Charlottesville, Virginia and the Farms that Grow There!

My sister Bunny (known to the rest of the world as Kristen)​ and I went to the Charlottesville Farmer's Market.  We drank coffee, ate scones and met lots of farmers!  

While we shopped I noticed the market was hosting a special event where you could tour the farms represented.  I hopped on the hay wagon and signed up!  ​

Buddy (known to the rest of the world as Jesse) and I toured all the flower farms on Labor Day.  First stop -The Orchid Station!  

This was exactly the type of farm I was hoping to find on our trip - one that specializes in one plant and has every variety under the sun.  The staff was top-notch and very knowledgeable!  Anyone who can get an orchid to bloom more than once has a gold star in my book!  The only other person I know that has done that successfully is my mom, who is awesome.  

I love the shape of the buds!​

Our next stop was the mushroom farm!  Mushrooms aren't your typical flower, but they are the fruit of fungus, and I kind of like them.  Look at how pretty they are with the orchids.  I can see a terrarium arrangement already!

​The mushroom farm was my favorite part of the trip.  Jesse and I talked about how we'll never, ever forget the seventh grade girl that asked the farmer, "How does this species of mushrooms disseminate their spores?"  Watch out world!  We've got a scientist on our hands.  I loved it, and I was so that girl in seventh grade (minus the pigtails and glasses - thank you Mom and Dad for hooking me up with contacts and a curling iron!).

The last stop on the trip was Ted's Last Stand.  I love this farm.  Audrey and Michael are passionate about their work and it shows in the produce that literally "stems" from their farm!​

Isn't it crazy these two things come off the same plant?  ​

The zinnias are just too much right now!  ​

The lisianthus are exceptional right now too.  They look like porcelain - so perfect.​

I'm so glad I met Audrey!  She said she would grow anything I need for next spring!

Jesse and I loved our experience visiting the farms and I'm excited to share the fruit of that trip with my clients!​

Sharing

I can't reach the wild clematis in the pine tree by our house anymore so I had to find another source -- thank you Lynchburg Lawnmower Repair Shop!  They also shared three spiders, two snails and a cricket.  Don't worry, no animals were harmed.  Well, except the spiders because Jesse made me.

Wether it's a flower, a smile or a word of encouragement - sharing is a beautiful thing!​

There is a joy

Sean Feucht sings a song called "There is a Joy in Loving You."  It's one of my favorite songs to twirl around in the kitchen to as I cook approximately 16 1/2 things at the one time.  You see, I don't cook on a meal-by-meal basis, I cook once or twice a month.  It keeps the kitchen clutter down since I need all the room I can get to put flowers together, but this is all beside the point...

These flowers went to a sweet young lady who has the joy Sean sings about.  Her life isn't easy, but it's bearable.  Actually, more than bearable -- it's joyful.  It's because Jesus is with her, leading her through this life until He calls her home to heaven.  I can only imagine what the flowers look like there.