join me behind the scenes!
Want a behind-the-scenes look at running a flower farm? Want in-depth plant profiles to know if and how you can *actually* grow specific flowers in your climate? Keep reading for more info, or
Flower Farmer's Year
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grow flowers for arrangements all season long
Want to go behind the scenes with me and see *exactly* how I plan and grow botanicals in order to create arrangements like these all season? Everything you see here is 100% grown on our farm in Zone 4 on about 1/2 acre (all while working full time!)
Keep scrollin' to learn more about FFY, but if you want to read more about me, click here.
Flower Farmer's Year (FFY)
learn the best growing practices + my fav varieties!
Plant Profiles dive DEEP on one plant each month. A desire to grow gorgeous flowers is one thing, but discerning if a particular plant is right for your climate is a whole other ballgame (the struggle is real when those Insta pictures are just so dang pretty!).
My intention here is to give you as much practical information to make these decisions. However, I'm going one step further and taking you completely behind the scenes, sharing exactly what I do.
Plant Profiles are broken up into Nuts & Bolts (N&B) and Behind the Scenes (BTS). N&B are a collection of widely-accepted principals and successful growing practices, backed by research and leading experts in the field. BTS is just that: me pulling back the curtain and getting into the nitty gritty of how we apply this practical information on our farm.
Check out this month's Plant Profile feature here.
Plant Profiles
want a behind-the-scenes look?
Each month, I take you behind-the-scenes of how I run the farm (all while working full time!) I also include things I *wish* I would have known or done when I was just starting out. There are actionable steps if you want to follow along, as well as the exercises and tools I use (whether industry standards or my own proprietary tools, like my Seed Sowing & Planning Spreadsheet)!
See this month's BTS Farm Tasks features here.
BTS Monthly Farm Tasks
In-Depth Plant Profile
what you'll get each month
BTS Farm Tasks
My Exact Playbook
Tools & Exercises
June Features
what's exciting this month!
Behind THE SCenes
Farm Tasks
plant!
Plant Profile
Peony
Perennials play an important role for the flower farmer and peonies are in bloom during that lull between spring and summer flowers. However, peonies are an investment and cannot be harvested right away. We discuss how to get them started to bring in profit as soon as possible: which bareroots to purchase, the crucial planting depth, disbudding, how to harvest and store for the longest storage and vase left, favorite varieties, and more!
grow!
This month, we are covering plant support options and which plants we pinch. We discuss content creation, how to make it efficient, and favorite photography backdrops. Finally, we touch on what we're ordering, planting, and harvesting.
just a real conversation with a real person!
- Exact varieties (as in, the actual names and where I source them)
- What advice sucks
- What advice is actually awesome
- The putzy tasks that are worth the extra effort (and the ones that are not)
- The checklists I truly use (not fluff . . . if you know my style, you know I don't need anything to make up space, ha!)
- The tools, spreadsheets, and calculators I use (and don't worry, I don't just give you templates/links, I also give you my own filled in with what I actually do!)
Also Included
My intention with FFY was to offer valuable information at an affordable price point. We're currently offering FFY for less than 40 cents / day, whooop! You can cancel monthly memberships at any time (yearly subscriptions are for the entire year).
Guess what, though? As long as you keep your account active, we guarantee your membership price will never increase, even as we bring NEW features, high five!
Flower Farmer's Year (FFY)
Membership Signup
get started now
Monthly Membership
(billed monthly)
$132 USD / Year
JOIN NOW
$12 USD / Month
JOIN NOW
Yearly Membership
(billed Anually)
One Month Free!
Frequently Asked Questions
ask away!
FAQs
Is the information available forever?
questions?
FAQs
What if I sign up at the end of the month?
I've built in leeway to keep things fair, so the links will stay live well into the following month. For example:
January's content will remain live well into February. February's content will go live mid-month and be live well into March.
When January's links expire at the end of February, you'll receive PDF copies of each link's content via email.
questions?
YES! You will get PDF copies of each month's content sent to you via email, so that you can refer back to them.
Life is busy, so if you aren't able to get to a month, no worries, you'll always have the content available to you.
is flower farmer's year for you?
If you're thinking about starting a flower farm and want to know what this actually looks like behind the scenes (while juggling a career, family, life), this is for you! If you're on your flower farming journey, but want to peek behind the curtain on another farm, this is for you too.
If this is you, know that I am you!
I always want to know *exactly* how other growers do things, and I'm often disappointed when I sign up for something just to get a generic answer. I'll be sharing practical information, but also the details. P.S., I started and run our farm business all while working full time.
FFY is a monthly membership, not a course.
Each month, you'll get access to a Plant Profile and BTS Farm Tasks.
Plant Profiles are a collection of data, widely-accepted principals, and successful growing practices across various zones and climates, backed by research and industry leaders. I pair this with a BTS look at exactly how we apply this practical information in our unique climate and growing zone (Mindoro, WI, Zone 4, loamy sand, last frost May 15, first frost Oct 1).
I decided to break it up this way, because I think both are equally important. One without the other is not a complete story. Optimal conditions without real-life application lacks clear, actionable steps and can leave one overwhelmed with analysis paralysis. On the other hand, blindly following the instructions of another grower without understanding the fundamentals can lead to frustration when results are not the same (because the conditions were not the same).
FFY is a BTS look, not business school.
The BTS Monthly Tasks will focus largely on the growing aspect, but we'll also touch on marketing, newsletters, social media, and business. While some months I get into the biz details, this is one area I won't be sharing my *exact* numbers (based on legal advice, eh). Income from a flower farm is totally unique and depends on your revenue streams . . . anywhere from 25K / acre (Source: The Flower Farmer) to 100k+ / acre (NET!) (Source: Field & Garden Podcast Episode #28 with Jennie Love). Though I will be sharing things like price / stem, wedding pricing, etc., and in January we talk tips on setting up your business correctly right from the start.
OK, that's a lot of transparency, but that's how I role. I hope is this for you, but finally:
Who is FFY NOT for?
This is NOT for everyone! If you don't like reading + visual content, this is not for you. If you are looking for videos, this is not for you. If you're *not* willing to learn how to apply information to your unique climate and get upset when things don't apply to you, this is not for you.
If you're not sure?
Sign up for the monthly membership and try a month. You can cancel at any time if it's not for you.
Who is FFY for and Who is it Not for?
got questions?
More About Me
When it comes to FFY, don't think of me as a teacher. Although I was a a straight-A student, I never liked the format of school.
Just think of me as one of your growing pals who is sharing everything she does . . . who is a total research-fanatic nerd . . . that also likes honest conversations and good whiskey.
I didn't get straight As because I was a good student. I'm just good at collecting/analyzing data and applying the right information quickly.
I say this ad nauseam, but I truly believe in the power of the collective and that we all have something unique and useful to share. I wouldn't be where I am today if others did not share with me.
This space isn't just for me to share with you, but for you to ask questions and share as well! I hope to see there.
Please
CONTACT ME
cheers to a beautiful season ahead!
cheers, Maggie
@petalbackfarm
I love to post the happenings around the farm on Instagram. Come hang out for growing tips, stories, & more fun.
let's hang out!
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