What is it like to grow cut flowers
in zones 2 to 4 for only 3
to 4 months each year and run a
successful. Small scale flower farm with these constraints.
Kristen P does just that, and I'm so
excited to share our conversation and tour, of
her southern Alberta flower farm.
It's been while to see. I remember the
first year
when
we had the garden... Parties, and I went
all in and my husband like, flex his
heart The end of that year, he was
just like, I had no idea. Like, this
was amazing like good job parties He didn't
understand. It's, like, what what do you mean
grow flowers? Like, who's gonna come. Like, we
live way out here. Like, what are you
thinking, you know? And so
when I started the garden parties it with
the year before Covid. Mh And so during
Covid, 1 out of their houses, like, and
this was outside.
Space and like and so it, really blew
up them. Just I'm I'm so thankful to
be a part of this community
and And to be surrounded by growers and
women who also cares so much about sustainability.
Yeah.
Hello again, and welcome back to the Slow
flowers podcast with Deborah Printing.
This is episode 670.
This is the weekly podcast about slow flowers
and the people who grow and design with
them.
It's all about making a conscious choice, and
I invite you to join the conversation and
the creative community as we discuss the vital
topics
of saving our domestic flower farms and supporting
a floral industry that relies on a safe,
seasonal
and local supply of flowers and foliage.
This this show is brought to you by
slow flowers dot com. The free online directory
to more than 750
Flo This shops and studios who design with
local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the
farms that grow those blooms. It's the conscious
choice for buying and sending flowers.
And thank you to long field gardens, which
provides home gardeners with high quality, flower bulbs
and perennial.
Their online store offers plants for every region
and every season from Tulip and Da,
to Dahlia, C and Ama.
Check out the full catalog at long dash
gardens dot com.
I know you've heard me talk about the
20 24 slow flowers summit held last week,
June 20 third through 20 fifth in Ban,
Alberta, Canada.
I'm recording this episode just days after reach
turning home from the Canadian rockies.
The gorgeous natural setting where nearly 100 of
us gathered to inquire and include,
to be informed and inspired, and we hope
ins new ideas, projects and approaches to our
floral enterprises.
While on my 700
plus mile drive home to Seattle.
I took this somewhat out of the way
and incredibly scenic route. To Southwest
Alberta. Where I visited
P lane farm in Mountain view outside of
Carts, Alberta and recorded an interview with Kristen
P, it's resident flower farmer. I'm so grateful
to Kristen for her support. She was 1
of the very first Alberta floral professionals.
To join Sunflower society as a member. Not
only that, but Kristen brought a few buckets
of balloons with her to the summit in
ban, wow the instructors and audience alike
with her just picked Pm e's. Thank you,
Kristen.
I know you'll love this conversation. It was
a very windy day and we've tried to
knock back the audio a bit, but That's
the deal with recording outdoors on a flower
farm. Kristen is an inspiration, and I'm so
grateful for the time that she gave me
for an in person visit. Let's jump right
in and get started.
Yeah. So I'm Chris P. We've been here
since 2017,
which is kind of when this garden goes
started every year. Started a little bit of
flowers and got flowers sick up the whole
thing now.
So, yeah, We live in here in the,
started southwest Alberta.
It's a little bit of a struggle
to get things to grow as you say,
like, it's cold and windy today.
You do We ask. Do it. Is that
the rocky No? Yeah. This is the Rocky
mountains.
So
the balance on this side are,
Montana where that close? Montana.
And the Water Lakes national parks.
Oh my goodness. Yeah. Gorge. Yeah. So things
are yeah. Love here than at most places.
So, yeah. I was kinda give you a
little tour and I've been gone the last
couple weeks, so it's a mess. Yes. You've
been a Regardless the yeah. So... But for
being a mess. It looks pretty tidy. Yeah.
So this section here is mostly...
This will be all that dry and stuff
like. Status and straw flower,
paper flower.
A little bit of nico in there as
well.
So do you start this by seat indoors
and then trans? Yeah. So we started indoors.
I usually just start, like Christmas is my
eucalyptus those kind of things.
And then once my basement gets too full,
We have a greenhouse just got Off the
side of the bar that we move stuff
into. We usually try not to do that
too early usually
by March just because it's still so cold
here and the cost of heating
adds up. So we tried to not fire
it up until we have to. So... So
in the house, you can just use the
ambient heat from your head. Yes. Yeah. And
then
for a little... What, like, maybe 2 months,
you'll have Yeah. Usually the app, about 2,
1 and a half, 2 months that we
actually have to eat it. So... What is
this general? This is your first garden? So
what is general area? So this is
just under a quarter. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Great
place. So... Alright. Well, yeah. And... You know,
for being gone, it looks like things kinda
took you.
