have wasted enough time!  The annoying drizzle seems to be ending and I can at least get some containers planted.

And yes ............. we will be opening for the season soon.

Hopefully, I haven't gone completely crazy by then!!!!!

A little housekeeping ...........

Oh.  Nooooo!  You didn't!!!!

You thought I meant I was cleaning my house????  Oh surely, you jest!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nope ... just a few notes about changes on the farm.

Hours.

We have changed our hours for this year.  We are now closed Monday through Wednesday.  Yep ... we are closed on Wednesday.

Do not hesitate to call, email, Facebook message me if you need/want flowers on a day that we are closed.  I will do all that I can to accommodate you but we decided that our family life needed the extra day.

But  ............... from June 15 through August 15 th .... we will be open on Thursday evening until 8 pm. 

Yep!!!  Grab your family and a picnic lunch and spend the evening at Miss Eff's!  The farm becomes magical in the evening!

So here are the hours .......

Monday through Wednesday ..... closed
Thursday -- 9am to 8 pm (June 15 -August 15)
Thursday -- Friday -- 9 am to 5 pm
Saturday -- 9 am to 3 pm
Sunday -- 12 pm to 3 pm.   (Please note the change in opening time on Sunday!)

Prices

Like many business, our costs have continued to rise.  And this year, we finally had to bite the bullet and increase our prices.

A one gallon bucket of flowers is now $20.

This is as many flowers as you can squeeze in ......





Yep!!  That is one of our very dearest customers .... Heather.

Now ... the first time Heather came to the farm, I sent her back to the garden to get more flowers.  She learned quickly and I have never-ever had to send her back to the garden again!

Yes .... that is one bucket of flowers.  And you can do that too.  All for only $20.

We also will have a supply of pre-made bouquets that will be ready to go!!!  Those will be available daily for only $10.

Respect and Rules

Currently, Iowa farms, agricultural tourism and the liability laws governing them are in a time of transition.  We must carry liability insurance to protect our home and business which we have since day one.

I understand that as parents .... you want your child to get the "full farm experience".  And we want that for you also.  But I see dangers that sometimes, you might miss or not understand.

So -- when I ask your child to not climb over fences, or climb on trees, or to stay away from the garden tractors --- I would appreciate your (the parent's) respect.  Too many times I have been told, "Oh no, they are fine!" and the parent and the child continue to climb the tree!!!!  :(

I don't like being the crabby old lady at Miss Effie's!!!!!

It is your child's safety that I am concerned with ........ and I hope you will understand and respect my feelings as I would if I was at your home.

So that is enough scrubbing and sweeping for today!!

It is back to the garden to plant and weed and smile.

And hopefully, we can get some of these to bloom soon!

My shame..................

I have taught several classes on Homestead Businesses.

And no business is perfect.  There is always room for improvement. 

But I have always said ....... Neat and clean and a little charm can cover a multitude of sins.

So if your barn needs a paint job ...... or trees need to be pruned ...... or you have a crop failure ........ if your farm is neat and clean, people can look past a wart or two.

This really hit home a couple of weeks ago.

Two women had driven 30-40 miles to shop at a local business.  They had seen the business at another venue and decided that they would make the drive.

The outside appearance was such that they pulled in the driveway and pulled out.

Dreary, un-kept, weedy ......... it immediately changed their mind about the business.

They stopped by my farm ... and told me of their experience.  They shopped and we chatted and enjoyed the visit.

And then I thought .......................

Wow.  This is what is greeting my customers!

Yes ......... there is beautiful, creative, charming sign.

But there is also a bed of weeds!!!!!!!

And a bush that may not be completely dead ......... but needs to be completely gone!!!!!!
 
So I have weeding and weeding and weeding.  It is a big project so I work 3 hours a day at it.

And I have made good progress.

But after this morning ........... I need to really work hard on this NOW!!!

Because I don't want people just driving by!

Thank God there are places that look like this!!!!

Wait ............ after I finishing planting the impatiens, and three or four containers and move the partially used bag of mulch and re-do the lighting.

Will my work ever be done?????????

Pictures to follow!!!!!