Theme: flowers

News From the Farm | March 9, 2020

March 9, 2020

Beware the Ides of March?

For many years in a row I have been the “flower article” author, bringing to you news about Full Belly Farm’s flower growing and the upcoming flower subscription (starts April 1st everyone!). The weather is often a common topic, how it effects our flower growing, how it is unusually warm, or wet, or cold, or dry.  [Read more…]

News From the Farm | April 15, 2019

April 15, 2019

Calling all Gardening Enthusiasts!

We would like to extend a warm welcome to all of you to visit the Capay Valley on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 12, for the 12th annual Mother’s Day Farm and Garden Tour. Our valley is the proud home to an amazing array of gardeners and farmers, from a 2-acre homesteading garden to a 10-acre floral production field, we definitely have something to delight everyone. Eight gardens will be on display sprinkled through the Valley towns of Capay, Brooks, Guinda and Rumsey. Along with the gardens there are other points of interest including live music at the Taber Ranch wine-tasting room and the Seka Mills Olive Mill which is surrounded by roses and lavender. All attendees will be provided a self guided tour map so that you can make your own schedule and stop for a picnic lunch at one of the gardens. Box lunches will be available at our local Grange Hall and can be purchased in advance on the website. [Read more…]

News From the Farm | March 11, 2019

March 11, 2019

Shhhh… don’t let anyone know but I love my job. I love our farm, I love all the people I work with, I love going to the farmers markets, I feel blessed to be able to help each day to make this farm productive and beautiful. I feel good about what I do everyday. I believe in my life and work each morning when I awake and even more so when I fall asleep. Strange, I know, but true. [Read more…]

News From the Farm | November 26, 2018

November 26, 2018

Fall is in full swing here at the farm. The first rain came last week and washed away months of dust and smoke that had settled on the plants. The leaves on the walnut trees seemed to change from bright green to a dark yellow overnight and the farmers began to walk a little slower and breathe a little deeper. It happens every year- and yet it feels just as refreshing this year as the last. The fresh flowers are frosted and the petals now have a beautiful browned edge that seems to signal the end of the season.  [Read more…]

News From the Farm | April 16, 2018

April 16, 2018

Mothers’ Day Sunday always presents a plethora of options for families wanting to spoil that amazing mother (or grandmother!) for her special day. Well, we have a secret up here in the Capay Valley – the most perfect experience you could ever give your mom – the Capay Valley Mothers’ Day Garden Tour. Here are the top five reasons why this tour is exactly what that special mother (or gardening fanatic!) deserves for Mothers’ Day:

#1. It is in a spectacular setting. There is nothing more beautiful than this agricultural valley (that we are lucky enough to call home) in the middle of May. The Capay Valley is home to 5 small towns and winds through them all over 20 miles. The gardens are blooming, the temperature is typically ideal (usually in the mid 80’s) and best of all, the first fruit of the season will be starting with peaches, mulberries and strawberries! [Read more…]

News From the Farm | March 12, 2018

March 12, 2018

Hannah and Dru today continuing their passion.

“It wasn’t as if the flowers themselves held within them the ability to bring an abstract definition into physical reality. Instead it seemed that…expecting change, and the very belief in the possibility, instigated a transformation.”

The Language of Flowers, by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

My daughter Hannah and I share a passion for cut flowers. Actually passion might be too light of a word – obsession might be more appropriate.  We scour seed catalogs for endless hours in bed, read blogs, follow hundreds of flower growers on social media, and go to flower meetings on Sundays –our one-day off.  We beg for cuttings, attend conferences and belong to the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers (who knew this even existed!) We go to seed swaps, have flower growers to the farm, lead workshops.  We lie in bed at night worrying about rain, frost, drought and wind.  Oh yes… AND we grow 15 acres of cut flowers at Full Belly Farm.  [Read more…]

