Valley Flower Farm

Sundays in the south…we dress in our best and start our day with worship. This year we’ve spent most Sunday afternoons running around the farm. I map out my work week while the kids drum up a little mischief in the woods or the field. I don’t take this land for granted. It’s blessed us with an opportunity for the kids to explore nature instead of their devices. Watching them run through the field and use their imagination is such a gift. Thank you for capturing their playfulness so beautifully. Life in full bloom 🌺

Photo credit: .by.Nikki
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Crop planning for 2025 is in full swing! At this point I’m walking the field endlessly measuring…combing through seed catalogs, scouring the internet, piling up the post it notes and trying my best to avoid impulse purchases! There are so many things to take into consideration when choosing crops. It will take months for a solid plan to develop. Right now I’m in the thick of it. Have a fav you’d love to see in the field? Shoot me a message. Life in full bloom 🌺
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Happy Halloween to all my ghouls!! I snapped this pic on one of my many late nights at the farm this season. After a long day, I sometimes like to sit and take it all in. There’s no noise, no distractions and plenty of room to listen to myself and nature. It’s my little sleepy hollow. I hope your day is full of mischief mixed with the laughter of your children as they prepare to sift through mountains of goodies. Life in full bloom 👻 🎃 👻
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“A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there.” ~Jon Assaraf

The seasons have changed and it’s time to begin year two. This is the time stepping into the unknown gets scary and I have to remind myself that living in the comfort zone takes me nowhere. Year two will be a reflection of my ability to keep pushing myself forward. Dreams die in your comfort zone and that’s not where I choose to live. I see fields full of flowers in my future. Let’s do this all again! Life in full bloom 🌺
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Everyday since the frost paid us a visit I pull into the farm to see the echinacea still going strong. I’m shocked daily at its resilience. The bees and butterflies have flocked to that side of the farm searching for the last bit of sustenance. It’s my last little bit of happiness from my first season of work! I planted it on a whim and am so happy I took that chance. What’s still growing in your garden? Life in full bloom 🌺
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It feels like fall in East TN! I’m busy getting the field cleaned up, cover cropped and tucked away for winter in the midst of fall planting for spring. It’s hard to believe I’m wrapping up my first year of farming. So grateful for the memories that were made and the support of this community. I can’t wait to reflect this winter! Life in full bloom 🌺
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Merry Frostmas, as they say in the flower farming world ❄️ The field has officially been bitten by its first frost and will produce no more this year! The feeling is bittersweet. I’ll be busy all fall and winter plotting and planning for a beautiful spring and summer for you all! It will be here before you know it. Until then, I’ll be sharing plenty of photos from this past season and my plans for our next season together, farm friends! Thank you for tagging along on this journey. There will be many updates to come 😉
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Being a mom of 5 comes with its own set of challenges but none more taxing than scheduling family photos. Who can relate? Forcing college aged kids to come home, the stars aligning around lacrosse and dance and baseball, then finding someone who is available on that slim time schedule is hectic. The day of photos you listen to endless moaning and groaning while you threaten their lives if they don’t behave and show up showered and dressed appropriately while you scream SMILE or DIE!! We love each other, remember?? 😂

Luckily, I was blessed with the dearest friend who is extremely talented and gave up her time on the only day we had available to work her magic! Honestly it was the most seamless experience with little grumbling and when I got the edits back my heart just melted! Thank you .by.nikki for capturing my crazy crew in such a magical way. Having these photos of the fam in the first year on our farm will always be special to me!

