Mulch

In this episode I talk about the reasons why pricing your flowers well is SO important to you and also to the wider Flower Growing community. I set out the 7 reasons why I think it is important to get your pricing right.  I'm 100% honest and I use some difficult language as I do this. I talk about the things that are commonly missed out of pricing in addition to making sure that the first 7 reasons are addressed. Pricing is part of The Flower Farming Business School Online. This is week 8 and we have covered the first pricing module which is all about pricing corms and bulbs accurately. Registration to join the Flower Farming Business School in Q2 will open on Monday March 24th. Sign up here to be the first to know about teh curriculum and to sign up.    Finally, this week we went over 10000 downloads of the MULCH podcast! celebrate with us and buy me a coffee!   Thank you  Rebecca

In this episode of MULCH I address the really tricky question that we all face every year, and often several times a year as a Flower Farmer.  'Am I growing enough flowers and foliage on my flower farm?' It's so important to see this question as one based in the present moment and not a question in comparison to where I want to be in 3 or 5 years time.  So I ask  myself questions at this time of the year to help me to understand the actual position that I find myself in as I head into the beginning of my flower season. And I start with this question: 'Am I growing cut flowers that will cover as much of the season as I want to cover?' because if the answer is yes then whilst I may want to have more of each, the want is not necessarily proportionate to the need.  And if the answer is yes, then really this is the place to stop asking questions so that I can focus on getting the best quality out of what I have, rather than trying to do more. The purpose of The Flower Farming Business School Online is to help you to make the best decisions for you and your Flower Farm.  I ask questions like this all of the tim, because I want to help you to make the best decisions and to understand why you have made them. Quarter 2 of THe Flower Farming Business School will open for registration on Monday March 24th.  Quarter 2 will start on Monday 31st March and I can't wait to work with you to make your Flower growing business work for your. SIGN UP HERE to hear all of the details first.   Rebecca  

This Episode will change how you think about how you rest and how you regain your best energy and most importantly why. Sophie, Author and Positive Psychology Practitioner shares her vast knowledge generously in our conversation and explains the links between different types of rest, energy and productivity, where productivity is not just, 'getting stuff done' This episode is not just for Flower Farmers.  It's for Florists, Small Business owners and ALL women. I'd love to hear your feedback.  Share a review and help more people to benefit from Sophie's generosity in this Episode of MULCH. Links from the Podcast: https://sophiecliff.com/the-hustle-cure - Head to the website to find our more about The Hustle Cure and working with Sophie Cliff

Links from the podcast -  The Flower Farmer's Planner plus annual membership offer The Bragato Institute JADAM BASICS Podcast The Power of Pulse Watering    

This week is all about the information that people need to see and need to be able to see about your any business, but in particular your Flower Farming Business inorder to buy from you.   It's about making it easy for your customers to know that you are right for them. And it's about being honest and clear with your words and your pictures.    All of the information that you need to make this happen is in your Business Plan. If you don't have a Business Plan, here is a link to our Business Planning Module.  It's packed with 6 videos and 6 PDFs to help you to understand where you are going in 2025 and how you are going to get there.    

This episodes is all about board games.  Every board game has a different way of working.  Every board game encourages you to use different skills and understanding those skills has helped me to plan our Flower Availability for 2025.  Listen to learn how.   Links for this episode. Join the waiting list to join Quarter 2 of the Flower Farming Business School Online Sort out your Business Plan with our Business Planning Module Get Free Social Media Prompts   And always feel free to buy me a coffee! Thank you!   Rebecca          

Let's keep things simple! The purpose of your Business Plan is to help you to take the directions that serve you and to confidently decline the directions that do not. It's hard to do, but your business plan will help you.   In this episode I talk you through why and how. If you've enjoyed this episode or found it challenging but worthwhile, please leave a review and share this with your audience on social media.   Thank you.   Rebecca

It's a new day and a new dawn and a new year! We're easing back into things slowly in this part of Yorkshire. Episode 1 of Season 2(!) is all about just this - the Silver-Grey-Way. Most importantly: The Flower Farming Business School Online is open for registration for Q1 (January-March). The Quarter 1 Term starts on Monday January 6th. Registration is open until Thursday January 9th. The Flower Farmer's Planner is not essential, however I will reference it.  Order yours at a discounted price when you join The Flower Farming Business School Online. Rebecca p.s. I always love it when you buy me a coffee!  

In this final episode of Mulch for 2024, Rebecca reflects on the journey of the podcast, the challenges faced in flower farming, and the innovations introduced with the Flower Farmers' Planner. She emphasizes the importance of community support and personal growth, while also looking ahead to the future of the podcast and the resources available for flower farmers.   Order The FLower Farmer's Planner Here.

