0:00

What is it like to grow cut flowers in zones 2 to 4 for only 3

0:04

to 4 months each year and run a

0:06

successful. Small scale flower farm with these constraints.

0:10

Kristen P does just that, and I'm so

0:13

excited to share our conversation and tour, of

0:16

her southern Alberta flower farm. It's been while to see. I remember the

0:21

first year when we had the garden... Parties, and I went

0:25

all in and my husband like, flex his

0:27

heart The end of that year, he was just like, I had no idea. Like, this

0:31

was amazing like good job parties He didn't

0:34

understand. It's, like, what what do you mean grow flowers? Like, who's gonna come. Like, we

0:38

live way out here. Like, what are you thinking, you know? And so

0:42

when I started the garden parties it with the year before Covid. Mh And so during

0:46

Covid, 1 out of their houses, like, and this was outside.

0:50

Space and like and so it, really blew

0:53

up them. Just I'm I'm so thankful to

0:55

be a part of this community and And to be surrounded by growers and

1:00

women who also cares so much about sustainability.

1:02

Yeah. Hello again, and welcome back to the Slow

1:10

flowers podcast with Deborah Printing. This is episode 670.

1:16

This is the weekly podcast about slow flowers

1:19

and the people who grow and design with

1:21

them. It's all about making a conscious choice, and

1:24

I invite you to join the conversation and

1:27

the creative community as we discuss the vital

1:30

topics of saving our domestic flower farms and supporting

1:34

a floral industry that relies on a safe,

1:37

seasonal and local supply of flowers and foliage.

1:40

This this show is brought to you by slow flowers dot com. The free online directory

1:45

to more than 750 Flo This shops and studios who design with

1:50

local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the

1:54

farms that grow those blooms. It's the conscious

1:56

choice for buying and sending flowers. And thank you to long field gardens, which

2:01

provides home gardeners with high quality, flower bulbs

2:04

and perennial. Their online store offers plants for every region

2:08

and every season from Tulip and Da,

2:11

to Dahlia, C and Ama. Check out the full catalog at long dash

2:17

gardens dot com. I know you've heard me talk about the

2:21

20 24 slow flowers summit held last week,

2:25

June 20 third through 20 fifth in Ban,

2:28

Alberta, Canada. I'm recording this episode just days after reach

2:31

turning home from the Canadian rockies. The gorgeous natural setting where nearly 100 of

2:36

us gathered to inquire and include,

2:39

to be informed and inspired, and we hope

2:42

ins new ideas, projects and approaches to our

2:45

floral enterprises. While on my 700

2:49

plus mile drive home to Seattle.

2:52

I took this somewhat out of the way and incredibly scenic route. To Southwest

2:57

Alberta. Where I visited P lane farm in Mountain view outside of

3:01

Carts, Alberta and recorded an interview with Kristen

3:04

P, it's resident flower farmer. I'm so grateful

3:08

to Kristen for her support. She was 1 of the very first Alberta floral professionals.

3:12

To join Sunflower society as a member. Not

3:15

only that, but Kristen brought a few buckets

3:17

of balloons with her to the summit in ban, wow the instructors and audience alike

3:22

with her just picked Pm e's. Thank you,

3:24

Kristen. I know you'll love this conversation. It was

3:28

a very windy day and we've tried to knock back the audio a bit, but That's

3:32

the deal with recording outdoors on a flower

3:34

farm. Kristen is an inspiration, and I'm so

3:37

grateful for the time that she gave me

3:39

for an in person visit. Let's jump right

3:41

in and get started. Yeah. So I'm Chris P. We've been here

3:53

since 2017, which is kind of when this garden goes

3:57

started every year. Started a little bit of flowers and got flowers sick up the whole

4:01

thing now. So, yeah, We live in here in the,

4:06

started southwest Alberta. It's a little bit of a struggle

4:11

to get things to grow as you say, like, it's cold and windy today.

4:15

You do We ask. Do it. Is that

4:17

the rocky No? Yeah. This is the Rocky mountains. So

4:20

the balance on this side are, Montana where that close? Montana.

4:25

And the Water Lakes national parks. Oh my goodness. Yeah. Gorge. Yeah. So things

4:30

are yeah. Love here than at most places.

4:33

So, yeah. I was kinda give you a little tour and I've been gone the last

4:37

couple weeks, so it's a mess. Yes. You've

4:39

been a Regardless the yeah. So... But for

4:42

being a mess. It looks pretty tidy. Yeah. So this section here is mostly...

4:47

This will be all that dry and stuff like. Status and straw flower,

4:51

paper flower. A little bit of nico in there as

4:55

well. So do you start this by seat indoors

4:59

and then trans? Yeah. So we started indoors.

5:02

I usually just start, like Christmas is my

5:05

eucalyptus those kind of things. And then once my basement gets too full,

5:09

We have a greenhouse just got Off the side of the bar that we move stuff

5:13

into. We usually try not to do that too early usually

5:17

by March just because it's still so cold

5:19

here and the cost of heating adds up. So we tried to not fire

5:23

it up until we have to. So... So

5:25

in the house, you can just use the ambient heat from your head. Yes. Yeah. And

5:29

then for a little... What, like, maybe 2 months,

5:32

you'll have Yeah. Usually the app, about 2, 1 and a half, 2 months that we

5:35

actually have to eat it. So... What is

5:37

this general? This is your first garden? So what is general area? So this is

5:42

just under a quarter. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Great

5:45

place. So... Alright. Well, yeah. And... You know,

5:48

for being gone, it looks like things kinda took you. Took care of himself for well. Yeah. We

5:53

have drip line in, which

5:56

we don't have irrigation here. It's all well water.

