Field and Garden with Lisa Mason Ziegler

Latest Episodes:

#129: The Future of the Cut Flower Industry: Flower Collectives Apr 28, 2022

Show notes

Are floral collectives the key to the future for domestic cut flower growers? This episode features a recent panel discussion about our new on-demand online course, Collectives 101: A guide for joining and selling through regional wholesale hubs, with Amelia Ihlo. Lisa is joined by Amanda Montgomery of River City Flower Exchange and Jonathan Leiss of Spring Forth Farm to gain insight into the world of floral collectives and to hear first-hand the potential value of this new course for flower farmers. Amanda and Jonathan share their experiences with this selling model and offer helpful information for those curious about the opportunity to either start a collective or join an existing one.

Links & Mentions

Hummingbird Flower Co: Website Facebook

River City Flower Exchange: Website Instagram

Spring Forth Farm: Website Facebook Instagram

Piedmont Wholesale Flowers: Website Facebook Instagram

Stemz: Website Facebook Instagram

Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers Localflowers.org

Rooted Farmers: Website Instagram

On-Demand Course: Collectives 101

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers, owner of The Gardener’s Workshop, Flower Farming School Online, and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online. Watch Lisa’s Story and connect with Lisa on social!

#128: The Big Picture: A Garden and a Business Apr 26, 2022

Show notes

Let’s remember and keep in focus the big picture of what we are doing, how we are doing it, and why we are doing it. It’s so easy to fall into rabbit holes and to become completely derailed from our “why” we are doing this in the first place! My big picture garden considerations are: How will I tear this down? How will I maintain it day to day? Will it sell easily? On the business side of things, pausing to remember “why” I am doing all this and am I getting there helps to keep me on track.

Links & Mentions:

Excited about our partnership with the Growing For Market Magazine. Use the coupon code: WORKSHOP to get 25% off any subscription.

"Bug Talk" podcasts with Lisa & Rhonda: Field & Garden episode #112, episode #121

The Field and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining author of Vegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers, owner of The Gardener’s Workshop, Flower Farming School Online, and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online. Watch Lisa’s Story and connect with Lisa on social!

#127: Ranunculus & Anemone Basics with Steve & Gretel Adams Apr 23, 2022

Show notes

An introduction to these showy greenhouse-grown spring blooms from Steve & Gretel Adams of Sunny Meadows Flower Farm. They cover lots of important topics, including:

When to order corms for best selection
Building relationships with your vendors
When to plant (and successions)
Best varieties for beginners
Basic growing & harvesting tips

Links & Mentions:

Request the PDF: Favorite Ranunculus & Sources

Request the PDF: Favorite Anenomes & Growing Tips

Request the PDF: Ranunculus Stages of Harvest

Flower Farming School Online: Growing Cut-Flower Crops in Hoops & Greenhouses

More from Sunny Meadows Flower Farm: Website Instagram TikTok

#126: Lisa on The Flower Podcast (finding your niche market & business model, top 5 flowers to grow) Apr 21, 2022

Show notes

In this episode, we're revisiting an interview that Lisa did in October 2020 on The Flower Podcast, with host Scott Shepherd. Scott and Lisa covered a broad range of topics, including:

Where Cool Flowers can be grown and how they can increase your farm's production dramatically
Marketing: finding your niche in "outside the box" selling opportunities
Understanding how learning via courses saves time and money
Creating a business model that suits your lifestyle
Lisa's Top 5 Warm-Season Annuals

Links & Mentions:

The full-length episode on The Flower Podcast

Online Courses & Schools offered by The Gardener's Workshop

#125: Step #1: Managing You Apr 19, 2022

Show notes

In this episode I am sharing the bottom line friends: you are the only one that can change the way things are going for you and your flower farming business.

If we think back to why we started our own business:

To be in control
To do things the way we think is best
To make the choices
To guide the way
To do what we want to do, when we want to do it

Now we have to exercise the muscle that can help us get there: the choices we make and how we respond to failures.

The difference between success and failure can be this simple.

Hope this gives some food for thought!

Links & Mentions:

Course: Flower Farming School Online: The Basics, Annual Crops, Marketing and More!

