Rain and Cold Go Away
Welcome to Sunnydell Flower Farm in Beautiful Black Forest Colorado!
My blog is part of my flower farming journey-a journal- one might say.
First off, I am loving the rain and lush landscape-however my flower gardens are not!
Fall of 2022, plus Winter and Spring of 2023 have been the coldest and wettest years that Colorado has seen in well over a decade or two.
This high desert climate which we had prepared ourselves for with low tunnels, greenhouse, flower cottage and a well for watering, have not prepared us or the flower farm for this on-going cold and rain weather system.
It is a rough year for farming.
One of my most agonizing fears is that all 13,000 plus seedlings are going to be stunted by this cold wet year.
I am working on controling my mindset by placing one foot in front of the other.
Sunnydell Flower Farm will still be at the Briargate Farmers Market on Wednesday June 14th with a few seasonal bouquets, potted Hollyhocks, Cilantro, Basil, Rosemary and Adorable Mountain Bluebird -Bird houses (the Hubby made them.)
May 2023 Sunnydell Flower Farm
We all know that Farmers are at the mercy of the weather.
Growing up on the farm in Idaho I remember the high and lows of dodging wind and hail storms, droughts and excess rain. I just wish ( and I know wishes are futile) that my first year of launching Sunnydell that Mother Nature could have been a just little more gentle with me.
Maybe this is a test of sorts…
However, through it all we have plugged along.
I come from Farm stock and so do my girls so we all jokingly say we are “plugger,” alongers….
View of the pasture and thunderstorms rolling in-so pretty!
WE are truly building us a Flower Farm!
We use shade/wind cloth to protect the plants from hail storms and during the Winter months the shade cloth helped to secure the low tunnel coverings from high Winds.
When we purchased this home with five acres of pasture we knew we had a BIG project before us.
Did we realize how BIG?
Probably not-but in our retirement years having goals and working hard is really good for us.
Creating pathways througout Sunnydell and preparing for sod.
Easton and Kennedy planting Zinnia, Celosia and Amaranth that I spouted from seed in the Flower Cottage in March.
Even the grandchildren enjoy planting when they stop in for a visit.
I may or may not have brainwashed them into thinking this is fun! Easton did tell me that, ” Farming makes you tired.”
If we can just get some sunshine and warmer temps, Sunnydell is going to explode with blooms.
Sadie joins in on the Flower Farm Duties!
Zinnias sprouted from Seeds. Air Prune Propagation Tray From Boot Strap Farmer.
From the Rose and Peony Garden
RESOURCES:
Greenhouse Farmers Friend
Shade Cloth Windscreen Supply Company
Air Prune Propagation Tray Bootstrap Farmer
Roses Heirloom Roses
I hope to see you Colorado Springs folks at the Briargate Farmes Market on June 14th!
Keep Growing!
Jemma