6:00

So we do try to conserve as much as we can. And so timers and drip

6:03

line and all that really helps us. So does it it pumped up from the well?

6:07

Yeah. Yeah. So what's... Yeah. Water

6:12

yeah. So then in here these are my dahlia they... We actually had snow

6:16

week and a half ago. We had snow here. Instagram. So it was a while to wake

6:21

up to. So they actually look pretty good for just being snowed on.

6:25

There's a little bit of damage. But did

6:28

they break or no they didn't seem to be... Some got a little bend, but,

6:32

little bit of rough bite on the tip, But for the most part, they seem happy.

6:37

So these roast here. 2 rows. Yeah. We'll

6:40

be Dahlia. I struggle to... I don't do a lot of dahlia just

6:45

because my season, like, we usually have snow

6:47

here beginning of September. So it's kinda just

6:50

when Dahlia get going. So I can't knock outgrow them, but I don't

6:54

grow as many as I did the first couple years hoping for better cross. So you'll

6:58

have some, but you... What and probably you'll

7:01

use every. Stem you grow, but not trying

7:03

to specialize. No. And, yeah. We don't do roots

7:06

and stuff like that with the Dallas. Well, it's good. Yeah. But it's weird. It's like

7:11

that's the into year season. Yeah. Yeah. It's

7:13

such a short season here. So

7:17

they're not here. Yeah we have... This is a Fox because

7:20

I love Ox club They like it here from. And I have never seen a Fox

7:24

club before I groom them. They people don't grow them here. They're not. I've been able

7:28

to get them. To perennial a bit.

7:31

I can control snow drifts with this wind

7:33

fence here. To create a drift to help ins and

7:38

protect it. Tricked them into thinking they're in a warmer zone over winter.

7:42

Yeah. You see some. My goodness. Yeah. And

7:44

they're been mute Yeah. So when you say

7:47

snow drift, I was thinking originally like that just that

7:51

Fencing will keep snow from piling on top

7:54

of the beds. That's how you're talking about. Yeah. So it makes snow.

7:59

The wind comes from the west, so everything

8:01

on this side of the snow fence will create

8:04

a drift. And then that becomes your inside.

8:07

And that because my insulation so in the winter, this whole garden

8:10

covered by a drip all the way to the driveway Wow. Yeah. And then that protect

8:14

is more protective than if there's ice. Yeah.

8:17

Okay. And as we... I don't know if you noticed in

8:21

1 of the talks of the stomach, she talked about the chanel we get here. So,

8:26

yeah. It can vary... It can be minus

8:29

40 d celsius, 1 day and a week later, plus 20.

8:33

And so that's a very big swing. So the snow, it

8:38

does melt a little bit, but it also helps just a

8:42

the plants underneath that don't get that t

8:44

free recycle is harsh. So over. Yeah. Because

8:47

it so tall. Yeah. Even if it melts a little bit. Melts a bit. Wow Yeah.

8:51

Yeah. I think Lat talked about. Yeah. She did. Yeah. That's the 1 that was.

8:55

The new snaps here. Snapdragon are

9:00

Oh, my goodness. So gil... Have you started selling flowers or pews or

9:07

doing great. Yeah some to the summit. So

9:09

Yeah. These aren't ready up, But maybe in, like,

9:13

Yeah. Another... Well, yeah. There's a handful that...

9:15

Yeah your some just started bloom. So I have a handful. Have a wedding neck week,

9:19

just a Diy bucket wedding. So they'll be perfect for

9:23

that. And then, yeah, in the next couple weeks, hopefully,

9:26

the rest if we get some eat

9:29

the rest. Should pop up. So, it's great. So the

9:33

Pee look really well. Yeah Eat Then these oranges we have. We

9:37

plant sweet peas. Oh, I see. I wondered

9:39

about that. Throw up the arches. And it's the nice way to organize the

9:43

farm. Yeah. Yes. Little interest yeah. Kind of a a

9:47

center aisle. Yeah. So then up here you get into a

9:51

little more pebble perennial stuff. Yep. Yeah Arrows about starting globe this and

9:58

delphi on the end. Cab.

10:02

Wow. Everything looks super healthy. Yeah food diseases.

10:05

Oh wow. You've got some miracles going in

10:07

into. And then Cynthia. Yeah. I kinda use

10:09

miracles for pests sprinkled in and mouth, but mh. Yeah. Mayor...

10:14

The, again, they're 1 that just... I can't

10:17

grow well here. Is just too cold. Babies

10:19

wanna bathe. Yeah. Some comments. But

10:23

could you sell them to edible for ed adult people who went up edible flowers or

10:27

do you just see. A little bit. I do... So when I

10:31

do my garden parties, I do garden parties

10:33

here, which is kinda like a fancy u pick.