Took care of himself for well. Yeah. We
have drip line in, which
we don't have irrigation here. It's all well
water.
So we do try to conserve as much
as we can. And so timers and drip
line and all that really helps us. So
does it it pumped up from the well?
Yeah. Yeah. So what's... Yeah. Water
yeah. So then in here these are my
dahlia they... We actually had snow
week and a half ago. We had snow
here.
Instagram. So it was a while to wake
up to. So they actually
look pretty good for just being snowed on.
There's a little bit of damage. But did
they break or no they didn't seem to
be... Some got a little bend, but,
little bit of rough bite on the tip,
But for the most part, they seem happy.
So these roast here. 2 rows. Yeah. We'll
be Dahlia. I struggle to...
I don't do a lot of dahlia just
because my season, like, we usually have snow
here beginning of September. So it's kinda just
when Dahlia get going. So
I can't knock outgrow them, but I don't
grow as many as I did the first
couple years hoping for better cross. So you'll
have some, but you... What and probably you'll
use every. Stem you grow, but not trying
to
specialize. No. And, yeah. We don't do roots
and stuff like that with the Dallas. Well,
it's good. Yeah. But it's weird. It's like
that's the into year season. Yeah. Yeah. It's
such a short season here.
So
they're not here.
Yeah we have... This is a Fox because
I love Ox club They like it here
from. And I have never seen a Fox
club before I groom them. They people don't
grow them here. They're not. I've been able
to get them. To perennial a bit.
I can control snow drifts with this wind
fence here.
To create a drift to help ins and
protect it. Tricked them into thinking they're in
a warmer zone over winter.
Yeah. You see some. My goodness. Yeah. And
they're been mute Yeah. So when you say
snow drift,
I was thinking originally like that just that
Fencing will keep snow from piling on top
of the beds. That's how you're talking about.
Yeah. So it makes snow.
The wind comes from the west, so everything
on this side of the snow fence will
create
a drift. And then that becomes your inside.
And that because my insulation so in the
winter, this whole garden
covered by a drip all the way to
the driveway Wow. Yeah. And then that protect
is more protective than if there's ice. Yeah.
Okay. And as we...
I don't know if you noticed in
1 of the talks of the stomach, she
talked about the chanel we get here. So,
yeah. It can vary... It can be minus
40 d celsius,
1 day and a week later, plus 20.
And so that's
a very big swing. So the snow, it
does melt a little bit, but it also
helps just a
the plants underneath that don't get that t
free recycle is harsh. So over. Yeah. Because
it so tall. Yeah. Even if it melts
a little bit. Melts a bit. Wow Yeah.
Yeah. I think Lat talked about. Yeah. She
did. Yeah. That's the 1 that was.
The new snaps here. Snapdragon
are
Oh, my goodness.
So gil...
Have you started selling flowers or pews or
doing great. Yeah some to the summit. So
Yeah.
These aren't ready up, But maybe in, like,
Yeah. Another... Well, yeah. There's a handful that...
Yeah your some just started bloom. So I
have a handful. Have a wedding neck week,
just a
Diy bucket wedding. So they'll be perfect for
that. And then, yeah, in the next couple
weeks, hopefully,
the rest if we get some eat
the rest.
Should pop up. So, it's great. So the
Pee look really well.
Yeah Eat Then these oranges we have. We
plant sweet peas. Oh, I see. I wondered
about that. Throw up the arches.
And it's the nice way to organize the
farm. Yeah.
Yes. Little interest yeah. Kind of a a
center aisle. Yeah.
So then up here you get into a
little more pebble perennial stuff.
Yep. Yeah Arrows about starting globe this and
delphi on the end.
Cab.
Wow. Everything looks super healthy. Yeah food diseases.
Oh wow. You've got some miracles going in
into. And then Cynthia. Yeah. I kinda use
miracles for pests
sprinkled in and mouth, but mh. Yeah. Mayor...
The, again, they're 1 that just... I can't
grow well here. Is just too cold. Babies
wanna bathe. Yeah.
Some comments. But
could you sell them to edible for ed
adult people who went up edible flowers or
do you just see.