Summary In this episode of Mulch, Rebecca Aning-Brown shares her insights and advice for new flower farmers as they prepare for the upcoming season. She emphasizes the importance of learning from mistakes, the necessity of rest, and the value of observation in understanding one's growing space. Rebecca provides practical tips on planting, record-keeping, and managing expectations, while cautioning against the temptation to overextend in terms of seed purchases and planting too much too soon. The conversation is rich with personal experiences and practical advice aimed at fostering confidence and success in new flower farming endeavors. Takeaways Flowering is exciting, but focus on a few plants. Learning from mistakes is crucial for growth. Rest is essential for rejuvenation in farming. Keep records to track your progress and learning. Observe your growing space to understand its dynamics. Less is more when starting out in flower farming. Plant spring bulbs for joy and motivation. Autumn sowing can be unpredictable and stressful. Conserve funds for necessary investments later. Avoid the temptation to buy every seed in the catalog. Chapters 00:00Introduction and Setting the Scene 05:10The Importance of Rest 07:34Preparing the Growing Space 11:39Observing and Understanding Your Space 13:59Planting for Joy 16:04Caution Against Autumn Sowing 18:22The Importance of Seed Selection 21:20Learning Through Observation and Experience 23:10The Value of Record Keeping in Flower Farming   Pre-Order the Flower Farmer's Planner Here

In this episode I actually talk about plants!  Naming specific plants is actually a genuine first for MULCH!!   This episode is for you if you have Rabbits or Deer or other pests on your Flower Farm that are driving you potty!   Pre-Order your Flower Farmer's Planner here. Book your place on the Business Planning for Flower Farmers Workshop here.   Caffeinate your Podcaster If you have enjoyed this episode and others, please support Antony and I by buying us a coffee. By us a coffee! Thank you

In this episode I talk about how we prepare for work over winter on the Flower Farm.  Because as you know, Flower Farmers don't rest all winter!   Pre-Order your Flower Farmer's Planner here. Book your place on the Business Planning for Flower Farmers Workshop here.   Caffeinate your Podcaster If you have enjoyed this episode and others, please support Antony and I by buying us a coffee. By us a coffee! Thank you    

So in this episode, I compare the practice of Yoga to the end of the Flower Season!  And I talk about the things that you can do now in the present to keep you focused on what needs doing this season.  Because next season is for now, out of our control.   The 3rd Edition of the Flower Farmer's Planner is now available to Pre-Order.  You can do this using this link.   Business courses for Flower Farmers for November and January are also availble to book.   I'll be back next week!   Rebecca

In this episode I talk about how we as a FLower Farming Business (Silver Grey Foliage) and how we will work in THe FLower Farming Business School.   We work in quarters.  Listen to find out why!

In this episode I talk about building a sustainable Flower Farming Practice for you, so that you can be present for your business. I set some homework prompts to help you to explore the sustainability of your business. And there is a Competition! To win your FREE copy of The Flower Farmer's Planner 1 - Share this episode of MULCH to your stories on Instagram 2 - Tag @theflowerfarmingbusinessschool in the same story AND 3 - send a copy to my Instagram inbox @theflowerfarmingbusinessschool   Thank you for playing and good luck!    

In this episode I bring you up to date with The Flower Farmer's Planner and The Flower Farming Business School  I set a small reflective piece of work for you to consider with a cup of tea and a biscuit. And then I talk about the 5 flowers that I think make you really feel like you are doing the job of a Flower Farmer. Perhaps this is a slightly giddy episode celebrating the completion of my first summer as a Flower Farmer and parent.  It's a little cheeky and I know that you will have other flowers to add or exchange on this list! You can book all courses on our website - www.silvergreyfoliage.com  Caffeinate your Podcaster Support Antony and I by buying us a coffee using the link below. By us a coffee! Thank you   Rebecca abd Antony    

Simplifying your workload and avoiding overload happens when, you stop reinventing the wheel, you rely on your records and you do everything through the window of your Flower Farm values and goals. Learn from SIlver Grey Foliage in 2024 Here are the other ways that you can learn with us this year. The Rose Course for Flower Farmers The Ranunculus (and Anemone) Course for Flower Farmers  First Steps in FLower Farming   Caffeinate your Podcaster If you have enjoyed this episode and others, please support Antony and I by buying us a coffee. By us a coffee! Thank you        

Learn from SIlver Grey Foliage in 2024 Here are the other ways that you can learn with us this year. The Rose Course for Flower Farmers The Ranunculus (and Anemone) Course for Flower Farmers  First Steps in FLower Farming GROW for new FLower Farmers   Caffeinate your Podcaster If you have enjoyed this episode and others, please support Antony and I by buying us a coffee. By us a coffee! Thank you   Work with Rebecca, Now Book a mentoring session with Rebecca and discover the tools and knowledge you need to flourish in the flower farming industry.      