One month left to book sessions before Jack Frost pays the field a visit! If you’ve been waiting, now is the time. Life in full bloom 🌸
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This photo was taken a few months ago at a farm photoshoot with . Today I popped up at their cash & carry sale and it did not disappoint!! In a former life, I owned boutiques and I can’t say no to a good sale. Being there did make me miss the rush of faithful customers showing up to grab a deal. I always miss retail during the holidays. It also made me miss my gang of employees. They became like family to me through the years. I could see the staff at BSB is the same. If you haven’t been to one of their sales, make plans. It’s epic!! Thanks for having me today BSB! And to all my Memphis crew I love and miss you, including my customers! Photo credit:
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It’s feeling like fall in East TN and I’m soaking up every second of these cooler evenings in the field. I took this photo last night while closing up shop. Can you believe this was made with all the blooms that were going into compost? Some had broken or bent stems, some had been nibbled on by the finches or bad bugs. It felt wrong to throw them out so I took a moment to cut their stems and revel in what was left.

God can make such beauty out of brokenness. Our scars from this journey we call life don’t have to always be an ugly stain. I’ve learned with the right perspective each bend in the stem can lead to joy. Since I planted all these little seeds by hand it’s hard to let even the tired and broken ones go. I’m sure with a few seasons under my belt, that part will get easier 😉 life in full bloom 🌻
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I’ve heard in the flower farming community that August breeds burnout. As a first year farmer I can certainly attest to that. It seems that the combination of long days in the blistering heat, the never-ending bad insects munching at my beautiful blooms, the random storms that wipe out entire crops, fighting THE DEER, the list of challenges is so long!!

Hence, my announcement this week to end Farmshed Friday and Sunday Funday events at the end of September. This year I’ve learned that farming is a family endeavor whether your family chooses that profession or not. There have been lots of sacrifices so I could work 12-15 hour days.

The miracle of farming is that even though I’m yearning for a break, i will grieve the flowers when they’re gone in a months time. I can’t imagine walking into an empty field when such beauty surrounds me right now. And I know I will be itching all winter to watch it happen all over again.

Ya’ll have three more weeks to soak up the field at our regularly scheduled public you-picks! But…the farm will be open for booking private you-picks, photo sessions and date nights until Mother Nature brings the frost. I’ll also have a few community public you-picks on deck in October. So check back often for announcements. For now, let’s all soak up the remaining time in the field. I can’t thank y’all enough for supporting our family farm this season! Life in full bloom 🌻
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Follow me to Farmshed Friday!! We will be open 10-8!! We’ve extended hours for the rest of growing season. We’ve also added a snack shack serving food, drinks & open every Friday 5-8. So drive on out after work, feed the kids and make some memories!

Today’s event is a u-pick!! Of course I’ll be making bouquets all day at the farmshed if you’d like to skip the picking and grab a premade option.

We are located at 3104 W Gallaher Ferry Rd! Keep going til you see the flower cart! GPS might take you to Mr. Gentry’s just keep going til you see the flowers. Enjoy that scenic drive; it’s pretty fabulous. Can’t wait to talk flowers with y’all!

How it grows:

🌺 $5 admission (10 & under FREE admission)
🌺$2 per stem in the field
🌺 premade bouquet options from $20-$40
🌺 no pets! We 💗 animals but the field does not
🌺 $3 vases for purchase or free market wrap
🌺 watch your step in the field; ground is uneven
🌺 no restroom on property so keep that in mind!
🌺 we take credit cards, Venmo, PayPal & cash!
🌺 no professional photos! Selfies welcome
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Happy to announce for the month of September we will be open every Friday for our usual Farmshed Friday 10-8, then again on Sunday from 1-7 for you-pick! Here’s your opportunity to bring the whole fam and make some memories in the field.

The snack shack will be open all day on Sundays serving up yummy food & ! So feed the kids, play some co****le, & pick a bouquet to carry you thru the next week. Of course I’ll be making bouquets all day at the farmshed if you’d like to skip the picking and grab a premade option.