A little bit. I do... So when I
do my garden parties, I do garden parties
here,
which is kinda like a fancy u pick.
We do cookies. You with edible flowers baked
into that. Yeah. Cool will use. Yeah. That
for
some of that. Got. Okay. Let's see the
rest. I have lots of questions for you,
especially we'll go back to the garden parties
in a bit. Yeah. And here what that's
all.
Got So more More snapdragon. They're just 1
that does so well here, so I grow
the most Yeah. They're definitely a cool annual.
Right? But you're gel soon room. You know,
Oh my goodness. Yes. I'm stunning.
What is this variety do?
Up white be
something.
All yeah. Dark center. Yeah. I with the
black center So free. And then the Fox
love white tend have grow or choose to
grow white because you are supplying auto weddings
that is 1 factor for sure. Yeah. A
lot of my other fox clubs are, the
coral
repeats as well. Sure. Yeah. Because we love
those calls weddings. Yeah.
So then, yeah. Here since some more perennial.
C combines are done, Are
doing really loop students. Go cookies controls. Are
they used... They're...
Do you grow them seed or do you
get plugs? I'm from Seed, yeah. I do
everything proceed look at water from
Are just stunning.
Oh my goodness.
Message is the weird. I want you to
stand. Right? By them and be be in
your
Yeah. So they're doing... Yeah. Really well this
year.
Yeah. These purple 1 white ones are really
really pretty
different. But...
Yeah. But you have the... Just a solid
white and then the sort of more,
fuchsia colors. Yeah.
And then how many candies do you have
here, Crystal? In this section,
there are
a hundred and
50 ish give or take.
Wow. And when did you plan them? So
these are going
trying to think
year
5.
So, yeah, this is the last couple of
years, I've been able to harvest off of
these ones
quite a bit. They sure look healthy
the the foliage is pristine.
So,
love it. We've already done a swipe this
morning. I see a few more opening I
need to get out. But... Show me when
the stage you would wanna hire. So
see.
That 1 getting that maybe this afternoon. It's
not quite as soft as I live like.
How park Joan are you cutting on this
zone?
I usually cut down,
12 to 18 and... About 16 inches. Yeah.
And then... The side, and if there's side
buds you'd remove them or... I typically don't.
I like the added interesting gift of. Okay.
Even if they don't bloom, just that add.
At interest in okay, I like.
Right. So I usually leave line. They're not,
like, at going... But, you know, like a
spray rose where the the extra side ups
will open. Yeah. These ones typically won't once
they're cut. Yeah.
Do you wanna walk over to the other
field
lives this kind of... This is...
They're not quite ready to harvest this year.
Next year we'll be able to harvest off
them. I have taken a few blooms and
then I've let them
go to bloom just document and.
I get it ready for night. Is strengthen
up your roots routine. Yeah. So,
we'll we redo do all this sounds like
we put... It's in the middle of the
horse pasture.
So Did the horse used to go up.
Yeah. This used to be horse faster. They're
like, yeah. This brutal sore. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly.
Like And they certainly are not being deprived.
No. They still have lots of faith. You.
Oh, my goodness. How much do you have
all the altogether We have a hundred and
30. Oh, yeah. I think there's enough for...
Yeah. There's lots. Yeah. I can see a
few more if I need. Yeah. We'll redo
all this probably this fall. The same fence
kind of clear around board fence. Yeah. And
put a better aid and south you can
access it. When you events, and you'll bring
your your
already guess here. Yeah. Okay. So hopefully next
year also we'll start a Penny u pick.
As well. So I'm super excited for that
1.
0, for so exciting.
Like, you have to be very creative to
come come up with wages as to get
your flowers
make panel.
Yeah. Yeah. It takes a lot more
class and thought process just because I am
so isolated out here,
may it more of an event and
experience people.
Destination. Running
Thank you.
I could see these from the row. They're
gorgeous.
So these were my tulip beds I stuff
to get out,
get them cleaned up. So we do the
no dig,
build the box. Put the tulip in and
then come with tractor and just dump the
compost right on top. So there's no trench.
And there's no digging. Oh my goodness. And
just this row is off. Yeah. There's... I
think 7 or 8 beds. Yeah.
The So that's kinda nice low maintenance point.
Yeah. It is. Yeah. We kinda the last...
This is the second year we've done it
this way rather.
And crunchy. Then we'll come with the tractor
and just scoop it up and add it
back in the combos and do the same
thing in the fall. You'll scoop into the
bed. Yeah. Well lift the bed. Both.