Book: Vegetables Love Flowers

Podcast: Jennie Love & Dave Dowling discuss Tulips

#124: How Local Color Flowers Is Evolving with Ellen Frost Apr 16, 2022

Show notes

Ellen Frost joins Lisa to discuss the unique business model of her floral design studio, Local Color Flowers, and how it has continued to evolve over time. Topics include: supporting local flower farmers, community building through regular studio events, and ramping up subscriptions.

Links & Mentions:

Ellen’s Design Studio, Local Color Flowers: Website Instagram Facebook

Florists Buying Local: Facebook Instagram and #floristsbuyinglocal

Course: Florist School Online: Growing Your Business with Local Flower Sourcing

#123: Lisa on the Joe Gardener Podcast (Building Natural Habitat, Cutting Gardens, Harvesting Tips) Apr 14, 2022

Show notes

In October 2021 Lisa was featured on the Joe Gardener podcast. She joined host Joe Lamp'l to discuss how nature can balance itself when you incorporate flowers and native plants in and around your garden space, attracting beneficial insects and providing them with a consistent habitat. They covered topics such as:

Succession plantings of flower “recipes” to overcome common pests, weeds, and diseases
Variety selections for cut flowers, supporting taller flowers, and harvesting tips
The importance of providing habitat (both food & shelter) for beneficial creatures in spring, summer & fall

Links & Mentions:

Full Joe Gardener Episode #231 Blog Post Available Here

Request Lisa's Free Resource: 6 Steps to a 3-Season Cut-Flower Garden

Online Courses published by The Gardener’s Workshop

TheField and Garden Podcast is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-wining author ofVegetables Love Flowers and Cool Flowers, owner ofThe Gardener’s Workshop, Flower Farming School Online, and the publisher of Farmer-Florist School Online and Florist School Online. Watch Lisa’s Story and connect with Lisa on social!

#122: Am I Ready to Join or Start a Collective? Interview with Amelia Ihlo Apr 12, 2022

Show notes

In this episode, Lisa Z and Collectives 101 instructor Amelia Ihlo discuss what it takes as a flower farmer to be ready to join or start a floral collective. They touch on common indicators for success, such as knowing your market & your customer’s needs, examining your grower network & relationships, thinking about short and long-term plans, and building resources.

Links & Mentions:

Collectives 101 On-Demand Online Workshop *AVAILABLE NOW *

Considering using Rooted Farmers for your collective? More info Here

Book: A Complaint Is a Gift

#121: Bug Talk: They All Have Purpose, with Lisa & Rhonda Apr 09, 2022

Show notes

Today, Rhonda Graves returns to join Lisa for another “Bug Talk.” And beneficial creatures too! They all have a purpose in a balanced ecosystem. Rhonda & Lisa discuss how to invite and maintain these beneficial creatures in your garden or on your farm, including pollinator garden plots, native tree and shrub plantings, “Beetle Banks” and “Habitat Islands.” Together they share the joy of getting to know the beneficial creatures in your garden and how to create a year-round habitat to keep them nearby.

Mentions:

Bugguide.net

iNaturalist app

Book: Attracting Beneficial Bugs To Your Garden by Jessica Walliser

Book: Wasps by Heather Holm

Book: Grow Organic by Doug Oster & Jessica Walliser

Lisa's book: Vegetables Love Flowers

#120: Keeper Clubhouse Clips (Early Sunflowers, Bed Prep for Weed Prevention) Apr 07, 2022

Show notes

Today I have more "keeper clips" from Clubhouse for you! Lisa hosts a chat on Clubhouse each Wednesday to cover various flower farming and flower business topics as well as answer listener questions. This episode has some great clips covering the topics of Early-Season Sunflower Growing and Prepping your Beds for Weed Prevention. Lisa offers some great tips here that can make a BIG difference for your farm or garden. So here you go!

Links & Mentions:

Sunflower Seeds in our Online Shop

Bio360 Install Video

Video: Weeding with a garden hoe

Blog: Weed-Free Direct Seeded Beds

Are you on the Clubhouse phone app? Join Lisa's club, called Flower Farming, to be notified when she schedules new chats!