June has arrived, it’s summertime! The kids have already made a million trips to my sister's pool and I’ve been impressed with my ability to maintain my patio planters with veggies. The farm team has done the most amazing job knocking out a huge round of weeding on the tail of completing mum cuttings. They have taken compost can after compost can to the burn pile and the farm looks all the better for it! In fact the Victory Garden is finally open for the season (as is the rest of the farm with our stuff a cup option). With so many amazing finds in the garden and so many new faces coming out to explore I thought it might be helpful to give you some of my top tips to enjoying a pick-your-own trip out to the farm.

• Sunscreen. Make sure you lather up with suncreen and bug repellent before hitting the fields. You won’t realize until after you’ve been bit by the sun or a bug and those aren’t the lasting memories we are aiming for.

• Comfy shoes. No seriously. The farm has lots of different “terrain” and while we strive to make it foot-friendly it’s a farm and garden, ya’ll. Come prepared with proper shoes and you won’t regret it.

• A buddy. Having a partner can be a great way to bond but let’s be honest it’s that extra set of hands to hold our cup or hand us the snips that’s the real reason we invite them.

• A charged phone. Get ready for picture overload! There are so many great spots on the farm you won’t want to miss out capturing your visit!

• Water. Fill your cup! Don’t forget to stop by the watering hole at the farm shop and fill your cup at least 1/3 with water. Ensure each stem makes its way into the water when cutting to make the most of every flower you pick

• Harvest tips.
• Reach over and into beds to cut flowers. Never stand on crops or in the bed rows. This compacts the soil and crushes baby plants.
• Cut a long healthy stem! Most plants enjoy a really hard hair cut! Don’t be afraid to cut deep into the plant. A healthy stem of 16” is generally standard.

• Look for the freshest blooms! When finding a patch of flowers look for blooms that are just opening for the longest life of each flower.
• Remove all leaves and small side shoots that fall below the water line. These decay fastest and shorten the life of your flowers
• Give your flowers a rest. After you get home add flower food to your arrangement and top with fresh water. These flowers will drink far more than any grocery store bouquet because of how fresh they are so don’t forget to check that water! After a few hours, you will notice they will perk up and begin to put on their incredible show!

While all of those things might sound basic I still find myself forgetting one or many of them on a [regular so it’s always helpful to say it again. These tips also apply to you for any backyard harvesting you may be doing. I hope you take the time to not just smell the flowers, but to come pick them, too.