And then
just come with the tractor and clean up
all the compost
and bolt
debris,
and then it'll go back into the compost.
And not not gonna do again. Yeah. So
it's become a super easy and... So not
even a lot of waiting required. No. No.
Because you just clean up the area. Yeah.
Yeah. Oh my gosh. And so roughly, how
many tulip ups are you able to cut
from here?
This year we did.
Is probably about 8000 this year. Yeah. In
these... Because you we... You can call them
quite condensed. Yeah. So, yeah. You can get
a lot and not a lot of space.
Well, this is also these Pee are... I
don't know. This seems like appropriate
spacing. It's not they're not...
Extra clothes. No. Okay. Yeah. No it's super
close, but we wanted them
close enough that once they... Like, they would
rely on each other. For
sold each other up in the wind? So
you're not having to stick? Yeah. T is.
Yeah.
Where are you getting most your Panties?
So a lot of these came from Unicorn
blooms.
It's a good canadian wholesaler. We love having
her. And she's able to import education. Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. That's our trick up here. There's
not a lot of companies. We can't order
especially whole sales. Yeah. Amounts from the states
is easy. So to have unicorn blooms is
It's so... That's wonderful. Brings and beautiful stuff.
It looks great. So yeah. In this section,
there's... 10 rows.
Okay. You can kinda love out. Yeah. I'll
walk with you.
10 rows, and I believe
72
P e's in each row.
So, yeah. About 720
Pm.
Plus how many on others? Plus,
50 ish on the side. Just under a
thousand. Yeah. That's great.
I already have plans for expansion.
But... Yeah. We'll give it a year or
2 turn Yeah.
Your a plan soup plant more. Yeah. I
would like to plant more is in here.
I have
the probably 40 different varieties instead of focusing
on a lot a large quantity of 1
variety.
Has this pros and cons I think, but
I would like to do a couple patches
of
just syrup and just... Which a Duchess. So,
you know, if you cool quantities for some.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. More quantity then. Lovely. A
I think we have to go look at
the lemon shift fund that everyone was going
Gaga over at at the Sunflower summit. Did
you cut your precious stock for us? Not
have a couple that Garden. Yeah. I didn't
cut these. I don't wanna be responsible for
d pleading.
Pee any help.
Oh, everyone was so happy with these. They're
so pretty and huge. Huge.
Yeah. So big. Yeah. So you've been documenting
them for, like, your websites. Yeah. Yeah. I
have a photographer coming out next week. We'll
do APE shoot. Oh my goodness. That's so
great. So I've been seeing some in the
cooler too.
Well, thanks for showing us this fast. So
I didn't talk a little bit more. Perfect.
Maybe should we peek inside your agreements? Yeah.
We can do with a peek there.
Speed 1 in real life.
It's opening.
Only in the picture. So last last year
you just got...
Yeah. You're a little above. But production offering.
Yeah. Oh, that's good. It's so pretty.
So There's 1 of my most excited for
that 1.
Yeah. You can't... If you have 5 children,
and you can say how many children, who's
your favorite, But we feel flowers. Yeah. Find
my favorite to be there.
Yeah
greenhouse
Great. Space. News. Yeah. So we had to
build it, just with the wind here.
Have the
houses and for us. So had to have
it attached securely and strong delivery.
So, yeah, We did a lead 2 off
off the barn.
We
once our seed are
big enough and once
it's time to move stuff in here. We
built we actually another shelf here another layer,
so we can fit twice as many
seems. Oh, my god Just soaking up the
sun here. Yeah. And so we also actually
another thing we didn't we spray painted this
black
to help absorb and keep things warmer at
night here. So our heater doesn't have to
run quite as hard to. That keep things
warm here in Canada. When you run the
heater, is it propane or is a gas?
This 1 is electric electric. Okay. Which isn't
ideal.
We've talked about if future plans actually doing
an oil, a used oil heater. Like, a
biodiesel. Yeah. Great. I love the boxes with
the corrugated? Yeah. Kinda a theme here.
So you also have some vegetables for the...
Is it for your own family. Yeah. Just
for us. Yeah. We like to make salsa
and sauces and stuff like that. So
yeah. So right now yeah, mostly. Tomatoes and
peppers in here.
See we even can set up... You set
up drip tape here. Shift tape in here.
So, yeah, everything's automated.
So I don't have to worry about it.
You have to whole thing off your plates.
