Gemini Season + Sunflowers

Jun 8
3 min read

Hey y'all! Welcome back to the Agape Farm blog.

There's plenty to be grateful for--another trip around the sun, sunflowers and farmer friends.

CHAPTER 44

Last week, I celebrated a birthday! It is a blessing to wake up every day and do what I love: grow food and flowers and educate the next generation of growers. I spent the day planting out my personal garden (which feeds my family), working with kids and sharing a meal with friends.

As I enter chapter 44, some recent wins I’m celebrating are becoming a Life Lab Certified Garden Educator and joining the team at Common Good City Farm as a Youth Educator. As Gemini season begins, my heart is full of gratitude, anticipation, and hope for all that will flourish in the year ahead.

LESSONS FROM THE LAND

reflections from the farmer

This season, I was determined to extend my growing season. Thanks to support from the Prince George’s County Soil Conservation District, I received funding through NRCS’ Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to build low tunnels that would help protect crops during both cooler and warmer temperatures. While sunflowers are known for thriving in the heat of summer, I was cautiously optimistic that I could create those favorable conditions earlier in the year using greenhouse plastic.

I started an early succession of sunflowers in late winter and transplanted them into the ground in early spring. By late spring, we had beautiful blooms ready for harvest. It sounds simple enough, but these sunflowers required constant attention from March through May, especially during the whacky spring weather. When cold temperatures were in the forecast, I made sure they were tucked in to keep warm for the night. There were plenty of moments when the risk of failure felt high, but the reward was even greater. Had I not taken a chance, I would have missed the joy of seeing customers' smiling faces and hearing market-goers tell me, time and again, “Sunflowers are my favorite!”

Those moments were a reminder that some of the best things happen when we're willing to try something new and trust the process.

My note to self this month and a friendly reminder to you as well—

Take the risk. Reap the reward.

WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE FARM

As I reflect back on what’s been happening on the farm the last few months, a theme is emerging: WACKY WEATHER! In May, we experienced back-to-back 90 degree days. So I put aside the frost cloth and traded it for shade cloth. This helps protect our crops from the scorching sun, which seems to feel hotter with each passing year. Adapting to these weather extremes has become an increasingly important part of farming, and this season has certainly kept us on our toes.

Last month I also had the privilege of receiving support from ECO City Farms through their “Many Hands Work Days”. This season has reminded us of just how important community is to the success of the farm. There are always more tasks than hours in the day, but having a supportive farm community, supportive friends and supportive family is what makes Agape Farm possible. I am incredibly grateful for the ECO City team, who contributed their time and energy to help mulch a newly established area of the farm.

I've been dreaming about this for years! After many months of planning and hard work, our greenhouse project is finally complete! One feature I am especially excited about is the paver floor, which helps reduce mud, creates a stable working surface and stores heat to help regulate temperatures. This greenhouse is a big step forward for the farm. It will allow us to start seedlings earlier, extend our growing season, protect plants from harsh weather, and grow healthier crops throughout the year. I'm excited to see all the ways this space will help us grow more food and flowers. A huge thank you to the For Farmers Movement and the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission for funding this project.

Would you believe I'm already planning for spring 2027. The first round of seeds have been ordered and I'm working on a plan to have even more flowers at the start of next season. Crop planning begins months in advance, and because I grow on a relatively “small” farm, I have to be intentional about every seed I sow, carefully balancing productivity, variety, and the needs of our community. I'll be sowing seeds for next year’s blooms in the coming months and can’t wait to share the abundance with you next season!

If you want to find out more about my farmers market experience, click below to check out the third Field Note of the season.

CHECK OUT THE FIELD NOTE