10:36

We do cookies. You with edible flowers baked

10:38

into that. Yeah. Cool will use. Yeah. That

10:40

for some of that. Got. Okay. Let's see the

10:44

rest. I have lots of questions for you, especially we'll go back to the garden parties

10:48

in a bit. Yeah. And here what that's all. Got So more More snapdragon. They're just 1

10:54

that does so well here, so I grow the most Yeah. They're definitely a cool annual.

10:58

Right? But you're gel soon room. You know,

11:01

Oh my goodness. Yes. I'm stunning.

11:04

What is this variety do? Up white be

11:08

something. All yeah. Dark center. Yeah. I with the

11:11

black center So free. And then the Fox

11:14

love white tend have grow or choose to

11:16

grow white because you are supplying auto weddings

11:20

that is 1 factor for sure. Yeah. A lot of my other fox clubs are, the

11:24

coral repeats as well. Sure. Yeah. Because we love

11:27

those calls weddings. Yeah. So then, yeah. Here since some more perennial.

11:33

C combines are done, Are

11:36

doing really loop students. Go cookies controls. Are

11:39

they used... They're... Do you grow them seed or do you

11:43

get plugs? I'm from Seed, yeah. I do

11:45

everything proceed look at water from

11:48

Are just stunning. Oh my goodness.

11:52

Message is the weird. I want you to stand. Right? By them and be be in

11:56

your Yeah. So they're doing... Yeah. Really well this

12:01

year. Yeah. These purple 1 white ones are really

12:04

really pretty different. But...

12:08

Yeah. But you have the... Just a solid white and then the sort of more,

12:13

fuchsia colors. Yeah. And then how many candies do you have

12:18

here, Crystal? In this section, there are

12:24

a hundred and 50 ish give or take.

12:29

Wow. And when did you plan them? So

12:31

these are going trying to think

12:35

year 5.

12:39

So, yeah, this is the last couple of years, I've been able to harvest off of

12:42

these ones quite a bit. They sure look healthy

12:45

the the foliage is pristine.

12:49

So, love it. We've already done a swipe this

12:52

morning. I see a few more opening I

12:54

need to get out. But... Show me when the stage you would wanna hire. So

12:58

see. That 1 getting that maybe this afternoon. It's

13:03

not quite as soft as I live like. How park Joan are you cutting on this

13:07

zone? I usually cut down,

13:13

12 to 18 and... About 16 inches. Yeah.

13:15

And then... The side, and if there's side

13:18

buds you'd remove them or... I typically don't.

13:21

I like the added interesting gift of. Okay. Even if they don't bloom, just that add.

13:25

At interest in okay, I like.

13:29

Right. So I usually leave line. They're not,

13:31

like, at going... But, you know, like a

13:34

spray rose where the the extra side ups

13:36

will open. Yeah. These ones typically won't once

13:40

they're cut. Yeah. Do you wanna walk over to the other

13:43

field lives this kind of... This is...

13:47

They're not quite ready to harvest this year. Next year we'll be able to harvest off

13:51

them. I have taken a few blooms and

13:53

then I've let them go to bloom just document and.

13:58

I get it ready for night. Is strengthen

14:00

up your roots routine. Yeah. So, we'll we redo do all this sounds like

14:04

we put... It's in the middle of the horse pasture.

14:07

So Did the horse used to go up. Yeah. This used to be horse faster. They're

14:11

like, yeah. This brutal sore. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly.

14:13

Like And they certainly are not being deprived.

14:16

No. They still have lots of faith. You.

14:19

Oh, my goodness. How much do you have all the altogether We have a hundred and

14:22

30. Oh, yeah. I think there's enough for...

14:25

Yeah. There's lots. Yeah. I can see a

14:28

few more if I need. Yeah. We'll redo all this probably this fall. The same fence

14:32

kind of clear around board fence. Yeah. And

14:35

put a better aid and south you can

14:37

access it. When you events, and you'll bring your your

14:40

already guess here. Yeah. Okay. So hopefully next

14:43

year also we'll start a Penny u pick. As well. So I'm super excited for that

14:48

1. 0, for so exciting.

14:51

Like, you have to be very creative to come come up with wages as to get

14:55

your flowers make panel.

14:57

Yeah. Yeah. It takes a lot more

15:01

class and thought process just because I am so isolated out here,

15:05

may it more of an event and

15:07

experience people. Destination. Running

15:12

Thank you. I could see these from the row. They're

15:16

gorgeous. So these were my tulip beds I stuff

15:20

to get out, get them cleaned up. So we do the

15:23

no dig, build the box. Put the tulip in and

15:26

then come with tractor and just dump the compost right on top. So there's no trench.

15:30

And there's no digging. Oh my goodness. And just this row is off. Yeah. There's... I

15:34

think 7 or 8 beds. Yeah. The So that's kinda nice low maintenance point.

15:38

Yeah. It is. Yeah. We kinda the last... This is the second year we've done it

15:43

this way rather. And crunchy. Then we'll come with the tractor

15:46

and just scoop it up and add it back in the combos and do the same

15:49

thing in the fall. You'll scoop into the bed. Yeah. Well lift the bed. Both.

15:54

And then just come with the tractor and clean up

15:56

all the compost and bolt

15:59

debris, and then it'll go back into the compost.

16:02

And not not gonna do again. Yeah. So

16:04

it's become a super easy and... So not

16:06

even a lot of waiting required. No. No.