And then you have, just in the center
just other starts and what whatnot? The other
things that I just haven't quite got bought
out yet or extras or...
Things like that.
Well, Walmart in here and it's a little
less windy.
I'd love to just talk about. How you've
got your business started. This family farm
is
it's your... It's not a flower. Right? No.
How did how did the
agriculture part of the family start?
I'm so I grew off part kind of
on the acreage. My grandpa grandfather's, both farmed,
1 farm cross saskatchewan. And 1 was a
dairy farmer locally here.
My dad had cows, like, you're always around
agriculture.
My brother's rodeo. Like all that. Canadian cowboys.
Stuff Canadian cowboys in Alberta. Yeah. Okay. What...
How far from here did you grow up?
I'm fifth... About 15 minutes just outside the
cart. Oh, my goodness. Then my husband grew
out 15 minutes that way. Just in a
little village and
So we spent some time in the city
while he was in school,
but I always wanted to get back. The
city being in Calgary? Left bridge. Oh, left
is. Okay. Okay.
So we san pen, and then
we moved back out to this area.
In 2011,
we were at a smaller acreage, but only
5 acres. It didn't have enough.
We wanted cap and horses, and we can't
fit very much on teenagers acres. So we
actually found this property and moved here in
2017
house Is this town... Did you say mountain?
Mountain view? View Okay. Just outside and water
day? Yeah. I mean, it's crazy. How close
you are to the Canadian Us border. Yeah.
It's minutes. Yeah. Oh, so 2017.
That's okay. So
dipped it a lot Mh in 7, 8
years. Yeah. Sometimes it's, like, you see because
it's, like, we haven't got that much. Done.
There's still so much to do with that
when you look back. You're, like, Holy cow.
Oh, we recall. And you built the barn?
Did you build your house too? We didn't
build that house. So we've been renovated yeah.
You're making it work. Yeah. For your... Yes.
Semi my large family. We bought this property
for the land, not necessarily the house.
Been making that. I heard that people do
that. Yeah.
And your
your... Is your farm called P Lane? So.
Farm. Yeah. No. Not flower firm. No. Just
Okay. And P lane is a derivative of
your last name. Yeah. Most people don't know
that.
I love that. It it's a per... Like,
how don't you bored to it? Yeah.
And the...
The other stuff that your husband does is
in is it mostly a cattle. And... Yeah.
We do... We run Highland Cattle. He does
a little bit of hay rocks.
Horses, but he actually works off farm as
well. He's on electrician at a gas plant.
Gas plan. So he does work off. Far,
which is common. Right? Kinda I have to.
Yeah. Yeah. Because you can't farm you around.
No. Yeah. Out 3 months if we're lucky,
so it's definitely...
You have to have other sources of income.
When did you start growing cut flowers or...
Kind of go from being the the Avid
gardner to us someone with the business.
So it... For me, it started actually a
little earlier. Thousand 15,
when we were still at our other property,
I was super pregnant, like, June super pregnant
with my youngest, and I didn't get my...
Regular vegetable garden planted. So I was like,
oh, this throughout these black sunflower
seeds and see what happens.
And so
like they grew amazingly and beautiful and it
just, like, kinda of sparked something, like what
if?
You know, like I've never seen it before.
For was just kind of barely jumping into
the world at that point. And
so I would make weekly bookings of black
oil sunflower seeds. So I'm at the farmers
market.
Just just the flowers from that seat. Yeah.
Just just some flower. Yeah. Okay. Just from
the chicken feed seed. Oh, I love it.
So I would throw in a few, like,
ditch thing ditch flowers like all them forage
things with it as well. Just
and then I would take them to my
mom. My mom was sick at the time.
So it would take her weekly. And I
mean black oil sunflower far. Needs they dropped
a lot pulp. They're not ideal whatsoever for
cut flowers, but that's but what what else
learned. Ask for people see it. Yeah. Exactly.
Yeah. So it's I would take them weekly
to my mom throughout that summer.
So that
Christmas
that Christmas 2015
my mom passed. Away she had autoimmune disease
and lungs.
Dear. So
the following year... Following years every year. It's
has kinda become the way I process my
grief. I still take my mom week bo
case so cemetery now.
It's beautiful. So it's just, yeah. That way
to connect with hurt, connect with the soil
in the earth and, like, all the healing
properties that come with that and,
have a little bit quiet time in my
garden no wife from my my family when
I needed, and... But... But she's present with
you. Yeah. I believe That's beautiful. Yeah. So...