News From the Farm | March 13, 2017

March 13, 2017

On an anomaly of a beautiful day this February a group of 33 flower growers braved the flooded roads of Yolo County to come to Full Belly Farm for the 1st annual impromptu Northern California Cut Flower Growers meeting. 30 woman and 3 men talked flowers for 3 hours and then went on a tour of the Full Belly flower fields. My daughter Hannah and I organized this special meeting with a little bit of self-interest we must confess. We wanted to share stories, learn varieties and hear what works for other growers in our region – trying to break from the all-too-common mold of “farmer secrecy.” We were not disappointed! We learned about new greenery species that we should try, how to pinch carnations, a few must try rose varieties specific for cut flowers and a host of flower growing tips. We had farmers with just a few years under their belts and others who have grown flowers for several decades. In return for all of these great tips we shared everything that we have learned over the past 30 years of growing flowers at Full Belly. What a treat it was to listen and learn from others about favorite flower varieties, time of planting and woes of weather. We all departed feeling ready and excited about the spring to come and definitely wanting to do another gathering in the fall!

Full Belly Farm flower fields have been gracing the farm since our beginnings but really started ramping up in size about 15 years ago when we began our flower offerings for our CSA customers and delivering flowers to retail stores. We now have expanded to 12 acres of cut flowers grown during the course of a year with over 50 different species planted. Last year we picked over 40,000 bunches… Our biggest producer by far is the glorious sunflower, which we plant successively every 10 days from February to August, ensuring a constant supply. Last year we even harvested them the day before Thanksgiving! [Read more…]

News From the Farm | May 23, 2016

May 23, 2016

Summer season has begun and we want our CSA members to visit us! We want you to experience the farm and get to know the challenges and joys of each season. We want to be YOUR family’s farmer, providing as much of your diet for you as possible – vegetables, fruits, nuts and FLOWERS! Yes, even flowers…

On Sunday June 12, you and your family have another opportunity to visit Full Belly Farm, this time for a Field to Vase experience featuring a tour of the farm and our flower fields. Wander through the sunflowers, zinnias, marigolds, asters and cosmos – this is your chance to explore our flower operation from seed to stem. Full Belly Florist, Hannah Rose Muller, will guide participants through a farm fresh floral design workshop, complete with harvesting and arranging YOUR own bouquet! [Read more…]

News From the Farm | March 14, 2016

March 14, 2016

Two weeks ago, I picked the first ranunculus out of our spring flower field. It was just one bunch, and the pink, purple, and red petals were all lightly dusted with rain. The stems were snipped close to the base of the leafy plant, and then wrapped carefully with one of the green rubber bands that I seem to have permanently attached to my wrists. It was just one bunch, but I felt a budding excitement anyway. In my last two years of picking flowers for wedding and events here at Full Belly Farm, I have seen how quickly one bunch of flowers transforms into an entire field of beautiful blooms ready for clipping. The first sweet peas are finding their way up the twine to finally push forth fragrant buds, and the snapdragons are growing towards the sun – raising their heads higher and higher until they begin to bloom with bright colors. And so it goes. Spring is coming soon, and the flowers at Full Belly Farm are paving the way, calling to the insects, farmers and customers to get prepared to join in the spectacle of the spring equinox parade.

The flower fields this year are some for the record books. Rows upon rows of Love In The Mist, Bells of Ireland, Calendula, Feverfew, Godetias… the March rains have transformed the fields into an emerald dreamland, where drip tape has not been needed, and weeding has been easier to stay on top of than in years past. Last year at this time, the fields were cracking and the soil was dry. Drip tape gave enough water for single plants to grow, but left the rest of the field thirsty. It is such a stark contrast, and while the famers are itching to get summer planting underway, they are also grinning from ear to ear every time they look at their rain gauges, thankful for this “miracle March.” The flowers are blooming a bit slower, and are coming at a steadier pace than last year, but as soon as this next storm passes, and April draws nearer, we know that we will have flowers blooming ‘out of our ears’ as they say. [Read more…]

News From the Farm | October 12, 2015

October 12, 2015

One of the highlights of our spring this year were the beautiful flower fields and the wonderful flower bouquets that we made in record numbers.  From Agrostemma to Zinnia, this was a record year for flowers. As one of the people who often helps to organize the store orders that come in every day I have been struck by the fact that our flower buyers had their orders in often and early, while in contrast it was sometimes quite an effort to track down the produce buyers. Our friends in the stores don’t want to miss out on the flowers!