16:09

Because you just clean up the area. Yeah. Yeah. Oh my gosh. And so roughly, how

16:13

many tulip ups are you able to cut from here? This year we did.

16:18

Is probably about 8000 this year. Yeah. In

16:21

these... Because you we... You can call them quite condensed. Yeah. So, yeah. You can get

16:26

a lot and not a lot of space. Well, this is also these Pee are... I

16:32

don't know. This seems like appropriate spacing. It's not they're not...

16:38

Extra clothes. No. Okay. Yeah. No it's super

16:40

close, but we wanted them close enough that once they... Like, they would

16:44

rely on each other. For sold each other up in the wind? So

16:48

you're not having to stick? Yeah. T is.

16:51

Yeah. Where are you getting most your Panties?

16:55

So a lot of these came from Unicorn

16:57

blooms. It's a good canadian wholesaler. We love having

17:01

her. And she's able to import education. Yeah.

17:03

Yeah. Yeah. That's our trick up here. There's not a lot of companies. We can't order

17:08

especially whole sales. Yeah. Amounts from the states

17:10

is easy. So to have unicorn blooms is

17:13

It's so... That's wonderful. Brings and beautiful stuff.

17:17

It looks great. So yeah. In this section,

17:20

there's... 10 rows. Okay. You can kinda love out. Yeah. I'll

17:23

walk with you. 10 rows, and I believe

17:29

72 P e's in each row.

17:31

So, yeah. About 720 Pm.

17:34

Plus how many on others? Plus, 50 ish on the side. Just under a

17:39

thousand. Yeah. That's great. I already have plans for expansion.

17:44

But... Yeah. We'll give it a year or 2 turn Yeah.

17:47

Your a plan soup plant more. Yeah. I would like to plant more is in here.

17:51

I have the probably 40 different varieties instead of focusing

17:57

on a lot a large quantity of 1

18:00

variety. Has this pros and cons I think, but

18:03

I would like to do a couple patches of

18:06

just syrup and just... Which a Duchess. So,

18:09

you know, if you cool quantities for some.

18:12

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. More quantity then. Lovely. A

18:16

I think we have to go look at the lemon shift fund that everyone was going

18:18

Gaga over at at the Sunflower summit. Did

18:21

you cut your precious stock for us? Not

18:24

have a couple that Garden. Yeah. I didn't

18:26

cut these. I don't wanna be responsible for

18:29

d pleading. Pee any help.

18:33

Oh, everyone was so happy with these. They're

18:35

so pretty and huge. Huge.

18:38

Yeah. So big. Yeah. So you've been documenting

18:41

them for, like, your websites. Yeah. Yeah. I have a photographer coming out next week. We'll

18:45

do APE shoot. Oh my goodness. That's so

18:47

great. So I've been seeing some in the cooler too.

18:51

Well, thanks for showing us this fast. So I didn't talk a little bit more. Perfect.

18:57

Maybe should we peek inside your agreements? Yeah.

18:59

We can do with a peek there. Speed 1 in real life.

19:04

It's opening. Only in the picture. So last last year

19:09

you just got... Yeah. You're a little above. But production offering.

19:13

Yeah. Oh, that's good. It's so pretty.

19:17

So There's 1 of my most excited for

19:19

that 1. Yeah. You can't... If you have 5 children,

19:23

and you can say how many children, who's your favorite, But we feel flowers. Yeah. Find

19:28

my favorite to be there. Yeah greenhouse

19:38

Great. Space. News. Yeah. So we had to

19:41

build it, just with the wind here. Have the

19:45

houses and for us. So had to have

19:47

it attached securely and strong delivery.

19:51

So, yeah, We did a lead 2 off off the barn.

19:54

We once our seed are

20:05

big enough and once it's time to move stuff in here. We

20:09

built we actually another shelf here another layer,

20:12

so we can fit twice as many seems. Oh, my god Just soaking up the

20:16

sun here. Yeah. And so we also actually another thing we didn't we spray painted this

20:20

black to help absorb and keep things warmer at

20:24

night here. So our heater doesn't have to run quite as hard to. That keep things

20:28

warm here in Canada. When you run the

20:30

heater, is it propane or is a gas?

20:32

This 1 is electric electric. Okay. Which isn't

20:35

ideal. We've talked about if future plans actually doing

20:40

an oil, a used oil heater. Like, a

20:43

biodiesel. Yeah. Great. I love the boxes with

20:46

the corrugated? Yeah. Kinda a theme here.

20:49

So you also have some vegetables for the...

20:51

Is it for your own family. Yeah. Just

20:54

for us. Yeah. We like to make salsa and sauces and stuff like that. So

20:58

yeah. So right now yeah, mostly. Tomatoes and

21:01

peppers in here. See we even can set up... You set

21:04

up drip tape here. Shift tape in here. So, yeah, everything's automated.

21:08

So I don't have to worry about it. You have to whole thing off your plates.

21:12

And then you have, just in the center

21:14

just other starts and what whatnot? The other things that I just haven't quite got bought

21:18

out yet or extras or... Things like that.

21:21

Well, Walmart in here and it's a little less windy.

21:26

I'd love to just talk about. How you've

21:28

got your business started. This family farm

21:31

is it's your... It's not a flower. Right? No.