From So in a way, she
inspired you to become a flower from. Yes.
Yeah.
She really has. And and, you know, I
get... I think about that a lot, and
I think a lot about like... I think
she would be involved with this as well.
Like, she loved to garden her landscaping. Like,
she did all her whole landscaping beautiful.
So she would be very involved with Well
too. We have to tell mention her name
then. Laura Bev. Okay. To Laura. Yeah. Oh,
my gosh. I wish I hadn't met her.
Yeah.
And so
you... Maybe at that point, this following year
wanted to grow more and thought you better
diversify for.
Just simple sunflower flowers. Yeah. I'd, like, learn
more
about what we can even grow here,
different varieties, like, what makes a about. You
can't just have a big... I mean, you
can. Right. But, you know, to expand that
knowledge and
learning all the pieces and all the different
k fillers and spikes and to make a
real well rounded Okay.
So that's been
a learning curve for sure because our cold
climate. There's, like,
fill not a lot of information out there.
There's... So I dove to Flo,
read all her stuff all her books, like,
anything I can get my hands on.
But you still have to, like, translate it
into.
So important what Yeah. What zone are you?
So because of the chin we get, we
actually fluctuate every year. So I plan for
it to and hope for a 4. Wow.
Yeah. I was gonna say 4 to 6.
Yeah now. 2 to 4. Wow. Okay. And
that that puts into context what you... We
talked about with the tulip ups. That's your
first crop. Yeah. Are you planting the bulbs
in the fall? Yeah. We still pat them
in the. Yeah. And you're harvesting a little
later than maybe I would in Seattle. Yeah.
So it's... I rarely have Tulip mother's day.
It's usually the end of may. Okay. I
have to. Oh, so you've just had, like
the last month of tulip. Yes. Wow. Just
Tulip and Da. Yeah.
Now you're going into the all the
the annual, the cool annual that we saw
in some of the perennial
and the P e's.
So you told me that the closest town
car... Ka is a population 3500. Yeah. 500.
Mountain view is population what. 200. Oh, yeah.
300 maybe.
I'm so
excited to hear how people are responding. Your
flowers? Because where else are they getting local
flowers? Yeah. Nowhere. Right? Yeah.
So how do they... How did you start
selling it after that first summer? Your
I did a few markets
for the first years. I don't love market.
Yeah. It's not my my thing. Were you
having to drive it quite a ways? Yeah.
So I'd have to drive
an hour give tape depending on much market,
a lot of packing up,
it's
And and then the markets I would go
to are still small town markets, like, 3
500 people. And so it just... I... They
weren't awesome.
So I mostly do now
subscriptions. It's my main
source of income for the farm.
So I do 2 places I do cart...
In once a week, and I do let
the city left bridge for once a week.
And the subscriptions are mixed bookings? Yep. Mixed.
I... And in in the spring, I do
just 2 ups. I don't do mixed stuff,
but in with the 2 ups just because
we don't have it it producing here yet.
Yeah. People don't know. I don't know. And
they love it, and it's perfect. So, yeah,
Mix bookings,
just a basic
hand tied.
How do you package them?
I just do basic, like, sustainability is big
for us. I don't do plastic. I don't
do stickers. I don't... Like I have a
stamp.
So it's just kraft paper and a dew
string twine. Mh. Size. So it's... So Basic
it's
and Yeah. When people sign up for the
subscriptions,
what are your... What are their choices that
you offer them?
So for a subscriptions, it's just a 1
size, but I offer a 4 week free.
This year's is our first year doing a
P and E subscription.
Have you already been marketing that? Yeah. Mark
can I start tomorrow? Oh my goodness. I'll
be kinda do the city tomorrow. Is that
why you were out harvesting this morning? Yeah.
Yeah. I'm getting ready for that. So what
are they getting, like, a 5 stem okay?
The 5 stem okay. I do have a
a pre 1,
that offers a 15 stem hey. So I
didn't sell as many of those this year,
but I did sell well. So... They... Once
people serve of C That would they start.
Yeah. So do you think you can do
Panties for 4 weeks?
I marketed it as a... 3 weeks subscription
for the P. Just because that fourth week,
I wasn't with storage and all that positive.
They would be quality. But in future years.
But in future. Yeah. I for. Because you
could coat cold store. Yeah. Okay. Wow. And
so you've got the tulip of subscription. Yeah.
