With my husband, the structure builder and general labourer
My story so far:
Back in the dark ages, and before there were purpose built environmental degree courses, I managed to obtain a combined science degree in which I focused on environmental modules such as conservation from both a biological and geographical slant. In those days it wasn’t easy (and still isn’t) to obtain a job in an environmental field so I fell into working in IT. After many years in IT I changed career and bought my own business, a bakery and café, a dream of many. I soon found it it wasn’t an easy business to run as a singleton with no backup when I had my appendix removed! Soon after marrying Paul I sold the business and we had a son.
Then, no longer a singleton with a husband and baby son, and still being very interested in sustainability and the environment, I embarked on another course (or 2, I love learning) obtaining a Masters in Architecture: Advanced Environmental and Energy Studies, a part-time course that allowed me to exercise my brain cells. With great family support I was lucky enough to have the ability to be a stay at home mum and undertake my studies. I have also qualified as a Retrofit Co-ordinator in order to furnish me with a recognised qualification and to help make a difference to energy use within the built environment.
Since childhood I have always loved animals, nature and growing. We now are lucky enough to have a smallholding in Cumbria on the edge of the Western Dales where we have a few sheep and hens, and we saw the opportunity to increase the biodiversity of our little plot by encouraging wild flowers in our meadows (we still need to do so much more) . I grow flowers (and vegetables) organically for home use, using no dig as much as possible, do not use pesticides, herbicides or fertilisers other than from natural sources. Farming flowers ticks so many boxes in my sustainability head, they are food for pollinating insects, are lovely to look at and the carbon footprint of imported flowers is huge. Commercially produced flowers often have inputs of pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers which are poisoning the soil ecosystem, with the added issue that these potentially harmful chemicals are absorbed through the skin of anyone who handles them. So as an extension of my sustainable buildings work I decided to to have a go at flower farming and joined Flowers From The Farm www.flowersfromthefarm.co.uk.
Sedbergh Market 2019
My first dabble into selling flowers was in 2019, at the local market. I really had no idea what I was doing but really loved how much the bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects enjoyed my flowers with the added bonus that the garden looked beautiful. In 2020 still with little idea or planning I grew some Sweet Williams in our veg patch and sold them from outside our house and a few dahlias that got battered by the rain. The Sweet Williams were popular and so I joined Flowers from the Farm and started to convert our very overgrown garden to a cutting garden. Seeds were sown and a few roses planted ready for the next season.