21:37

How did how did the agriculture part of the family start?

21:41

I'm so I grew off part kind of

21:44

on the acreage. My grandpa grandfather's, both farmed,

21:48

1 farm cross saskatchewan. And 1 was a

21:50

dairy farmer locally here. My dad had cows, like, you're always around

21:55

agriculture. My brother's rodeo. Like all that. Canadian cowboys.

22:00

Stuff Canadian cowboys in Alberta. Yeah. Okay. What...

22:03

How far from here did you grow up? I'm fifth... About 15 minutes just outside the

22:06

cart. Oh, my goodness. Then my husband grew

22:08

out 15 minutes that way. Just in a

22:11

little village and So we spent some time in the city

22:14

while he was in school, but I always wanted to get back. The

22:18

city being in Calgary? Left bridge. Oh, left

22:20

is. Okay. Okay. So we san pen, and then

22:25

we moved back out to this area. In 2011,

22:30

we were at a smaller acreage, but only

22:33

5 acres. It didn't have enough. We wanted cap and horses, and we can't

22:37

fit very much on teenagers acres. So we

22:39

actually found this property and moved here in 2017

22:43

house Is this town... Did you say mountain?

22:45

Mountain view? View Okay. Just outside and water

22:48

day? Yeah. I mean, it's crazy. How close you are to the Canadian Us border. Yeah.

22:51

It's minutes. Yeah. Oh, so 2017.

22:54

That's okay. So dipped it a lot Mh in 7, 8

22:58

years. Yeah. Sometimes it's, like, you see because it's, like, we haven't got that much. Done.

23:02

There's still so much to do with that when you look back. You're, like, Holy cow.

23:06

Oh, we recall. And you built the barn? Did you build your house too? We didn't

23:09

build that house. So we've been renovated yeah.

23:12

You're making it work. Yeah. For your... Yes.

23:15

Semi my large family. We bought this property for the land, not necessarily the house.

23:20

Been making that. I heard that people do that. Yeah. And your

23:25

your... Is your farm called P Lane? So.

23:28

Farm. Yeah. No. Not flower firm. No. Just

23:31

Okay. And P lane is a derivative of

23:33

your last name. Yeah. Most people don't know

23:36

that. I love that. It it's a per... Like,

23:40

how don't you bored to it? Yeah. And the...

23:44

The other stuff that your husband does is

23:46

in is it mostly a cattle. And... Yeah. We do... We run Highland Cattle. He does

23:50

a little bit of hay rocks. Horses, but he actually works off farm as

23:54

well. He's on electrician at a gas plant.

23:58

Gas plan. So he does work off. Far,

24:00

which is common. Right? Kinda I have to. Yeah. Yeah. Because you can't farm you around.

24:05

No. Yeah. Out 3 months if we're lucky,

24:08

so it's definitely... You have to have other sources of income.

24:13

When did you start growing cut flowers or... Kind of go from being the the Avid

24:17

gardner to us someone with the business. So it... For me, it started actually a

24:22

little earlier. Thousand 15, when we were still at our other property,

24:28

I was super pregnant, like, June super pregnant

24:31

with my youngest, and I didn't get my... Regular vegetable garden planted. So I was like,

24:35

oh, this throughout these black sunflower seeds and see what happens.

24:39

And so like they grew amazingly and beautiful and it

24:43

just, like, kinda of sparked something, like what

24:46

if? You know, like I've never seen it before.

24:50

For was just kind of barely jumping into

24:53

the world at that point. And

24:56

so I would make weekly bookings of black oil sunflower seeds. So I'm at the farmers

25:01

market. Just just the flowers from that seat. Yeah.

25:04

Just just some flower. Yeah. Okay. Just from the chicken feed seed. Oh, I love it.

25:09

So I would throw in a few, like, ditch thing ditch flowers like all them forage

25:14

things with it as well. Just and then I would take them to my

25:19

mom. My mom was sick at the time. So it would take her weekly. And I

25:23

mean black oil sunflower far. Needs they dropped a lot pulp. They're not ideal whatsoever for

25:27

cut flowers, but that's but what what else

25:30

learned. Ask for people see it. Yeah. Exactly.

25:32

Yeah. So it's I would take them weekly to my mom throughout that summer.

25:37

So that Christmas that Christmas 2015

25:41

my mom passed. Away she had autoimmune disease

25:43

and lungs. Dear. So

25:47

the following year... Following years every year. It's

25:52

has kinda become the way I process my

25:54

grief. I still take my mom week bo

25:56

case so cemetery now. It's beautiful. So it's just, yeah. That way

26:01

to connect with hurt, connect with the soil

26:03

in the earth and, like, all the healing properties that come with that and,

26:08

have a little bit quiet time in my garden no wife from my my family when

26:11

I needed, and... But... But she's present with

26:14

you. Yeah. I believe That's beautiful. Yeah. So...

26:17

From So in a way, she inspired you to become a flower from. Yes.

26:21

Yeah. She really has. And and, you know, I

26:23

get... I think about that a lot, and I think a lot about like... I think

26:27

she would be involved with this as well. Like, she loved to garden her landscaping. Like,

26:31

she did all her whole landscaping beautiful. So she would be very involved with Well

26:36

too. We have to tell mention her name then. Laura Bev. Okay. To Laura. Yeah. Oh,

26:41

my gosh. I wish I hadn't met her. Yeah. And so

26:46

you... Maybe at that point, this following year

26:48

wanted to grow more and thought you better diversify for.

