In Our Gardens....

I've started edging a bit, with some help. H1 had his shovel right beside me, being the biggest helper ever. Of course I had to re-dig in spots, we had fun! I love this time of year with the bulbs starting to emerge.


(1) Rudbeckia "Indian Summer"

(2) just behind the deck





(3) Tulip in the Viburnum

(4) Pink purple & white Hyacinths

Another Week

This week at work was a nice warm up of things to come. A little bit of shipping, planting, pruning, spacing and tagging.

Our last crew of Mexicans landed Wednesday morning early, and started work on Friday. We are now at decent staff, so efficiency is up. For instance, on Monday, we would plant 1 gallon pots until our wagons were full.(just over 200 pots per wagon) With four sets of three wagons and tractors. Once the wagons were full, we would take them out to the nursery. Now with a full crew, we only stop for breaks. There is enough people to unload as fast as we can plant so it is a very smooth rotation.

We also shipped out about three 53' trailers throughout the week. Next week looks to be picking up already, with one trailer for sure so far on Monday. I've heard sales look good for this year, so we will be re-planting as fast as we can ship.


I'm just happy I live close enough to work that I can see my family at lunch! It may be the only time for the next while, except for family day Sunday!

Lake to Lake

Two years ago, a friend of mine and I decided to go on a little bike trip. It was a great experience, and I learned a few things.

1) you need a GOOD bicycle
2) eye protection for the bugs, brush and branches
3) water
4) spare tubes and pump

In 2005, I had three out of four. Not bad. I didn't have #4. I almost finished, but approximately 49 kilometers into the race, I blew my front tire. This year I will be ready!

Fresh Pictures

I took a few snapshots today while doing pick-ups with my brother. He is pushing more potted plants than he has working for my other brother. There is a huge selection of potted plants from local greenhouses, and his clientele are very happy. They love their fresh Canadian product, cut flowers and potted. Just think, delivered straight from the greenhouses to their door, in sometimes less than 24 hours. Now THAT'S FRESH!













Pictures from top left to right:

6" Pink Hydrangea
Hydroponic Tulips (Different from here)
Asiatic Lilies for cut flowers
6" Blue Hydrangea
4.5" Gerbera
6" Cyclamen






I plan on talking to each of the growers from these greenhouses as well as others, so I can post more details about each.

Another Helping Hand

On Saturday, H1 and I did some more pick-ups. Another great day together. I really enjoy his company, and we get to learn more and more about each other. Don't tell his mom, but I think he's becoming a Daddies Boy!

When we arrived home after the work was done, C and I had a little chat. I thought it would be neat if H1 and I took pictures at the different greenhouses, and posted about them. At least this way I won't (can"t) run out of things to say!!

Now to convince my brother to let me do more pick-ups before I get too busy in the nursery!

March Break

What a shock when I arrived to work on Monday. I knew to expect some students for the break, but there must have been 50 or 60 of 'em! Or so it seemed. Well, at least 35. Most are local 8th and 9th grade students, some with no previous experience. .
Since November, there hasn't been more than 20 people at the farm, not including sales and office staff.

We have already finished a lot of different things, from tagging in the nursery, to planting in the Big House. We finished as many tags as we had, our new tags will be coming in soon. My knees feel like I borrowed them from an 80 year old. All tagging is done on the ground. All day Monday and Tuesday. Fortunately, we may step on the pots, as all the plants are dormant right now, and the soil is frozen so we won't do much crushing with our feet.
The propagation crew is busy with transplanting, although I am not entirely sure what is all on their agenda. My own work keeps me running as it is, and I can't see getting too much valuable information from any of the kids. I'll learn more of the prop end after the majority of the shipping is finished. Probably in September!

On Thursday our first four Amigos arrive to our farm, with the option to start work right away, or get all settled in during the weekend. If I know any of them from last year, they will jump right in. The next group is to arrive the following week.

