Pink Hawaiian Coral peony - first bloom of the season!

Welcome to CRAZYTOWN

May 05, 2016 by Morgan Wilson

Spring (is that what the kids are calling it these days?) has been a blur. Hot, cold, sunny, rainy. Nothing makes any sense this year, weather-wise...

So many babies to discuss! Mom hatched 12 ducklings in an incubator the kitchen...

What's quackin'? Watching (and listening) to these sweet little ducklings peep, pip and hatch for the first time is something I will never ever forget.

Our barn cat had (another) litter of sweet kittens which we catnapped. One of our friends adopted one of the three and we are rehabbing the others and will look for a new home for them soon (I could so become a crazy cat lady, or, maybe I already am one...)

We built a greenhouse on a very steep learning curve. It is now done and we are enjoying having so much more SPACE to grow and make messes.

And then there is the garden! We overwintered a bunch of flowers successfully -- Yarrow (Achillea) which are budding up...

We also had success with Rudbeckia and foxglove, not so much with the strawflower (hardy to zone 8 -- we are in 7! duh.)

Then, we tried direct sowing larkspur. On 2.28, I sowed about 2000 + seeds that had been stored in the freezer since the fall. I had read all about these lovelies...Larkspur don't transplant well because they have long tap roots, and I typically grow all my plants from seed in soil blocks and then transplant. So I was very "generous", (nervous) if you will, with my sowing. We watered and the weather was wacky and the next thing I knew, there were 20+ plants growing in each hole. Insert panic emoji here. 100% germination. It turns out thinning is just about the most painful exercise in the garden. My fave flower farming consultant Dave Dowling recommended thinning with scissors so as not to damage those long taproots. 10+ hours later, there are 2 - 3 plants growing strong in each spot and I am holding my breath for a profusion of blooms. Lesson learned.

We have given away a lot of this lovely seed over the past 6 months...Each black seed has a little white heart on it - that is where the plant sprouts at germination. I promised to put the sowing instructions up on the blog...Enjoy!

Love in a Puff (Cardiospermum) can be sown in place (1/2" - 1" deep - seeds need darkness to germinate) after the soil has warmed (after all danger of frost has passed) or indoors 3 – 4 weeks before last frost, and transplanted into the ground or a large pot. Plants are tendril-climbers and will need support (fence or wire/twine). They can grow up to 12 – 16 feet high and add whimsy and verticality to the garden. Plants do best in full sun, with rich soil. Water frequently. Enjoy!

And finally...We were quoted in the newspaper!

In like a Lamb...

March 01, 2016 by Morgan Wilson

I so wish I had a lamb pic to share! Instead...The winter garden (3.1.16)

February was a total blur and even with the extra #LEAPDAY I couldn't get my act together to post an update here!

We spent the last weekend in February cleaning up the garden and direct sowing Larkspur; checking on our fall sown flowers (Yarrow looks amazing, as does the Rudbeckia...Foxgloves not so much!). The most exciting things happening around here right now are that the Peonies we planted just a few short months ago are totally popping up - It is so exciting - And we are putting in a 500SF greenhouse over the next few weeks! I have to pinch myself to believe it.

Spring is literally around the corner, you can feel it when you step outside! So excited to have blooms again, to be outside in the dirt again, to build on last year, to continue to learn.

Thanks for following along!!

Around here in January...

January 31, 2016 by Morgan Wilson

Around here...I am constantly wondering where the time goes...

Around here...We are watching 2.5 feet of snow from the blizzard of 2016 melt, slowly...

Around here...We are saying goodbye and hope to see you again soon... (edited: Dino has gone back to the breeder for a little remedial "how to play nice with others" action. He was overly aggressive towards Belle, the sheep and chickens and we are not sure how this will all play out but we are grateful to Ginger, his breeder, for agreeing to work with him.)

Dino on 1.30.16, the day before he left...

Around here...I have started some seeds!

Lisies!!! The tiniest of all the seedlings in all the land!!

Around here...There are some new residents in the barn (Queue the #whatsquackin // aflac jokes)... Photos to follow!

Around here...Can't get enough of the wood stove...

Around here...We are finalizing plans for a greenhouse and getting super excited for the coming season!!

Thanks for following along...And hope to see you in February!

Time for an update...

December 06, 2015 by Morgan Wilson

This has been a crazy mild fall. We have been so lucky to be able to plant every weekend in November -- and mom and I got 40 peonies in today (December 6). While we've had some hard frosts, the ground is no where near frozen and thank goodness, there is still a lot to do!! I thought I would have a 3-ish month break but it looks like I will be planning for 2016 in January, building a greenhouse in February and starting plants in March...Not clear when my break is scheduled for?

Some pixx of the latest and greatest around here...

Mom and dad had the South side of the barn restored by Dusty Gloeckner (he has done a ton of great work for us around the farm over the last year).