26:52

Just simple sunflower flowers. Yeah. I'd, like, learn

26:54

more about what we can even grow here,

26:57

different varieties, like, what makes a about. You

27:00

can't just have a big... I mean, you

27:02

can. Right. But, you know, to expand that

27:05

knowledge and learning all the pieces and all the different

27:08

k fillers and spikes and to make a

27:10

real well rounded Okay. So that's been

27:14

a learning curve for sure because our cold

27:16

climate. There's, like, fill not a lot of information out there.

27:20

There's... So I dove to Flo,

27:23

read all her stuff all her books, like, anything I can get my hands on.

27:28

But you still have to, like, translate it

27:30

into. So important what Yeah. What zone are you?

27:35

So because of the chin we get, we actually fluctuate every year. So I plan for

27:40

it to and hope for a 4. Wow. Yeah. I was gonna say 4 to 6.

27:44

Yeah now. 2 to 4. Wow. Okay. And

27:47

that that puts into context what you... We

27:50

talked about with the tulip ups. That's your first crop. Yeah. Are you planting the bulbs

27:54

in the fall? Yeah. We still pat them in the. Yeah. And you're harvesting a little

27:57

later than maybe I would in Seattle. Yeah. So it's... I rarely have Tulip mother's day.

28:03

It's usually the end of may. Okay. I

28:05

have to. Oh, so you've just had, like the last month of tulip. Yes. Wow. Just

28:09

Tulip and Da. Yeah. Now you're going into the all the

28:13

the annual, the cool annual that we saw in some of the perennial

28:17

and the P e's. So you told me that the closest town

28:21

car... Ka is a population 3500. Yeah. 500.

28:25

Mountain view is population what. 200. Oh, yeah.

28:28

300 maybe. I'm so

28:33

excited to hear how people are responding. Your

28:35

flowers? Because where else are they getting local

28:38

flowers? Yeah. Nowhere. Right? Yeah.

28:41

So how do they... How did you start selling it after that first summer? Your

28:46

I did a few markets for the first years. I don't love market.

28:50

Yeah. It's not my my thing. Were you having to drive it quite a ways? Yeah.

28:53

So I'd have to drive an hour give tape depending on much market,

28:59

a lot of packing up, it's

29:02

And and then the markets I would go to are still small town markets, like, 3

29:06

500 people. And so it just... I... They

29:09

weren't awesome. So I mostly do now

29:14

subscriptions. It's my main source of income for the farm.

29:18

So I do 2 places I do cart...

29:20

In once a week, and I do let the city left bridge for once a week.

29:24

And the subscriptions are mixed bookings? Yep. Mixed.

29:30

I... And in in the spring, I do just 2 ups. I don't do mixed stuff,

29:33

but in with the 2 ups just because we don't have it it producing here yet.

29:36

Yeah. People don't know. I don't know. And they love it, and it's perfect. So, yeah,

29:39

Mix bookings, just a basic

29:42

hand tied. How do you package them?

29:45

I just do basic, like, sustainability is big

29:48

for us. I don't do plastic. I don't do stickers. I don't... Like I have a

29:51

stamp. So it's just kraft paper and a dew

29:54

string twine. Mh. Size. So it's... So Basic

29:57

it's and Yeah. When people sign up for the

30:00

subscriptions, what are your... What are their choices that

30:03

you offer them? So for a subscriptions, it's just a 1

30:07

size, but I offer a 4 week free.

30:13

This year's is our first year doing a P and E subscription.

30:16

Have you already been marketing that? Yeah. Mark can I start tomorrow? Oh my goodness. I'll

30:20

be kinda do the city tomorrow. Is that why you were out harvesting this morning? Yeah.

30:24

Yeah. I'm getting ready for that. So what are they getting, like, a 5 stem okay?

30:27

The 5 stem okay. I do have a

30:29

a pre 1, that offers a 15 stem hey. So I

30:34

didn't sell as many of those this year, but I did sell well. So... They... Once

30:38

people serve of C That would they start. Yeah. So do you think you can do

30:42

Panties for 4 weeks? I marketed it as a... 3 weeks subscription

30:47

for the P. Just because that fourth week, I wasn't with storage and all that positive.

30:52

They would be quality. But in future years. But in future. Yeah. I for. Because you

30:56

could coat cold store. Yeah. Okay. Wow. And

30:59

so you've got the tulip of subscription. Yeah. The P and e. And so then,

31:04

I have this A summer, 1 as well, an 8 week summer.

31:10

Which is all where you mix. You did

31:12

more of a design. Yeah. Those things. And

31:14

so you can purchase the whole season as

31:16

well. Wow. Or just yet, kind of those separate. Yeah

31:20

So you're literally rolling from Tulip into Panties

31:22

It's a mixed summer okay. Yeah. That is

31:25

amazing. So our our biggest 1 is the 12 weeks. So the 4 weeks of spring

31:29

and then the 8 weeks of Okay. Oh the pm Are kind of a bonus on.

