Today, we’re going behind-the-scenes with Jennie Love. She’s the Owner of Love N Fresh Flowers, an organically-managed, urban flower farm and event floral design studio working exclusively with locally grown elements. Keep reading below to hear all about the ins and outs of running a floral farm and studio in our latest edition of A Styled Day!
5:45 AM – Wake up, usually don’t need the alarm this time of the year because the sunrise wakes me.
6 AM – Eating a bowl of Greek yogurt with fresh fruit and chia seeds while reading/replying to email.
6:30 AM – Headed out the door to the farm, stopping by our office first to grab some paperwork.
7 AM – At the farm, harvesting armfuls of summer flowers like zinnias, cosmos, queen anne’s lace, bee balm, gomphrena, dahlias and more. Today is a bit different because we have a film crew shadowing us as we work. They are putting together a documentary film on the vibrant locally-grown flower movement in the US, and we’re the first stop on their flower farm tour. It’s always a little unnerving to have cameras following you around, but we are trying to be as efficient as usual.
8 AM – Still harvesting; it’s getting hot
9 AM – While the rest of the team keeps harvesting, I start sorting and organizing the walk-in cooler full of flowers so we can start filling our orders for the week.
9:30 AM – Time to stop and take a picture of the zinnias for our Instagram.
10 AM – I’m working on pulling together all the bunches for a weekly wholesale order that will be sent up to the NYC wholesale market on 28th Street. I’m bunching and packing beauties like Black Knight Scabiosa and Chocolate Queen Anne’s Lace, two of the crops we are really known for at the NYC market.
11 AM – The wholesaler comes to pick up the order and I’m thrilled to have some more room in our cooler so I can keep sorting and filling other orders.
NOON – Quick lunch break of fresh greens with rotisserie chicken salad and cherry tomatoes over top.
12:15 PM – Back to work. Now I’m tackling putting together the buckets of flowers and lush bouquets for our weekly Flower CSA members. They are getting really spoiled this week with overflowing and super colorful buckets since we have so many flowers blooming at the farm and we are pleased to send the excess off to the happy homes of fellow flower lovers!
1 PM – I sit down with the film crew to do a formal interview. I try to wipe the sweat off my face and brush my wayward hair. I think I failed. Too hot to care.
2 PM – Wrapping up the interview so I can get the van loaded with our CSA shares and get them delivered.
3 PM – Dropped off the last of our CSA shares at our Chestnut Hill location and then head home for a really quick shower (I’m a master of the 5 minute shower and change).
4 PM – Consultation meeting at our office in Chestnut Hill with a prospective client for June 2016. Love seeing that her Pinterest board is full of designs I’ve created and not just a bunch of generic images. We’re a good fit!
5 PM – Another consultation with another prospective client, this time for May 2016. Another great fit!
6:30 PM – Finally head out of the office after the consultation and head the few blocks home to my house.
7 PM – Grilling in my backyard for dinner: grilled avocado and asparagus with salsa and feta.
7:30 PM – Hop on the computer again to read/reply to some emails and start to put together the proposals for the consultations I had earlier.
8 PM – Still on the computer.
9 PM – Still on the computer but getting pretty sleepy.
10 PM – Wrapping up the last email and getting ready for bed.
11 PM – Head hits pillow, finally.