The P and e. And so then,
I have this
A summer,
1 as well, an 8 week summer.
Which is all where you mix. You did
more of a design. Yeah. Those things. And
so you can purchase the whole season as
well. Wow.
Or just yet, kind of those separate. Yeah
So you're literally rolling from Tulip into Panties
It's a mixed summer okay. Yeah. That is
amazing. So our our biggest 1 is the
12 weeks. So the 4 weeks of spring
and then the 8 weeks of Okay. Oh
the pm Are kind of a bonus on.
Pe are between there Yeah. Do you find
that that is just...
I mean it's... This must be more
of
economical for you than going to a farmers
market. They're purchased before you're cutting them. Yeah.
This and you're doing
deliveries to a central drop off. So you're
not going to doorstep. Yeah. In town carts
and I small. I delivered to the door
in the city. Got I've... The first couple
of years, I did deliver to doorstep steps
through Covid and whatnot.
But my kids were like, no. Don't do
that. Are you hoping to train a if
you want them to do? Media. My oldest
sometimes will do
run around for me if I'm busy that.
So that's your retail Yeah. Off farm. And
they'll tell me about what you're doing with
your parties. So yeah. So we offer... I
call them garden parties. It's just A fancy
uti.
So, yeah, People come out in the evening.
We do... I do a full garden tour
kind of top about why we grow how
we grow all those things.
Then I offer drinks and snacks. We usually
do
homemade,
cookies with flowers from the garden baked into
them. Well the city is you're been talking
about. Yeah. So we do those, and then
we've also done a lavender 1 as well.
Lemon lavender ones. That was was a big
hit. Are you growing lavender? Yeah.
We grow months. Okay. So it's, like, there
is the most party. Cold hardy. Okay.
So...
And then after that, the people
they get to wander garden and cut their
own okay to take home. And so as
you see when we're up in the garden
with the mountains cave in the back and
the sunsets, right over top of it that.
Like, it's
I love doing that. Parties.
Oh, my god I'm introvert. I don't... I
like my space. I like the home, but,
like, garden parties, I I love those different
different
How are you...
How do you charge and how... What is
your limit? Bill, you probably you have to
limit the number of people who come? So
I currently charge 55 dollars
a person.
I did raise that last year. And I
still sell 5 usually capped at at around
20 to 25 just so I can help
keep Yeah. Pass all the questions with.
And I sell out every
just about once a week. Oh my gosh.
Yeah.
That is so exciting. And you've really been
blown up. Yeah.
Wow. That must feel so gratifying Like, this
is working. Yeah. Even how isolated you are.
Yeah. People wanna make the drive. And a
lot.
Probably only 10 percent of my clientele tell
are actually from parts of my hyper local.
Other 90 percent are from over a number
of which some people are willing to come
out. They're willing to invest they're willing. The
to have those experiences and want them. And
when I do my garden parties, I,
you know, kinda share how we got started
and I welcome people and, you know, tell
everyone,
everyone's going through something.
Everyone needs a break, like, just enjoy yourselves
while you're here and just... Soaking it.
Sure that space with them. So...
And then, I I love that. That's beautiful.
And then do they become, like, clients for
life? Because you said you're doing some Diy
buckets? Like, are those the people who will
call you if they
have a party or a bridal shower or
something like that. Yeah. Yeah. For sure they're.
I definitely do have a handful of the
die that, like, support everything and I love
them. They're amazing.
But, yeah, It keeps you bring me back.
And
and when they see the love and the
energy and everything you put into it, like,
in person, they're more willing to come back.
That. Yeah. When they need a wedding or
other things like that?
I won't I'm wondering, like, what is their
alternative? Is there a grocery store in town
that carries flowers or there a turned more
of a conventional Flores? There is
Flores in town. Yeah. Men's burial.
No. A lot of...
Because silk flowers they offer really like that.
Like just very old. And maybe things from
the Ontario are. Action or or a vancouver
auction or not even that far. Not even
in that far away. It gets all, like,
they have no desire for sustainability or local
or like stuff like that So
so you're really showing an alternative? Yeah. Yeah.
Absolutely.
And then
do you do design... Yourself other than I'm,
obviously your
subscription customers.
Yeah. I do offer weddings because we live
for, like, those Water Lakes National park.
And
So there are a handful of
el mint weddings that I love doing the
wilton weddings. They're simple and just so admit
and
that kind of thing. So I do more
of those than the full scale style events.
And people come pick up the, like, the
personal. Speed Yeah. That's great.
