
08/13/2022
I got this lovely bouquet from a week ago and it is still looking great! Julianne understands quality and the importance of vase life. Check her out at the Leesburg Market every Saturday.
We grow specialty cut flowers using organic methods that nurture the soil.
Over 90 varieties of flowers thrive at Greenstone Fields, harvested to ensure optimum vase life. We are part of a growing movement to educate the public about fresh, local, naturally grown flowers that last. We sell our floraganic™ flowers at the Falls Church Farmers Market from April to November; provide bountiful bouquets as the flower share for two local vegetable farms' CSAs (Potomac Vegetable Farms and Willowsford Farm); and sell wholesale to local designers and florists.
I got this lovely bouquet from a week ago and it is still looking great! Julianne understands quality and the importance of vase life. Check her out at the Leesburg Market every Saturday.
Just picked. Headed to the Hamilton Mercantile. They open at 10!
Over the years, we had the opportunity to work with some very cool young people. Melissa started working with us in high school and returned for several years until she became a professional musician . Her prowess as a berry picker was second to none, understanding that the best berries are “fondled” not pulled. We had gobs of fun today harvesting blueberries and catching up on life.
Melissa and other great local musicians pay tribute to John Prine tonight at The Barns of Rose Hill in Berryville, VA at 7PM. We can all use a bit of beautifully written and performed Americana music in these sadly, challenging times.
Bodacious berries coming soon!
Had to keep a few. Shout out to all the flower farmers who will be harvesting these beauties over the next few weeks. Peony season means not much else happens when you can harvest and process four or six times a day. But they sure are worth it! # peony
Hey buddy. Thank you for your help with producing some bodacious berries, and more importantly, for being a distraction to current events.
As part of my "retirement" I have the privilege of consulting with this fine group of 16 (and growing) flower farmers who make up the Old Dominion Flower Company. is a wholesale, cut flower hub serving DC, NOVA, Baltimore, and Frederick floral designers. Customers order flowers through an easy-to-use, on-line storefront and receive only one invoice, regardless of how many farms fill their order. ODFC’s collective power goes beyond convenience, including a commitment to the highest quality standards and sustainable growing practices. If you are local designer and are not already buying from ODFC, check them out. Link in Bio.
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Gus decided to retire this season as well. He spent much of the year sitting on the golf cart rather than chasing mice and voles. Today he and Ruby are enjoying the last of the Greenstone arrangements. Happy holidays from the four of us. ❤️💐🐾
Here is Becca! This was Becca’s second season with us and she was our one, full-time crew member this year. To say she was my operational right hand person is an understatement. She was great at keeping me on track when there were too many things going on. One of my favorite Becca moments was her asking me…”Barb, does your brain have room for one more thing?”
Becca is passionate, focused, empathetic and amazingly organized. She absorbs details of harvesting; she made certain the flowers and buckets were well managed; and she handled the many moving parts of our market prep Fridays.Bottom line - Becca helped make this final season run smoothly…not sure we could have done it without her.
Becca plans to continue to work with flower farmers next season: and . She is sure to be a huge asset to Sage and Caroline! 😍💐🐾
Say hello to Caroline. We met her at Future Harvest where she was the Field School Manager. We were fortunate to have Caroline one day a week this past season; Becca and I looked forward, enthusiastically, to “Caroline Tuesdays”.
Caroline brought passion, specific flower knowledge and all around business smarts to daily operations and planning. Caroline has her own flower farm, . You can find her flowers next season at the Frederick City Farmers Market and both Common Market coops. Thanks, Caroline, for being a part of our last Greenstone team. 😍💐🐾
Another crew intro…Sage came to Greenstone last year while also starting here in Loudoun County. Sage has a great eye for designing flowers and a delightful attitude. They made most of the Greenstone CSA bouquets this year and contributed to many fun Fridays in the hub. Sage takes care to grow specialty cut flowers and is committed to using only sustainable floral design practices. You will see Sage’s flowers and bouquets at several places next season, like the farmers market, , and other retail and wholesale channels. If you are planning a wedding, event, or a celebration at home, reach out to Sage…you will be glad you did! 😍💐🐾
Alex was happy that we had warm enough temperatures last week to wash all the tuberose we dug up. Thanks to them we now have tubers for sale; direct message me if you are interested.
