seasons.

fields that were once abundant with color, with nourishment, with life, must now rest.

trees that were once full of brightness have shed their leaves and must wait for new growth.

new growth will come. but not yet. it is winter's turn. she must visit for a while.

these seasons arrive and pass and arrive again. each part of this cycle, each a necessary part.

this slowing down allows space for reflecting, for celebrating, for noticing, for visioning.

there is so much to be thankful for. so much joy and goodness that has been shared.

there is so much unknown of what exactly what new seasons will hold.

here we are in between what was and what will be. in this moment, in this season.

our only charge to embrace it, to be present in it.

knowing change is inevitable. knowing beauty is comes in so many forms.

here we are. here we are. here we are again.

beauty.



bridesmaid bouquet

 i have had the pleasure of creating flower arrangements for a few events recently...  

for benevolence farm event

 two wedding celebrations and a barn raising at benevolence farm!



table arrangements



how wonderful to be a part of this spreading of beauty.

tomatoes!

distracted by the flowers, i also must remember the vegetables have much beauty to offer as well.

beans!

onions!

joy.

perhaps the point of all of this is joy.

to feel joy within ourselves.

to inspire joy in others.

to share moments of joy together.

when friends gather to create art out of spring's abundant flowers, joy spreads.

 when goats benefit from the remnants of early spring vegetables, joy spreads.

 when family joins in the harvest, joy spreads.

when i realize the beauty and nourishment that have miraculously sprung forth, joy spreads.



visitors.

over the last few weeks, i have had some very special visitors

.

amber and alex on a blue sky day

 

some have come to offer their presence and encouragement.



mukluk loves flower street!



 some have come to help with farming chores.

mama and daddy after hard work weeding and putting up tomato posts.

all have been deeply appreciated.

spreading joy

and have i mentioned how glad i am to be picking flowers?

grow well.

the space where i am growing is home to grow well, a community of folks who provide holistic wellness support for people near and far.

a spirit of healthy living is certainly present at the farm!  

here is a recent video featuring flower street farm made for grow well's website. its quite short. and quite beautiful. hope it provides a little inspiration!

flourishing.




hooray! beets!

 

life is flourishing at flower street! there are new vegetables and flowers to harvest every week. insects are dancing all around. weeds are also making their presence known.

today was a day to start confronting some of those weeds. a dear friend joined me on the challenge. and the company was an encouraging delight.

i was reminded of the tendency to spend so much energy adding to what we have. that we can forget to take care of what already exists. and i considered how necessary it is, to spend time with that which is crowding out our intentions. how essential it is to let go of that which gets in the way of growth.

there are many more weeds to face. and i may not get to all of them. but, there is a bit more order, a bit more space for flowers and veggies to be more fully themselves.

and taking a step back from all that must be done in these busy spring days, i can see there is a lot that is going well. a lot to be grateful for.

snap dragons and stock, looking lovely lovely

 

farm stand may 20th





fennel ready for harvest





cabbage!



much to celebrate.

there is much to celebrate:

from april 26th farmstand

abundant spring plants.

pleasant may sunshine.

radishes and kohlrabi

joyful vegetable lovers.

the first flowers a'bloomin'!

blue dutch irises!

i offer heartfelt gratitude for various forms of encouragement.

and awe at the collaborative efforts of seeds, soil, rain, sun, and time.



from may 6th farmstand



first harvest!

lovely lettuce

first harvest: 22nd april! collards, kale, lettuce, salad mix! some neighbors stopped by the farm. some folks picked up from a chapel hill porch. others passed by the farm stand in a durham neighborhood. everything that was harvested sold. and there were many testaments to the beauty and taste of the veggies!

excited to share the harvest again tomorrow! thanks to all who offered encouragement and business!

some new additions: kohlrabi, spinach, chard. and maybe even a little broccoli and radishes!

excited about fresh veggies! 

spring joy.

spring is happening at flower street! the balance of sunshine and rain is helping plants to grow and transform into deliciousness!



a view of the collard patch

 

 starting next week, i am hoping to harvest the first heads of lettuce and first leaves of collards and kale! and other crops (peas, kohlrabi, radishes, arugula) are following close behind! flowers will need more time, but they are looking most hopeful.  



freckles lettuce



and yesterday was a lovely day for planting! new flowers and vegetables have joined the garden. and they received quite a watering in from last night's showers. there are continual lessons of humility and faith as i plan by the weather and trust in the sprouting of seeds.



freshly planted plants

i am tremendously thankful for the opportunities of the present moment and joyfully anticipating the harvests to come.

this is just to say...

this is just to say
i have planted the brassicas

that were in the greenhouse.

and which you were probably wondering about.

forgive me. they are so sweet and so cute in the field.

(any william carlos williams fans?)

my, my, how march has nearly passed us by!

the broccoli and cabbage and peas are all surviving the fickle weather we continue to have.
new seeds are planted! flowers and carrots and radishes and potatoes!
and new starts are waiting for their turn to join the others!

there is a certain hope in the air as spring makes progress towards settling in.
there continues to be a dance to navigate with nature's mysterious rhythms.
i, too, am learning and growing alongside these teenage plants.

march is here.

as the weather dances between winter and summer, there is a certain patience required. a mindfulness. a humility. the change in seasons is beyond our control... and we must wait with a listening spirit for moments to touch the earth.

with bright clear days recently, the soil has had a chance to dry. and i have found windows of time to build beds that will soon be home to new plants.

it feels quite exciting to be productive. to realize this is real. this is happening. this is the dance i am in.

and the daffodils are smiling. these ambassadors of spring. these prophets of color. these voices of hope.

i continue to receive blessings of support, of faith. like this sweet, sweet, sign made by mama and daddy.

and the seeds that have been growing in comfortable warmth are getting braver. are getting ready to face the world.

march is here.

let there be peas.

once a farmer told me to walk barefoot over the soil after planting peas.

another farmer told me peas love to be planted just before it snows.

today, as it was snowing, i incorporated both traditions. walking barefoot over peas as gentle snowflakes danced around.

perhaps silly. or crazy. but the ritual felt important. as i gently placed the first vegetable seeds in the earth. and wished them well.

yesterday, i planted seeds.



spiniach seeds in hand.

 some days, all there is to do is plant seeds.

there are no flowers to gather. there are no fruits to pick.

just tiny, mysterious seeds to place in soil, to offer a blessing.

there's something tangible yet intangible about it.

potential for more joy and goodness than we can see in something so small, so small, that rests in our hands.

so, yesterday i planted seeds.

i will hope. i will wait.

meanwhile, other seeds are already beginning to express themselves.

baby kale!

welcome to flower street.

my grandparents lived on fowler street. but as a child i always imagined they lived on flower street.

on the outside, there was a big garden of summer vegetables. fruit and nut trees. flowers all around.

on the inside, there was always plenty of love and nourishment for whoever walked in the door.



grandaddy and grandma at their house in 2010.



so much of what i believe and hope to practice about food and hospitality feels rooted on fowler street.

yet i am also on a farming journey of finding my own way.

so in attempt to honor the people and places i come from, while staying true to my own creative spirit, i call this new venture: flower street farm.

i will be growing vegetables and flowers on land leased from the good people at lazy turtle farm, outside of hillsborough, north carolina.

it is with gratitude and hope that i begin to touch the soil. that i sow the first seeds. that i wait for what will grow.