This is the "after" shot -- new tongue and groove wood miiled in MD.

These darn sheep -- They are very photogenic but they are so D-U-M-B!!!

We are looking very much forward to all that is in store for us personally and on the farm in 2016. Thanks for reading and checking in! Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year!

One year in...

September 30, 2015 by Morgan Wilson

What a wild & crazy, beautiful first year of farming!

We're all still learning our way around...

These cupcake "zinderella" zinnias were such a bust -- but the beneficial bugs loved them!

Cafe Au Lait glittering in the September sun...

Remind me to build a taller bean pole next year...

The last of the hummers! Hate to see them go...

September brought our first flower sales both at an on farm market at a neighboring farm, and to a florist who we hope will become a regular customer! I have such mixed feelings about the soon-to-come first frost...I am ready for a rest, but will be so sad not to have flowers...

So much more to jot down...There will be time soon enough for writing.

In the thick of it...

August 31, 2015 by Morgan Wilson

So INSANE to think August has come and gone. It is hard not to feel behind all the time. I love having this space as a record to look back on. We are growing flowers!!! And they are beautiful!!!

Nicotiana (want to grow so much more of this next year!!)

First flush of Cinnamon Basil... (The second round is gnarly with spotted/diseased leaves...Bummer)

I have a new appreciation for sunflowers after watching them stretch towards the sun all summer

Rudbeckia Prairie Sun -- the bugs love it... ;) — Rudbeckia Prairie Sun -- the bugs love it... ;)

So, these photos were taken about a month ago. Now, the successions of suns are almost done, the cosmos are almost dead (oops - they need water), the dahlias are blowing our minds on the daily, the zinnias are starting to show signs of powdery mildew, the snaps are back for a second flush, and so on and so on...I have learned so much and am so excited for next season - I am getting going on fall sowings of plants that I've never grown before -- Delphinium and Larkspur, for starters, along with old faves -- Foxgloves, snaps, Verbascum, Poppies (I could go on...) I just ordered 2 yards of seed starting mix and feeling like a major soil nerd when I think about it.

Come out and visit us!! We'll send you home with a bouquet of flowers and a bucket of tomatoes (seriously!)

How is it July?!

July 16, 2015 by Morgan Wilson

Zinnias under Japanese Beetle attack — Zinnias under Japanese Beetle attack

The JB's...I spent late June/early July handpicking them off the plants one by one. Apparently those yellow JB bags are no bueno (they attract more JB's). They are attracted to their own scent, and don't like the scent of their own dead, so we … — The JB's...I spent late June/early July handpicking them off the plants one by one. Apparently those yellow JB bags are no bueno (they attract more JB's). They are attracted to their own scent, and don't like the scent of their own dead, so we let them bake in the sun in water bottles and then spread them around the plants to deter new ones from coming. It seems to work. Meanwhile, the plants are rebounding and shooting up new blooms on long stems in every color of the rainbow - It's pretty dreamy!

We might have overdone it on the gomphrena...

Nicotiana - I want to plant so much more of this next year!!!

I love finding bees sleeping the morning away in the squash blossoms

Tomatoes! The weather has been super wonky - Lots of rain, warm but not the typical DMV heatwaves - So the only thing ripening are the cherries so far... — Tomatoes! The weather has been super wonky - Lots of rain, warm but not the typical DMV heatwaves - So the only thing ripening are the cherries so far...

THE FIRST (GOLDEN) EGG! Just a little guy. Saturday 7/11 was a big day on the farm :) — THE FIRST (GOLDEN) EGG! Just a little guy. Saturday 7/11 was a big day on the farm :)

Some of mom's flock ("the ladies") -- FINALLY paying rent! — Some of mom's flock ("the ladies") -- FINALLY paying rent!

And finally, the corn. Mehrle's corn is literally 9' feet tall. It surrounds the garden on 3 sides, we have loved watching it grow and grow.

It is a busy time on the farm...We manage to fit in quick swims here and there for a break from the heat, but for the most part its work work work :) Looking forward to another weekend of planting, planning and cutting flowers -- and I hope to share more photos here soon.

bachelor's buttons -  6.6 — bachelor's buttons - 6.6

In the garden...

June 14, 2015 by Morgan Wilson

bachelor's buttons -  6.14 — bachelor's buttons - 6.14

apple blossom snaps (super long stems! sweetest color! obsessed!)

please pardon the photo-heavy post...it is late on a sunday in humid maryland and we are all zapped from working in the garden this weekend. it is exciting to have blooms to cut and share, and to see everything growing - fast! overnight even! - and to cut some of these flowers for the first time ever. the snaps have great stem length and seem to keep on giving long after they land in a vase. tonight i cut my first "bells of ireland" which was on the short side but a total thrill...i feel kind of geeky but it is pretty exciting after babying so many plants along since there was snow on the ground in some instances.

more soon...