So let’s talk about Alex, who has been with Greenstone for three seasons. Alex started as a bucket washer, and quickly grew into being one of our best crew members. They love to w**d (💕), can easily pivot when priorities change, and is great at interpreting the “Babz speak” that sometimes happens when too many things are going on at once. I’m certain that someday I will say about Alex…I knew them when. 😍💐🐾
Tuber digging is going great! Lots of folks are getting dahlias, peonies and tuberose tubers. We’ve had farmers come from as far as Georgia! We opened up additional slots for this Saturday and into next week. See the link in bio for details and to sign up for a time to come dig with us. You can also get Salvia plants to hold for cuttings next Spring. It’s wonderful knowing that parts of Greenstone will flower on! 😍💐🐾
Be sure to stop by the last market of the season tomorrow! You are going to need some marigolds to celebrate Dia de los Mu***os and will have them as well as their first heirloom chrysanthemums, lilies and more! will have their usual delicious veggies including ginger, turmeric, lemongrass and galangal grown in this tunnel. .bnb .farm and will be there too. Let’s show these great vendors some lovin’!
We had a special visitor this week …. every flower farmer’s best friend, . I met Dave at my first conference 14 years ago. Right away he started giving advice about flowers I must grow…I pulled out my cocktail napkin and tried my best to capture his suggestions (he does talk kinda fast!). That napkin morphed into many pages of flower knowledge, or Davisms. When talking with other growers, we often say, or hear….”Dave says…”, or “What would Dave say, lets ask him.” I am one of an innumerable number of growers who have benefited from Dave’s wisdom, caring, and patience (I may win the award for asking the most questions of him). Dave taught me the value of selling only high quality flowers and shared many great ideas on how to market them. I will maintain a small cutting garden in my retirement, in part, as a tribute to all that Dave has taught me. Thank you Dave! 😍💐🐾
We are selling dahlia and peony tubers - you dig. The digging process is fast and there are plenty of individual tubers in each clump. They are big and gorgeous! Caroline can barely lift that peony clump. Peonies, many of them 16 years old, are $20. The dahlias, most of which were overwintered, are $15. We are opening the farm through November 11, for folks to purchase. Send us an email, and we will get you the details on how to make an appointment to get a piece of Greenstone. Link in bio to our website. And yes, I’m keeping a few. 😍💐🐾
34 years married. What a magical journey. Almost half of that time we were farmers. Sitting here pondering what’s next. ❤️💐🐾
We had the pleasure of hosting a birthday gathering for 4 long-time friends. We showed everyone the end of season flowers, as our last farm tour, and set up the Greenstone Flower Bar. Bouquet making was a hoot and revealed much creative prowess. This photo represents lots of history, love and community. ❤️💐🐾
We are swimming in dahlias! We will have plenty at both the farmers market from 11-1 AND the Lovettsville Co-op Groundbreaking Celebration and Fall Market from noon to 3 at the Lovettsville Town Commons. There are plenty of great vendors at both locations. See you there!
Today was our last Friday in the hub. We have had over 500 market prep days over the past 16 years. In the old days, before the hub, we did this under a 10x20 pop-up. Many great crew members have worked hard harvesting innumerable stems, and some amazing designers have created many wonderful bouquets. It will take some time for it to settle in that Friday’s in the hub are done. Fortunately, we still have many flowers (can you say dahlia) to cut, and bouquets to make, for our friends at Potomac Vegetable Farms.
This week we are not at market , but our friend and wonderful farmer, Caroline will be there. We will be back next weekend.
Alex is all set up and ready to go farmers market. Bouquets, bunches and flowers by the stem. We will be here until 1. It’s Octoberfest weekend at the brewery. They have beer and food. You can also pick up your groceries from: .farm .gouterbread
We had fun hosting a field day this morning. Future Harvest is a great organization that supports all kinds of small farmers. It warms my heart to meet so many enthusiastic and passionate farmers who have an interest in flowers. 😍💐🐾
Nicholas, if it weren’t for you we would not grow dahlias. You are a dahlia rockstar, but you could you pick up the pace…we need more of you!
You will see lots of our Dahlias tomorrow farmers market between 11 and 1. We will be there with .gouterbread .farm
We are not at the market this week, but no worries as Sage of will be there. See Sage and the usual others from 11-1. .farm .gouterbread
We will be back next week with lots of dahlias!