They have bumped our hours from 8:00-4:00 Mon-Thurs, 8:00 - 12:00 Fri during the winter, to 8:00-4:30 this week, and next week 8:00-5:00. Slowly but surely, the spring rush is upon us. It won't be long before we will be working 7:30- the last truck is loaded.(could be midnight)

I'm not sure how often I will be able to post, but you can rest assured I will keep updating as the farm lets me. I plan on posting "staged" pictures, to show the nursery throughout the year. This should be fun!!

Ahhh, Spring!

Here are some pictures from the "Big House".

The Put-Put

I used to drive a 1993 Honda Prelude. Nice little car, very quick for a four cylinder. I bought it in 1996, and it finally gave up on me near the end of 2004. I have to admit, I drove it hard.

C. drove a 1995 Dodge Neon. We sold that shortly after we got married. We upgraded that car to a 2002 Chevy Malibu. "The Boo"

The Prelude was exchanged for the Put-Put.

The other day at work, a guy was telling me a story. Apparently, he was driving down the road with his father, and he saw a car like mine. "Oh look, there's a Put-Put!" His father turns to him and asks, "someone actually called a car model a Put-Put?"

It amazes me that other around you may catch on to (and start using) your nick-names for others. Even H1 will ask "are we going in Mommies car, or the Put-Put?"

A Helping Hand

With my brother starting up his own wholesaling business, his week can be tiresome. I told him right from the start that I would help him out however, whenever.

Yesterday, I did a few "pick-ups" for J. I used his Dodge extended van, and went to four local-ish greenhouses. There weren't too many flowers to pick up, (3 pails Asiatic lilies, 10 pails Mums, 10 pails Gerbera and Mini Gerbs, and one pail of mini Calla lilies) but I had a helper. J brings his three year old with him too, and left the car seat installed. H1 was very excited to go for a ride with me in the van. He could finally see exactly what was around him. "Look out cars", he would say, "Here we come!!"
We were only gone for about an hour and a half, but we really had a great time together. As a treat for helping me, we stopped off at....... TIM HORTONS!!

Nursery Update

Grafting is finished for the time being. Just 200 to do this coming week, or as soon as we get the scion wood.

We are also filling our greenhouse (the "BigHouse") with all kinds of goodies. From one gallon staked vines on the floor, (some currently with a few flowers) to 2 gallon ornamental grasses suspended with hanging basket hooks, 3 high, to 38 pack Vinca "Darts Blue" on other floors. Its starting to feel like spring.

A couple of days ago, we all headed to the main farm to receive a tractor trailer of B&B shrubs. (Magnolias, Viburnum, etc.) What a workout! We have a pretty good core of guys, so it was a smooth 2 hour job.

Our days at work are going to consistently get longer, starting next week. Before you know it, right after March break, we will be getting into very heavy shipping. Whatever the weather. We have to ship to a lot of garden centers and bigger retailers for their spring rush.

This is also when we are getting in our off-shore labour. It's nice to know it's the same guys as last year. It's fun to learn from another culture. We all work together, so we all get along. This is also going to be the first year that we have the Mexicans help more with shipping. Of course the propagation guys will still be on prop, and the production and potting crew will still be refilling the farm!

Apparently, we will be doing some moving some of our cold frames, narrow a few driveways, and build a couple of new cold frames. In our spare time. I guess that's after the shipping rush. It seems the home farm doesn't have quite enough room yet,so we are squeezing out ever square foot.

I'll add some pictures soon.

My Eldest Niece

WOW!!!

My eldest niece has just recently gotten engaged.

My congrats to her and her betrothed, I wish them only the best.

Sam was born when I was in the eighth grade. I was an uncle! She has grown up quite a bit. Not really. Not that she is immature, on the contrary, maybe a bit sheltered. She is only seventeen. Eighteen in May 2007.
I pray she (THEY) know what she (they) are doing! Her fiance seems like a really nice guy, from the couple of times that we have met. He comes from respectable family, so that doesn't concern me. He is apprenticing to be an auto mechanic, another plus. I just hope that this being her first real boyfriend, is her right choice. Not that I am doubting them, I just can't judge their future.
They are planning on a winter wedding.
January 2008.

Sometimes there is no time like the present, right Hon??