Forever Flowers

So many parts of farming involve doing something today that you won't get to 'harvest' until a long time away, including Forever Flowers aka dried flowers. 
And it doesn't just begin with hanging them to dry but with planning to order, plant, and grow enough of the flowers you want to dry so there is enough for fresh cut as well as to hang up from the ceiling.
They've been crowding out my rafters all summer and they finally get to be bunched, bundled, and wrapped into brilliantly beautiful bouquets!
The only care they benefit from is staying out of direct sunlight as this will fade their bright colors. Other than that, they are a great way to enjoy the beauty of summer all winter long!

This Friday I'll be at the Kootenai Forest Fair in Libby at the Riverfront Park, so sadly I will miss the Apple Festival in Troy :( But if you can stop by I will have all my usual microgreens, seeds, dragon clips, as well as some dried flower bouquets and a special Forest & Flower Crown demo area filled with all the fixings from both forest and farm to make your very own custom crowns!

Some of the last outdoor plantings of the year happen now as the biennial Foxglove and Canterbury Bells go in

It's also the time for fall planted bulbs to start getting a chance to root in before the soil freezes. Here a few special Irises get tucked in around the chaos of the perennial and volunteered (and welcome weeds/natives) plants

The 'orchard' is where I get to forgo planting in straight lines and plant them where they feel right and happy like the Sweet Williams, Burdock, and Comfrey that were all started from seed this spring and get bigger every time I look at them!

All those seeds gotta come from somewhere and what better way to make use of a hot summer where all the spinach bolted than to let some go to seed and collect it in the fall. If you look closely you can see the wild and weedy native Strawberry Spinach as well!

Two weeks ago was the first real frost at 28F and last Friday was the big killing frost at 24F. Many things can't survive that even with coverings so it is always such a lovely surprise to learn that some plants are hardier than we might know, like this Phlox which was completely uncovered and unbothered by those hard frosts

Molting chickens means very little eggs and some sorry looking hens as some drop feathers in big patches with spiky pin feathers following close behind

Hella loves to help with all things 'farm' that don't involve noisy things, but she especially loves helping with planting since it involves making holes in the ground which she is very good at

​The first of the dried bouquets will be available this week at both the Farmers Market at Libby on Thursday and the Kootenai Forest Fair on Friday.
What is better than colorful cut flowers that require no care and never fade?

I can never choose just one kitten photo to include, so I just include many.
fyi, there is at least one of the black cat kitty sisters in three of the four photos, can you spot them all?

What's available this week?

• Eggs!
  • half dozen pasture-raised duck eggs 
• Flowers!
  • Mixed Bouquets 
  • Dahlia Bouquets
  • Dried Flower Bouquets
• Veggies!
  • Microgreens
    • Spicy Mix: Radish & Arugula
      • Large 4oz
      • Small 1oz
    • Mild Mix: Broccoli, Mizuna, Ch. Cabbage, Kale
      • Large 4oz
      • Small 1oz
    • Lemon Basil 
  • Cherry Tomatoes
  • Petal Power Edible Flower
  • Strawberry Spinach 'Fruits'
  • Nettles
  • Baby Greens Salad Mix 
• Seeds!
  • Lupine
  • Bee's Friend
  • Cosmos
  • Calendula
  • Chinese Forget Me Not
  • Poppy
  • Delphinium
  • Columbine
• Live Plants!
  • Cactus Globes
• Crafts!
  • Treasure Bowls
  • Dragon Clips
• Botanicals!
  • Dragon's Balm
    • 0.25 oz
    • 1 oz

Where to find it all?
I'll be at the Farmers Market at Libby, this Thursday from 3-630pm!

I'll be at the Kootenai Forest Fair, this Friday from 3-6pm at Riverfront Park in Libby!