Why I’m Taking August Off - Even When the Flowers Are in Full Bloom
August on a flower farm is not exactly the obvious time to take a break.
The Dahlias are blooming. The Zinnias are pumping out flowers. Everything seems to need cutting, watering, deadheading, weeding or harvesting. In other words, the farm is very much not taking August off. But this year, I am - or at least, as much as a flower farmer can.
I made the decision to intentionally slow things down for August so I could spend more quality time with my family. More camping. More summer days together. More time away from the constant feeling that there is something on the farm I should be doing.
When Your Busiest Season Is Also Your Family’s Summer
One of the strange things about growing flowers for a living is that your busiest season happens at exactly the same time everyone else is enjoying Summer. The days are long and beautiful, the kids are home, camping season is here and meanwhile the flower field is basically yelling, “COME PICK ME.”
There is always another bucket that could be harvested. Another bouquet that could be made, another event I could host, another farmstand weekend I could open. And when you run your own business, saying no to those things can feel a lot like saying no to income. But I’m learning it’s ok to sometimes. It’s also teaching me how much I love the early Spring and Fall seasons! Early season blooms just after the quiet of Winter, or late Fall just before the first frost hits. It’s these times I am really leaning into and am excited to share with you all.
What “Taking August Off” Actually Looks Like
I haven't completely shut down The Frequency Farm. Instead, I've simplified. I'm still accepting custom flower orders and offering our Buckets of Blooms for anyone wanting beautiful seasonal flowers for an event, gathering or simply to arrange at home. And with the help of my lead and the family, the farm stand is still open most regular hours.
What I'm not doing is trying to maximize every single stem coming out of the field. That means some flowers will bloom without ever becoming a bouquet. And I'm becoming okay with that too. It’s also a nice opportunity for me to donate flowers to the community.
I'm also incredibly grateful to have help on the farm that I can rely on. Having someone here who understands what needs to be done and can keep things moving while I'm spending time away has made this season possible in a way it wouldn't have been before. It has reminded me that building a business isn't just about creating more revenue. Sometimes it's about creating enough support that the entire thing doesn't depend on you being there every minute.
Yes, The Weeds Are Winning
I would love to tell you that I've somehow figured out how to take time off in August while keeping five acres looking immaculate. I have not. The weeds are coming. There are jobs piling up. There are areas of the farm that I walk past and mentally add to my September List. And September is going to involve a fairly significant game of catch-up. But that's the trade I'm choosing to make. I want to look back and have precious memories of long summer nights at the lake with the kids, or those road trips that you look back on and forget about the car sickness but remember the adventure.
And Then Comes September…
The funny thing is, taking August a little slower has made me really excited for September. As I sit here and write, I think of how September is one of my favourite months for flowers here at The Frequency Farm.
The field is overflowing with the flowers we've spent months growing. Dahlias are hitting their stride, Zinnias are still producing like crazy, and the colour palettes begin to shift from summer into those beautiful richer tones that hint that fall is coming. It’s also a time I get excited for our Fall events like the pumpkin floral workshops.
September Is a GREAT Month for a Flower Subscription
If you've ever thought about joining our Flower Club subscription, September is such a good month to do it.
This is when bouquets can be absolutely packed with the best of the late-summer garden. Dahlias, Delphinium, interesting foliage, textural ingredients and whatever else is looking exceptional in the field that week.
And that's one of my favourite things about our subscriptions. You're not getting the same bouquet recreated week after week. You're getting a little snapshot of the farm. What is blooming right now, what’s beautiful, interesting. For a few weeks, you get to experience the progression of the season right along with us.
If you love locally grown flowers, September might just be one of the best times of the entire year to join.
Floral Experiences Are Coming Back, Too
We're also getting back into one of my favourite parts of The Frequency Farm: floral experiences.
Our next experience is coming up September 15, and after a quieter August, I am so ready to gather around a table with flowers and friends. There's something different about experiencing flowers this way. You aren't just taking home an arrangement. You get the evening itself - choosing your stems, creating something with your hands, spending time with other people and slowing down for a couple of hours.
It's a huge part of what I want The Frequency Farm to be. Not simply a place that grows and sells flowers, but a place that creates opportunities for people to experience them.
And September feels like the perfect time to come back to that.