From a Distance...

We are admiring this beautiful bloom from a distance. It is rare for an Indonesian Lily to flower...and that might be a good thing! The bloom is gorgeous but it's fragrance is rancid. It is the lily's way of attracting the flies that pollinate it. Good thing the weather is nice and it can be outdoors for awhile!

Ladybug Day!

It's Ladybug Day on the flower farm!

A big drink of water...

then off they go...

to explore their new home!

they will have plenty of company...

when the Praying Mantis egg sacks hatch!

No bad bugs and no harmful pesticides in this Nebraska greenhouse...just beautiful plants growing in a happy and healthy environment!

Fabulous first days of Spring!

Fabulous first days of spring on the flower farm! Saturday's fermenting class was amazing! We all learned a lot from each other. Only two spots left for the April 4 class...let me know if I can save a seat for you. The season's first blooms are beginning to appear in the gardens...

and in the greenhouse.

We're hoping for a nice, gentle rain tomorrow. Love these beautiful days and the promise they hold!

Today's smiles...

Things that made me smile today. 

The beautiful preserved blooms from our gardens in the shop...

and the gorgeous foliage of Art Hodes Begonia...

and Farfugium in the greenhouse!

'Peppermint Stick' Celery

'Peppermint Stick' celery was on the list of seeds to be sown in the greenhouse today. 

I smiled when I opened the packet of tiny seeds and remembered our wonderful harvest from last year's garden. 

Plenty to freeze, dehydrate, ferment and share with other families! It's been a treat to add that garden-fresh taste to our winter meals!

A New Fermented Favorite!

I love this time of year! The rooting cuttings and sprouting seeds in our greenhouse fill my heart with anticipation for this year's growing season. I look forward to spending another year in these glorious gardens but I also know that we are another year 'older', too! We are both determined to stay young and enjoy many more years of gardening on the Flower Farm, so we get plenty of exercise  (also known as 'work' out here.) We also grow a large vegetable garden and freeze, dehydrate and ferment our harvest. We love the fresh tastes of our preserved garden veggies but sometimes we are tempted by the organic produce aisle at our local grocery store. When I read about fermenting bananas...well, I couldn't resist. Hmmm...Bananas! Raw honey would be perfect! I filled a very small jar with banana slices and drizzled them with raw honey along with a small amount of water. Only two days later...we couldn't resist the amazing aroma and devoured the entire jar in a matter of minutes. 

Time for banana ferment number two! 

A few banana slices into a pint-sized jar...

then two more tablespoons of raw honey added to what was left from our first banana ferment...just to give it a little 'kick start'. 

I usually use kale or cabbage leaves to keep my veggies submerged under the brine but honey, bananas and kale didn't sound like a good flavor combination for this new ferment. So I got creative!

These glass stones were the perfect answer!

Yes...perfect!

This is only 48 hours later. They will be devoured tomorrow!

Laughing in Flowers...

This is what happens when it's been a busy day on the Flower Farm. It's no secret that we have been eating healthier around here and when our day began to wind down, I was looking forward to making turkey casserole with the leftover turkey we roasted earlier in the week. I was so proud of myself as I cooked whole grain pasta in the whey I had reserved from making a batch of cottage cheese in our own kitchen. I stirred in organic kale, added diced peppers and onions from the freezer and crushed a few dehydrated tomatoes; all from our garden. I tossed in a few home-grown herbs and we both remarked that this particular February meal had the aroma of summer. Time to catch the news and weather...well, on the Flower Farm it's mostly about the weather. After watching a cute story about the area fish fries, my sweetie reminded me that we really hadn't taken the time to check the grocery ads this week. "You would think there might be some great sales on fish right now. The new ads should be coming out tomorrow. We'll have to check them".  HUH?...Umm..The grocery ads arrive on Wednesday. Today is Friday. "It's Friday"?  Yes, today is Friday and tomorrow is Saturday.  

It was only a few minutes later when it occurred to me that I had spent so much time admiring our turkey casserole...that I had neglected to add the turkey!!!! 

Its all good though!

A great laugh...and a wonderful reminder of how much we look forward to beautiful sights like this in our prairie gardens! God really does laugh in flowers. We do, too!