Some of you may have seen our “wreath room” — a small barn at the farm where we hang fresh flowers from the ceiling to dry. This barn has seen many people coming and going over the  years, and it had a very close call in the early morning last Sunday, when the strong Hoes Down wind blew a spark from a grill towards some bins next to the barn, which smoldered for a while and then almost burnt the whole barn down. A camper alerted the Rivers-Muller household and quick work soon put the fire out, but not before some damage had been done to the north wall. What a close call! [Read more…]

News From the Farm | August 24, 2015

August 24, 2015

It was my parent’s 32nd wedding anniversary last week. To me, along with wishing them a happy day and giving them a big sloppy smooch on the cheek, this also meant working along side them on the farm on another hot summer day.

There are challenges and incredible benefits to working with my family members. As sisters, brothers, mothers and fathers, we are all joined in the valiant effort of trying to feed the souls and bellies of those who surround us. Additionally, we all try to remember to ask how weekends went, how children are, and check in with each other on a personal level. During these long summer days, it would be easy to slide into work and forget that we are family. [Read more…]

News From the Farm | April 13, 2015

April 13, 2015

We would like to extend a warm welcome to gardening enthusiasts to our unique valley on Mother’s Day Sunday, May 10th for the 8th annual Capay Valley Mother’s Day Garden Tour.  Our valley is home to an amazing array of gardeners and farmers – from a 2 -acre homesteading garden to a 20- acre floral production field, we definitely have something to delight everyone. Nine gardens will be on display sprinkled throughout the valley towns of Esparto, Capay, Brooks, Guinda and Rumsey. Along with the gardens there are other points of interest including the new Seka Hills Olive Mill and wine tasting rooms and the Capay Valley Vineyards tasting room –both of which have special delights for mothers on their special day. Our local restaurant, the Guinda Commons, will be featuring jazz music all day and the Yolo Grange Hall is providing a “local lunch box” for those wanting to purchase a locally sourced meal. The tour is self-guided so that you can take your time and linger at those gardens that really draw you in.

The gardeners themselves make the day an especially exceptional event. For instance, the owner and head “gardener” at the Capay Oaks garden is a world-renowned landscape architect with projects scattered from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Redding, California! Ron Lutsko designed the famous Sundial Garden in Redding with an emphasis on environmental sustainability including acres of drought tolerant natives. His woodland-oak landscaped garden here in the Capay Valley is a stunning example of this as well and includes hundreds of special species that Ron has collected throughout the state. [Read more…]

News From the Farm | March 9, 2015

March 9, 2015

Flowers

I remember quite clearly writing my annual “flower article” last year and starting off with a confident statement about how consistent the flowers were despite mother nature’s follies of no rain, warm climate and sudden whacky freezes. Well, this year I might have to rescind that statement  – but just a little. Yes, this year nature’s idiosyncrasies might have fooled us all, including the flowers, with her warm, balmy days all throughout January (the driest and warmest in recorded valley history) then brief flooding in February and then back to a sunny and warm March. How could we not be just a tiny bit confounded to know what the time of year is?

The bulk of our spring flowers were planted months ago, way back in October, which my feeble memory has a hard time remembering. Yes, back when the leaves were turning a golden fall yellow, we were digging thousands of holes for tulips, ranunculus, and iris.  We were transplanting thousands of little snapdragons, godetias, sweet Williams, delphiniums and Canterbury bells. The tractors were loaded up with special seeders and we planted rows and rows of sweet peas, larkspur, nigella, calendula, flax and sweet smelling stock. [Read more…]

News from the Farm | May 12, 2014

May 12, 2014

A Flower Explosion! 

Last week was our biggest flower sales week in the history of our farm! Our team of flower harvesters and bunchers made well over 3,500 bouquets of flowers last week – each one unique and beautiful and sent off to brighten someones day. We grow a little under 15 acres of fresh flowers on our farm, all of them are varieties that we love. Right now, we are in the thick of larkspur, godetia, and sunflower harvest. In the next few months, zinnias will begin to pop up everywhere on our farm. 

