February Musings

Farming is a difficult way to make a living and there are long periods in the year where we work long days planting and caring for the flowers without having any product to sell. Although we have been selling for a few weeks now, things still feel a bit slower than years past (duh Grant you moved 200 miles north). Keeping all of the plants cool with water and shade cloth during unseasonably warm weather one week and then fighting extreme cold the next week definitely takes a toll on the mind and body.

Despite my best efforts to maintain an even keel, Carrington often tells me that being married to a farmer is like riding a roller coaster. This week's heart wrenching drop involves a malfunctioning heater toasting a decent amount of greenhouse tulips. Ouch. Nevertheless, I am hopeful that we are nearly past the trials of winter and on the cusp of spring's Big Bloom. 

This week we once again have a nice selection of tulips as well as ranunculus, anemones, poppies, and butterfly ranunculus. We have an exciting new series of ranunculus out of Italy called “Moderna." These will be similar to the “Butterfly” series of ranunculus that came on the market about a decade ago now out of Japan. Technically, these are crosses between the fluffy cultivated ranunculus we all know and love and wild species of ranunculus. The wild ranunculus impart greater disease resistance, vigor, and heat tolerance to the crosses. The Italians are betting these will all be important traits for growing ranunculus in the future and as a grower in Texas I have to agree! We have three colors this year and more hopefully next year.

Ok, enough nerding out… have a great week!