31:32

Pe are between there Yeah. Do you find

31:34

that that is just... I mean it's... This must be more

31:40

of economical for you than going to a farmers

31:42

market. They're purchased before you're cutting them. Yeah.

31:46

This and you're doing deliveries to a central drop off. So you're

31:51

not going to doorstep. Yeah. In town carts

31:53

and I small. I delivered to the door

31:55

in the city. Got I've... The first couple of years, I did deliver to doorstep steps

32:00

through Covid and whatnot. But my kids were like, no. Don't do

32:05

that. Are you hoping to train a if you want them to do? Media. My oldest

32:09

sometimes will do run around for me if I'm busy that.

32:13

So that's your retail Yeah. Off farm. And

32:15

they'll tell me about what you're doing with your parties. So yeah. So we offer... I

32:20

call them garden parties. It's just A fancy

32:22

uti. So, yeah, People come out in the evening.

32:27

We do... I do a full garden tour kind of top about why we grow how

32:30

we grow all those things. Then I offer drinks and snacks. We usually

32:35

do homemade,

32:39

cookies with flowers from the garden baked into

32:41

them. Well the city is you're been talking about. Yeah. So we do those, and then

32:44

we've also done a lavender 1 as well. Lemon lavender ones. That was was a big

32:48

hit. Are you growing lavender? Yeah. We grow months. Okay. So it's, like, there

32:52

is the most party. Cold hardy. Okay. So...

32:56

And then after that, the people they get to wander garden and cut their

33:00

own okay to take home. And so as

33:02

you see when we're up in the garden with the mountains cave in the back and

33:06

the sunsets, right over top of it that. Like, it's

33:09

I love doing that. Parties. Oh, my god I'm introvert. I don't... I

33:12

like my space. I like the home, but, like, garden parties, I I love those different

33:16

different How are you... How do you charge and how... What is

33:21

your limit? Bill, you probably you have to limit the number of people who come? So

33:24

I currently charge 55 dollars

33:28

a person. I did raise that last year. And I

33:33

still sell 5 usually capped at at around

33:36

20 to 25 just so I can help

33:39

keep Yeah. Pass all the questions with. And I sell out every

33:44

just about once a week. Oh my gosh.

33:46

Yeah. That is so exciting. And you've really been

33:50

blown up. Yeah. Wow. That must feel so gratifying Like, this

33:54

is working. Yeah. Even how isolated you are.

33:58

Yeah. People wanna make the drive. And a

34:00

lot. Probably only 10 percent of my clientele tell

34:05

are actually from parts of my hyper local.

34:09

Other 90 percent are from over a number

34:11

of which some people are willing to come out. They're willing to invest they're willing. The

34:16

to have those experiences and want them. And

34:18

when I do my garden parties, I,

34:21

you know, kinda share how we got started and I welcome people and, you know, tell

34:26

everyone, everyone's going through something.

34:29

Everyone needs a break, like, just enjoy yourselves

34:31

while you're here and just... Soaking it.

34:34

Sure that space with them. So... And then, I I love that. That's beautiful.

34:40

And then do they become, like, clients for

34:42

life? Because you said you're doing some Diy buckets? Like, are those the people who will

34:46

call you if they have a party or a bridal shower or

34:50

something like that. Yeah. Yeah. For sure they're. I definitely do have a handful of the

34:54

die that, like, support everything and I love

34:57

them. They're amazing. But, yeah, It keeps you bring me back.

35:00

And and when they see the love and the

35:04

energy and everything you put into it, like,

35:06

in person, they're more willing to come back. That. Yeah. When they need a wedding or

35:11

other things like that? I won't I'm wondering, like, what is their

35:14

alternative? Is there a grocery store in town that carries flowers or there a turned more

35:18

of a conventional Flores? There is

35:22

Flores in town. Yeah. Men's burial.

35:24

No. A lot of... Because silk flowers they offer really like that.

35:29

Like just very old. And maybe things from

35:32

the Ontario are. Action or or a vancouver

35:36

auction or not even that far. Not even in that far away. It gets all, like,

35:39

they have no desire for sustainability or local

35:42

or like stuff like that So so you're really showing an alternative? Yeah. Yeah.

35:47

Absolutely. And then

35:50

do you do design... Yourself other than I'm, obviously your

35:53

subscription customers. Yeah. I do offer weddings because we live

35:57

for, like, those Water Lakes National park.

36:00

And So there are a handful of

36:03

el mint weddings that I love doing the wilton weddings. They're simple and just so admit

36:08

and that kind of thing. So I do more

36:11

of those than the full scale style events.

36:13

And people come pick up the, like, the personal. Speed Yeah. That's great.

36:17

So it sounds like the you pick is going to grow. Mh. And

36:22

we'll or the garden parties. Yeah

36:25

do you want... Do have other goals that

36:28

you're hoping to expand? I I know, oh,

36:30

I guess the other thing you mentioned was plenty more Panties?

36:34

Yeah. So we're hoping... Also, hopefully next year

36:37

that our new big patch of panties will

36:39

be established enough that we can. As Oh, so you might do a whole

36:45

different party. Yeah. I do whole Just drop.

36:47

Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. We'll see. I'm hoping for next year.

36:52

I think they'll be the self question enough that again.

36:56

And then I already have a expansion plan. Tell my son. He he's my holding.

