Red Dirt Farm and Studio

Flowers make people happy.

Giving them away just for the act of kindness fills my heart and soul.

A few years ago when debating on opening an Instagram account I heard so many negative things about Instagram that I didn’t think it was the place for me. Eventually I  did open an account; and I have been pleasantly surprised with all the goodness that has come from holding a place there.  I have met a wonderful group of folks from all around the world that are kind, encouraging and cheer each other on.  It has really been a good thing especially this past year during all the hard times we were all going through.

When I read that a women that I follow, lost her daughter to cancer this February, it inspired something in me.

Pam said her daughter, named Sunny – loved sunflowers.  Pam told me that she had planted sunflowers for her Sunny, but that they had not germinated, and how disappointed she was.  My heart felt sad for her and I wanted to do something to honor both of these women, though I have never met either one, but really kindness knows no stranger – right?  After thinking about it I went to Mr. Red Dirt and asked if he was willing to till up another area for me to plant sunflowers to honor Sunny.  As always, with a smile he agreed.

The more I thought about it, the more I felt like I wanted to do a bit more. I contacted Pam with an idea, to not just plant flowers but to donated those flowers to cancer patients, in memory of her daughter.  With her approval I shared my idea with Mr. Red Dirt and of course, he was completely on board and encouraged me to follow my heart. 

I then asked a friend that seems to know all the right people –  if she could get me in touch with someone at our local hospital in Charlottesville, of course she did.  I reached out to the hospital staff and told them what I wanted to do. The idea was met with a very positive response and from there plans were made.

Some readers know that I have had a little honor market wagon on my property for the past few years selling, eggs, flowers and art.  Truthfully it has been such a struggle to get local folks to support my efforts.  Last year was beyond difficult, so to compensate my efforts, there was a small local market that I sold my flowers and art and eggs at that I had fair success with.  That market is not operating this year and my little market wagon business has declined. I closed my wagon after one too many heart breaking events.  People were stealing from me and it had come to the point that I was having more stolen then paid for.  It all came to a head when too much had been taken for my heart to go on. I closed my wagon down on the heels of having a person go out of their way to come over to me at a craft show I was selling at the day before. This person made a horrible mean statement to me about my flowers. I honestly can’t understand this kind of meanness. I can’t understand what makes a person think it is ok to talk to another person like that. It made me realize that people hadn’t been interested in buying my flowers in the past despite all my efforts and they certainly weren’t going to all the sudden come to my farm and buy them this year, especially if they could just steal things from me.

I miss having the wagon open, but now I have room to prioritize my time for growing and cutting and delivery of the flowers to the hospital.  I spend an hour to two hours in the gardens early in the mornings cutting the flowers. It is my favorite time of the day.  The flowers rest for a few hours to condition the stems.  I enjoy seeing them around the house until I am ready to put together the bouquets. Then I spend another hour or two making the bouquets. The next morning I go out for delivery.  I am currently making two trips a week to take flowers in.  It is a losing proposition, no income, money spent on gas and my time  – a round trip to the hospital is a little over an hour.  The sleeves the flowers must be presented in and the labels that go on the sleeves cost money.  I’m a fool.  One happy, over the moon giddy fool.

Donating my time and flowers to people that are appreciative of my efforts is so very rewarding. If I can share a little kindness, and ease their difficult journey just for a moment, it is so worth it. There is so much I could say about all this but I think I’ll just leave it at this.

It’s a good thing.

until next time,

xo, Kim

Side note after posting this bog – I don’t want this post to be all about me – I mean it is, but that’s not what I want. What I want to convey and perhaps I didn’t do that so well, is that being kind to others is important. Really important, whether they are going through cancer and or other sickness. I mean we all have something to deal with right? Our world has become so raw and rude and unkind in so many ways – when really to use a “quote can’t we all just get along?” Can’t we all do something or say something kind to a stranger because it’s a good thing. I think we all have room for that or could.