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[Read more…]

News from the Farm | March 17, 2014

March 17, 2014

Flowers

The miraculous thing about nature is that no matter how thrown off us human beings may feel, she always comforts us with a remarkably accurate consistency. 

flowers

This winter, despite century record- breaking low rainfall, unheard of freezing temperatures in December, howling winds and record breaking high temperatures in January, our tulips and ranunculus bulbs are blooming right on schedule! How can they know when to emerge and send up their bold leaves when most of the “normal” signals and cues that we think of are off kilter? The magnificent purple lilac blooms with their breath taking perfumes are once again here right on time to herald in a gorgeous spring. One can only be humbled and awed by the force and power of the pulls on this cranking planet we call earth. [Read more…]

News From the Farm | Week of October 14, 2013

October 14, 2013

Fall is here and winter is coming soon. All of us at the farm are ready for shorter days, cooler nights and…rain! We absolutely can’t wait for the clouds to gather and give us that much needed winter burst of moisture – cleaning off the dusty, hectic days of summer.

The women at the farm who pick and make the flower bouquets all summer long are very happy as well. As the days become cooler and the fresh flowers come to an end in the fields their jobs move into the “wreath room” using the colorful dried flowers that have been hung from the rafters over the summer months. The barn, which we now call the wreath room, is one of the older buildings on the farm and is sided with beautifully weathered redwood. Inside are hundreds of flower bunches – I wish I could give you a tour! Yellow yarrow, blue and pink larkspur, bright red cayenne peppers, nigella, white winged everlasting, round golden drumstick, baby pink globe amaranth, black-awned wheat, all in gorgeous lines dangling from the old ceiling. As the wreaths and dried bouquets get made, flowers get pulled from the ceiling, and new bunches that have been carefully packed away in June, July and August replace them, making an ever changing array of color. [Read more…]

News From the Farm – May 2, 2013

May 2, 2013

The farm is so alive during this time of year! Everywhere you turn, it seems like something new is blooming, growing or coming to life. Though the hot summer seems to be racing towards us, with harvests of tomatoes, melons and squash coming soon, everyone seems to be totally rejuvenated by the bright green hills and blooming flowers. We invite you to come experience the farm in its full spring attire – chock full of flowers, baby animals and bright green hills for the 2013 Capay Valley Mother’s Day Country Gardens Tour. 

The Capay Valley Garden Tour is proud to feature nine gardens this year, including Good Humus Produce, Cache Creek Lavender, Leapfrog Farm, Lloyd Ranch and Full Belly Farm. The Gettleshtetl Garden is a wonderful homesteading garden that has over 20 varieties of fruit trees, nuts trees and even a home olive grove! Also included will be the Seka Hills Olive Mill open for olive oil tasting and Chamisa Ridge Nursery where you can purchase many of the natives that are low water use. You can bring a picnic and lunch on the lawn at many of the gardens or purchase a delicious lunch from the Grange Hall in Guinda. Not only is this a fun and relaxing way to spend Mother’s Day, but it is an opportunity to see the farms where your food is grown. 

[Read more…]

News from the Farm | March 4, 2013

March 4, 2013

I just returned from a serendipitous Sunday Stroll around the farm with my six-month old grandson, Rowan. He was bumping along in the farm stroller as I pushed in any direction that the dogs were going, making my companion squeal in delight. The day was gorgeous – a quintessential one on the farm – with soft white clouds in the spring sky and a hint of rain coming in the air. Everywhere I looked today made me proud to be a farmer: clean neat rows of broccoli, arugula and spinach are bursting out of the dark earth in the fields next to the house; cover crops are everywhere, stretching out above and below the ground with nitrogen fixing vetch and oats that will soon be turned in for fertility for the summer crops; peaches and apricots are in their full pink and white regalia of blooms with bees buzzing thick in the air. Hours earlier we witnessed the birth of three baby lambs from a new ewe – yes, a very wonderful Sunday indeed here at Full Belly Farm.

[Read more…]
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