Rain, Rain... Slow Down a Bit, Please

I never want to complain about rain—because for farmers, rain is usually a blessing. We often pray for more of it, not less. But this spring in Western PA has been very wet. Thankfully, we farm on a hill, so the water doesn’t pool in our fields. Still, the constant downpours have made it tricky to get the tractor out and keep making beds for planting.

I’m hoping we can sneak out today and prep a few more beds before the next storm hits. The forecast shows rain almost every day this week. Over the weekend, I had big plans to finish planting our family garden—but you guessed it, it rained. Actually, it downpoured. I did manage to tuck in some tomatoes and peppers between the heaviest bursts, but eventually, I gave in, made strawberry shortcake, and curled up to watch a movie. Sometimes Mother Nature forces us to slow down—even when we think we don’t need to.

Dahlias: Planted (Finally!)... and Already Popping Up

Despite the weather, we still got a lot done last week. We finally finished planting our dahlia field! We had just a few rows left when the rain halted us earlier. Now, only a handful of crates remain. Those last tubers won’t bloom until late fall, but they’ll still grow strong and produce next year’s stock, which is our biggest priority right now.

And here’s the best part—some of the dahlias are already popping up through the soil! It’s always such a thrill to see those first green shoots. After months of planning, prepping, and planting, it’s a beautiful little reminder that the magic is starting all over again.

Fall Crops on the Way + Greenhouse Wins

We’ve also been busy seeding our fall crops, and the greenhouse is filling up fast with trays of baby plants. Germination has been great so far—warmer temperatures make all the difference. And no need for greenhouse heaters at the moment, which is a welcome break for our propane bill!

The Weeds Are Winning... For Now

The plants may be loving the rain, but so are the weeds. We spent all Friday afternoon weeding just one row of lisianthus. Even with plastic mulch down, the weeds still find their way through the holes around each plant. It’s tedious but necessary work.

And that’s just the high tunnel. The field weeds? We haven’t even started on those yet. That’s at the top of this week’s to-do list. If you’re growing a garden and feeling overwhelmed by weeds—know you’re not alone!

Making Space for Fall: Renovating the Tunnel

We also began clearing out our ranunculus and anemone house—removing the spent spring crops and prepping the beds for fall-planted heirloom chrysanthemums. It’s a big task that takes the whole crew, but it’s exciting to see that transition starting.

Campanula Steals the Show

And in between everything else—we harvested thousands of stems and made hundreds of bouquets. Campanula was the star this week—it exploded into bloom and filled our bouquets with tall, elegant color. We also harvested our first bachelor buttons and forget-me-nots from the field, which are always a cheerful sign of early summer. That marks the start of the big transition: from tunnel flowers to field flowers. I can’t wait until the fields are bursting with blooms. A little more sunshine would certainly help with that!

Thanks for Being Here

As always, thank you for being here and following along on our flower-filled farming journey. I hope you have a beautiful week full of sunshine, slow moments, and a little less mud.