I’m located at 3104 W Gallaher Ferry Rd! Keep going til you see the flower cart. GPS might take you to Mr. Gentry’s house otherwise. Enjoy that scenic drive; it’s pretty fabulous. Can’t wait to talk flowers with y’all! Life in full bloom 🌸

How it grows:

🌺 $5 admission (10 & under FREE admission)
🌺$2 per stem in the field
🌺 premade bouquet options from $20-$40
🌺 no pets! We 💗 animals but the field does not
🌺 $3 vases for purchase or free market wrap
🌺 watch your step in the field; ground is uneven
🌺 no restroom on property so keep that in mind!
🌺 we take credit cards, Venmo, PayPal & cash!
🌺 no professional photos! Selfies welcome
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VOLS FOOTBALL is here! We’re getting in the spirit. Gameday bouquets just arrived ! Go grab yours for the tailgate or stop by the flower cart! We’re open to the public this week for Farmshed Friday 10-8 for you~pick and have another exciting announcement on deck!! Details soon…GO VOLS 🏈🧡🏈
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“Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat.” -F Scott Fitzgerald.

It was a long week of tough choices in the field. Deciding which flowers should be pulled and composted after the storm damage was a sickening feeling. Lots are still leaning but I just couldn’t let them go. I’m hoping in the next week they strengthen and keep pumping out blooms until the frost comes.

Continuous setbacks can compound and weigh on you. I try to focus on what is directly in front of me and solve what needs immediate attention. Knowing you guys would show up to support the farm on Friday regardless pushed me, and I was definitely rewarded.

This week I was blessed by a 90 year old birthday girl who cried when she received her bouquet. This week I was blessed by a 2 month old baby whose mom just needed a quick escape. This week I was blessed by a beautiful couple, new in their marriage, who couldn’t get enough of their time together in the field. This week I was blessed by a group of ladies escaping their exams. This week I was blessed by two best friends who came from out of town just to spend quality time in the field. Every week I’m grateful for all of you. Life in full bloom 🌸

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Hey y’all! The field is back in shape so drive on out for Farmshed Friday. We will be open 10-8!! We’ve extended hours for the rest of growing season. The snack shack will be closed today as they are battling covid. Thank you for the well wishes this week after the storm damage!

Today’s event is a u-pick!! Of course I’ll be making bouquets all day at the farmshed if you’d like to skip the picking and grab a premade option.

We are located at 3104 W Gallaher Ferry Rd! Keep going til you see the flower cart! Enjoy that scenic drive; it’s pretty fabulous. Can’t wait to talk flowers with y’all!
Photo credit:

How it grows:

🌺 $5 admission (10 & under FREE admission)
🌺$2 per stem in the field
🌺 premade bouquet options from $20-$40
🌺 no pets! We 💗 animals but the field does not
🌺 $3 vases for purchase or free market wrap
🌺 watch your step in the field; ground is uneven
🌺 no restroom on property so keep that in mind!
🌺 we take credit cards, Venmo, PayPal & cash!
🌺 no professional photos! Selfies welcome
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“You kill your houseplants!” I heard those words in the beginning of my journey. Luckily I squashed that voice deep enough to keep pushing. Honestly it might have been just the nudge I needed to begin again. Now look at me…standing in a field full of tens of thousands of flowers I grew from seed. Guess what?? I also killed a few hundred along the way.

Tending this field is my new passion but those who really know me are well aware my flower beds at home are full of weeds. I walk past them daily without a care. I’m fine wading through weeds. It often leads to beauty. Life in full bloom 🌻
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Most humans are never really present in the now because unconsciously they believe that the next moment must be more important than this one. But then you miss your whole life, which is never not now. -Eckhart Tolle

It seems our minds are forever wandering through the events of our past and drifting toward tomorrow. We give so much power to past mistakes and spend energy allowing that to shape our future.

Keeping my mind in the present was my personal challenge for this year. Most days I fail miserably. Then sometimes during my busy work day, I come across a bloom I can’t ignore. These two stopped me in my tracks and forced me to take in the moment. The field has a way of grounding you and I’m grateful for that. Be present. I have to remind myself every day is a new opportunity to grow in this new career. Life in full bloom 🌸
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