37:02

With Pe, I would like to put in

37:05

another 1000 and more. Yeah, would be my

37:08

end goal, I think with with our footprint

37:10

and our available space here. Yeah. More

37:15

than varieties that I have more quantity though, which

37:19

you could then sell Yeah. For weddings Yeah.

37:21

For weddings. When you started with that

37:25

patch of sunflower seeds to take to your

37:28

mom, did you ever think you were going to go this hardcore?

37:31

Not at all. My goodness. No. It's it's been wild to see. It's

37:36

been, I remember the first year

37:39

when we had the garden parties, and I went

37:44

all in and my husband, like, bless his

37:46

heart. I'm not. He was always so supportive.

37:48

I don't wanna make it sound like he wasn't. But at the end of the year,

37:51

he was just, like, I had no idea. Like, this was amazing like good job. Right...

37:57

Like a lot of partners. He probably didn't get it. He didn't understand. Like, what what

38:01

do you mean girl flowers Like, who's gonna come Like, we live way out here. Like,

38:05

what are you thinking, you know? And so

38:08

yeah. Just to see and and that... When I started the garden parties, it was the

38:12

year before Covid. Mh And so during Covid

38:15

people wanted out of their houses, like, and this was outside, and space, and they can

38:20

sew it, really blew out that. That's amazing.

38:23

Yeah. Wow. Well, I'm... So happy I got to stop

38:26

by. I would not have gotten your otherwise.

38:30

Thanks having being in bam, which is the...

38:32

It's, like, still 4 hours. Right. I'm

38:35

really, I invited myself. So thank you for saying Yes. Off. The view is breathtaking

38:41

when people come, they probably don't wanna leave. No. Am I say you're all night. That's fine.

38:46

Oh I love. Yeah. Anything else you wanna mention before we wrap?

38:52

Something things. So I just... Yeah. Like... Are you are making an impact in your

38:56

community think that's for. And just the education

38:59

of sustainability, like, it's so important. And, like,

39:02

we do no till. We, you know, really try to take care

39:05

of the soil as much as we can. And are constantly learning new ways to do

39:09

that, and just... I'm I'm so thankful to be a

39:13

part of this community. And to be surrounded by growers and women

39:18

who also cares so much about sustainability. Yeah.

39:20

And so that's... It's such an amazing. Yeah.

39:23

Thank you. Thank you very much. And, I

39:26

will just say that you are a dynamic

39:28

of member of the Alberta flower farming community.

39:32

I met you... I came through Becky Fa me. But

39:36

a lot of it is through social media

39:38

because you are quite a distance away from

39:41

Yeah. The edmonton group and the Calgary. If

39:43

there's not... Very many southern Alberta. No folks.

39:47

Well, that could change. Hopefully. Maybe someone could come a princess here yeah.

39:53

But it's... You're such a leader, and I really... Am I'm I'm grateful for the what

39:57

I've witnessed and how you're really bringing flowers to people who never...

40:02

Got a local tulip up before. Never got

40:04

a local candy before. Yeah. It... It's my

40:07

blowing for them. And it it is and they're just, like, business the 2. Like they

40:10

have no idea that. Yeah. Anyway. So that's

40:13

wonderful. Okay. Krista, thank you so much.

40:17

I Thanks so much for joining me today. Please

40:32

visit s flowers podcast dot com for episode

40:35

670 to watch the replay video of my in

40:39

person tour of P Lane Farms fields and

40:42

Greenhouse area. You'll also see a cameo of the P

40:46

family's 5 American quarter horses

40:49

and the stunning scenery of both Glacier National

40:51

Park and Water Lake National park in the

40:54

distance. Our next thank goes to rooted farmers. Rooted

40:58

farmers source exclusively with local growers to put

41:01

the highest quality specialty cut flowers in floral

41:04

customers hands. When you partner with rooted farmers,

41:07

you are investing in your community, and you

41:09

can expect a commitment to excellence in return.

41:13

Learn more at rooted farmers dot com.

41:16

We're in the heart of American Flowers week

41:18

now through tomorrow July fourth.

41:21

So please share photos of your flowers and

41:23

use the hashtag American Flowers week, so we

41:26

can spot your post. You can download free American Flowers week social

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41:32

from our branding and our entire botanical Couture

41:35

collection. That link is in today, Show notes

41:38

for episode 670. It's hard to believe we've been celebrating American

41:42

Flower week for 10 consecutive years.

41:45

And I thank you for being part of this celebration. And next, we have Canadian flowers

41:50

week to look forward to, coming up August

41:52

fifteenth through 20 first. So if you'd like to... Participate follow the link to sign up

41:56

for more details, which we will include in

41:58

our Sonos notes today. And thank you to Johnny selected seats, an

42:02

employee owned company that provides our industry, the

42:05

best flower herb and vegetable seeds, supplied to

42:08

farms large and small, and even tobacco cutting

42:11

gardens like mine. Find the full catalog of

42:13

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42:16

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42:19

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sharing. It means so much, As our movement against more supporters and more

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42:35

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contagious. I know you feel it too. If you're new to our weekly show or

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Sunflower flower society dot com. I'm Deborah P, host and producer of the

42:50

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42:53

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42:55

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42:58

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43:01

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43:10

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43:13

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