Today’s CSA bouquets brought to you by Becca and Caroline!❤️💐🐾
Our last planting for the season, and …. my farming career! Definitely bittersweet. We typically plant on Tuesdays when Caroline is with us. She and Becca look forward to Tuesdays when the babies are ready to get in the ground.
We are long-time supporters of local food co-ops. Luckily for Loudoun County, a new co-op is coming to Lovettsville. It is exciting to see the movement of community supported, local, fresh food coming to town.
As part of the Lovettsville Co-op membership drive, we are offering a fall flower share for the winner of a random drawing from new member sign ups by August 27. The winner will get 4 weeks of a beautiful bouquet that you pick up at our farm on Saturdays starting September 11. Please consider becoming a member to help this important effort.
Details and eligibility requirements are on the Co-op website: www.lovettsville-grocery.com/join-us.
I wish I didn’t have to do this.
How about a flower bar where you choose flowers to build your own bouquet? We will have buckets of stems farmers market tomorrow from 11-1. Join us and other groovy growers and makers: .gouterbread .farm
It’s HOT outside!! This is a good time to be inside making sauce. Lucky us that we have access to tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers and herbs grown here by …everything but the olive oil and salt! You can get your own sauce ingredients from them Saturday’s farmers market from 11-1. Bouquet made by Sage of ❤️💐🐾.
Another keeper. Henry Eilers Rudbeckia is just great! The tubular petals, along with the sturdy stems make it a winner. Dennis is a keeper too - best farm partner ever. ❤️💐🐾
Here they come! We keep our dahlias from blooming until later in the season to avoid the heat they dislike. It also gives us time to pump the plants up with lots of nutrients. Even though they have a shorter vase life than all our other flowers, we forget all the effort they take and enjoy every stem’s beauty!
It is hard to capture a decent photo of one of these bouquets going to market tomorrow, so I’ll settle for a shot from the top. Sage and Mary had a great time in the hub today, making CSA and market bouquets. You can see the results farmers market tomorrow from 11 to 1. There will also be delicious and nutritious products from .gouterbread and
Rudbeckia triloba. I love you in the bucket but not when you are a w**d throughout the farm.
I am starting to think about the last time I do things around the farm, given that this is my last year farming. I call these “the lasts”. One of the “lasts” that is pertinent right now is night harvest of Mountain Mint...our favorite foliage. It is a simple beauty, and the bees love what I leave for them. Mountain Mint will be one of the “keepers” in the Babz patch that will live beyond Greenstone Fields. If you want suggestions for your own flower patch, stay tuned and I’ll be sharing more of my “keepers”.
Crinkly and colorful.
Becca and a particularly nice crop of Rudbeckia, my new best friend. 😍💐🐾.
Now that it’s summer, you need some sunflowers! We have these beauties today from 11-1. Join us and these great producers , .farm, , , .gouterbread, and
Things were busy in the hub yesterday, making our CSA bouquets and prepping for today’s market. See us from 11 - 1. You can help celebrate the brewery’s 2nd anniversary celebrations, and get some greatness from these other fine farmers and makers: .gouterbread .farm
One of my favorites. Asclepias tuberosa is beautiful, has a great vase life and is enjoyed by pollinators. What’s not to love?
We did our first zinnia harvest today and Alex can’t wait to do more!!🥰Nothing says summer on a flower farm like these colorful beauties.
Dahlias in May! The dahlia overwintering project was a huge success!
We need rain, as it has been terribly dry this spring. It is tough, though, when the rains come on market days. Farmers are prepping for their Saturday markets today knowing that with inches of rain coming, turnout may not be great. For those of you who support farmers, get your wellies and slickers ready and get to market tomorrow, please!
market you can get our bouquets, which are very full this week, great eggs, meats, cheeses, fermented goods, fruit and be sure to get some sugar snaps from See you there tomorrow from 11 to 1.
.farm .gouterbread
The market bouquets this week are full of new spring beauties like Baptisia, stock, snapdragons, and of course peonies! You can get these beauties as well as peony bunches at the market tomorrow from 11-1.
We always cross fingers that the peonies will be ready in time for Mother’s Day. In recent years they have been starting so early we have to protect from frosts. This year we lost a few but will have plenty at the market. Moms love peonies...come get them today from 11-1.
You can also pick up lots of other great things from .gouterbread .farm and
Our overwintered snaps are right on time to be part of our Mother’s Day arrangements. Come see at the market tomorrow from 11-1!
38223 John Wolford Road
Purcellville, VA
20132
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