Hello, friends!

We’re enjoying this beautiful midsummer week and hope that you are doing the same. The dahlias and lisianthus are showing off their finest blooms this week, and we’ve just begun harvesting china asters and rudbeckia triloba that will knock your socks off. Every day there’s something new to fall in love with on the farm. We’ll never get bored of it! This time of year the fields are full and our harvests are full of color and variety, and there’s an extraordinary feeling of accomplishment and peace that comes with looking up from your work and seeing everything come into fruition. So much time spent hunched over seedling trays early in the season, time spent managing our water problems last year so that we could grow this season, time spent pulling weeds and prepping beds—it’s all worth it.

One of my greatest joys as a flower farmer, and one that I know is shared by others at Two Boots, is watching the insects who come along to pollinate the flowers we leave uncut. We’re constantly taking notice of the numerous pollinators with whom we share our fields- we see tons of flies, bees, moths, and butterflies, and we feel so happy to be able to provide a healthy habitat for these critical members of our ecosystem. Recently, we’ve noticed a seasonal jump in the butterfly population on the farm. Skippers, buckeyes, monarchs, and swallowtails galore grace our gardens! We love to appreciate their stunning beauty as they dance around while we harvest. And then we remember that butterflies, despite looking beautiful, are totally gross creatures! Did you know that, because nectar doesn’t provide butterflies with sodium and other minerals they require to survive and reproduce, they also feed on dung, mud, carrion, and rotting fruit?! If you’ve ever seen a group of butterflies clustered on the ground, they’re probably “puddling”, or hanging out together, snacking on things we humans find unsavory. You’ve gotta love a creature that manages to evoke utter beauty and grace while it’s enjoying a dung dinner!

*A swallowtail we saved from being trapped in the greenhouse*

This week at the JFX market we will have arugula, cherry tomatoes, head lettuce, heirloom tomatoes, salad mix, shishito peppers, bouquets, and bunches of flowers.

*Pick up some cherry tomatoes at the market this weekend and slow roast them for a delightful summer treat*

Save the Date

Saturday, August 10th- Flower Farm Dinner- Join us for an intimate seasonal dining experience on the farm prepared by Wilde Thyme. We will roam the farm, share a meal made with produce from Two Boots and other local farms, and enjoy an evening on the farm at the height of the season.

Buggin' Out!

Save the Date