So it sounds like the you pick is
going to grow. Mh. And
we'll or the garden parties.
Yeah
do you want... Do have other goals that
you're hoping to expand? I I know, oh,
I guess the other thing you mentioned was
plenty more Panties?
Yeah. So we're hoping...
Also, hopefully next year
that our new big patch of panties will
be established enough that we can.
As Oh, so you might do a whole
different party. Yeah. I do whole Just drop.
Yeah. Yeah.
Absolutely. We'll see. I'm hoping for next year.
I think
they'll be the self question enough that again.
And then I already have a expansion plan.
Tell my son. He he's my holding.
With Pe, I would like to put in
another 1000 and more. Yeah, would be my
end goal, I think with with our footprint
and our available space here.
Yeah. More
than
varieties that I have more quantity though, which
you could then sell Yeah. For weddings Yeah.
For weddings.
When you started with that
patch of sunflower seeds to take to your
mom, did you ever think you were going
to go this hardcore?
Not at all.
My goodness.
No. It's it's been wild to see. It's
been,
I remember the first year
when
we had the garden parties, and I went
all in and my husband, like, bless his
heart. I'm not. He was always so supportive.
I don't wanna make it sound like he
wasn't. But at the end of the year,
he was just, like, I had no idea.
Like, this was amazing like good job. Right...
Like a lot of partners. He probably didn't
get it. He didn't understand. Like, what what
do you mean girl flowers Like, who's gonna
come Like, we live way out here. Like,
what are you thinking, you know? And so
yeah. Just to see and and that... When
I started the garden parties, it was the
year before Covid. Mh And so during Covid
people wanted out of their houses, like, and
this was outside, and space, and they can
sew it, really blew out that. That's amazing.
Yeah. Wow.
Well, I'm... So happy I got to stop
by. I would not have gotten your otherwise.
Thanks having being in bam, which is the...
It's, like, still 4 hours. Right. I'm
really, I invited myself. So thank you for
saying Yes. Off. The view is breathtaking
when people come, they probably don't wanna leave.
No.
Am I say you're all night. That's fine.
Oh I love. Yeah. Anything else you wanna
mention before we wrap?
Something things. So I just... Yeah. Like...
Are you are making an impact in your
community think that's for. And just the education
of sustainability, like, it's so important. And, like,
we do no till.
We, you know, really try to take care
of the soil as much as we can.
And are constantly learning new ways to do
that, and
just... I'm I'm so thankful to be a
part of this community.
And to be surrounded by growers and women
who also cares so much about sustainability. Yeah.
And so that's... It's such an amazing. Yeah.
Thank you. Thank you very much. And, I
will just say that you are a dynamic
of member of the Alberta flower farming community.
I met you... I came through Becky Fa
me.
But
a lot of it is through social media
because you are quite a distance away from
Yeah. The edmonton group and the Calgary. If
there's not... Very many southern Alberta. No folks.
Well, that could change. Hopefully.
Maybe someone could come a princess here yeah.
But it's... You're such a leader, and I
really... Am I'm I'm grateful for the what
I've witnessed and how you're
really bringing flowers to people who never...
Got a local tulip up before. Never got
a local candy before. Yeah. It... It's my
blowing for them. And it it is and
they're just, like, business the 2. Like they
have no idea that. Yeah. Anyway. So that's
wonderful. Okay. Krista, thank you so much.
I
Thanks so much for joining me today. Please
visit s flowers podcast dot com for episode
670
to watch the replay video of my in
person tour of P Lane Farms fields and
Greenhouse area.
You'll also see a cameo of the P
family's
5 American quarter horses
and the stunning scenery of both Glacier National
Park and Water Lake National park in the
distance.
Our next thank goes to rooted farmers. Rooted
farmers source exclusively with local growers to put
the highest quality specialty cut flowers in floral
customers hands. When you partner with rooted farmers,
you are investing in your community, and you
can expect a commitment to excellence in return.
Learn more at rooted farmers dot com.
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So please share photos of your flowers and
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You can download free American Flowers week social
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It's hard to believe we've been celebrating American
Flower week for 10 consecutive years.
And I thank you for being part of
this celebration. And next, we have Canadian flowers
week to look forward to, coming up August
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for more details, which we will include in
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And thank you to Johnny selected seats, an
employee owned company that provides our industry, the
best flower herb and vegetable seeds, supplied to
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gardens like mine. Find the full catalog of
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