This week in MULCH I talk about the place where Flower Farmers get stuck with their Businesses. The answer requires more than knowledge and spreadsheets.  It requires discernment, support and advice.    Have a listen and let me know what you think.   Learn with SIlver Grey Foliage in 2024 Here are the other ways that you can learn with us this year. The Rose Course for Flower Farmers The Ranunculus (and Anemone) Course for Flower Farmers  First Steps in FLower Farming GROW your Flower Farming Business      

In this episode I share all of the courses that Antony and I have invested in over the past 5 years and why we have approached our own business development and growth in this way. I also share a run down of all of the ways that you can work with us at Silver Grey Foliage over the next 6 to 12 months. Links to all of the courses are also here:   The Rose Course for Flower Farmers The Ranunculus (and Anemone) Course for Flower Farmers First Steps in FLower Farming GROW GROW for new FLower Farmers  

In this year we do the same as we did at the end of March in Episode 15 when we reviewed the first quarter of the year.  I share the outline of part of our review process and also some of our documented findings. Reviewing your practice and keeping you accountable to your goals is one of the things that we will do on GROW   Read more about Grow here

 Click here to be the first to know about GROW and all workshops/courses from Silver Grey for 2024/2025   Work with Rebecca, Now Book a mentoring session with Rebecca and discover the tools and knowledge you need to flourish in the flower farming industry.  

Be the first to know more about Flower Farming Courses and workshops  Click Here   Work with Rebecca, Now Book a mentoring session with Rebecca and discover the tools and knowledge you need to flourish in the flower farming industry.   Caffeinate your Podcaster If you have enjoyed this episode and others, please support Antony and I by buying us a coffee. By us a coffee! Thank you      

Another romp through a way of dealinng with everything that genuinely does need to get done.   To work with Rebecca and crack on with your Flower Farm Book a 1-2-1 Mentoring session Book a mentoring session with Rebecca and discover the tools and knowledge you need to flourish in the flower farming industry.   Be the first to know more about GROW - the year long Flower Farmer Education Course from Silver Grey Foliage and all other courses for Flower Farmers that are coming up Click here to receive more information about the Year Long Flower Farmer course GROW when it is available    

Be the first to know more about GROW - the year long Flower Farmer Education Course from Silver Grey Foliage Click here to receive more information about the Year Long Flower Farmer course GROW when it is available     Work with Rebecca, Now Book a mentoring session with Rebecca and discover the tools and knowledge you need to flourish in the flower farming industry.   Caffeinate your Podcaster If you have enjoyed this episode and others, please support Antony and I by buying us a coffee. By us a coffee! Thank you        

Book a mentoring session with Rebecca and discover the tools and knowledge you need to flourish in the flower farming industry.  

Visible and vulnerable are not characteristics that my 'Professional' careers have taught me. Running your own business is very different to working for someone else.   Book a mentoring session with Rebecca and identify the tools and knowledge you need to flourish in the flower farming industry AND plan a route forwards.  

Book a mentoring session with Rebecca and discover the tools and knowledge you need to flourish in the flower farming industry.   Rebecca the Introvert Instagram Post

Book a mentoring session with Rebecca and discover the tools and knowledge you need to flourish in the flower farming industry. Be the first to know when the next Flower Farmer's Planner is available to order! Join the waiting list here  

Everything in our business is considered 12 to 18 months in advance.   This is how we keep our growth steady and consistent.  More Hare than Tortoise, but it's worked here at Silver Grey Foliage.   When you have listened to the podcast: 1 - Rate the Podcast 2 - Review the Podcast 3 - Share the Podcast in your social media stories 4 - Drop me a line and share your thoughts 5 - If it is within your gift: By us a coffee! Thank you    

Episode 15!   We are a quarter of the way through the year already! Yikes! In this episode, I talk you through the questions and topics that we review each quarter.  And I share a large part of our own findings here at Silver Grey Foliage. This includes talking about the things that have not gone so well and Money! I hope that you enjoy this episode! Subscribe and rate the podcast whereever you are listening. And if you have enjoyed this episode and others, please support Antony and I by buying us a coffee. By us a coffee! Thank you   Rebecca    

There is no doubt that one cannot work without the other.  Flower Farmers need Florists and Florists would like to buy more from Flower Farmers. SO let's open an honest conversation about this.  Lets make this work for all of our businesses.   Flower Farming 101 This is the workshop where you will learn about: The Flower Farmer's Year A guide to how Flower Farming Works  The Flower Farming Year  When Flower Farmers order specific crops Why some crops are more expensive than others Planning Ahead  Ways to encourage Flower Farmers to grow more Flexibility  What I would grow in my garden if I were Florist     CLICK THIS LINK TO LEARN MORE  

So this was the unasked question in the room yesterday at the Seeds of Change workshop that I ran for Flower Farmers who want to grow their Flower Farms and transition into a full time career as a Flower Farmer. In this episode, we move past the obvious answer, which is 'yes'!  I ask the direct question that relates to you and your career intentions.   And I pose some areas for reflection.   Let me know what you think.  And subscribe to the channel and leave a review.     Rebecca

Welcome back.   Books help you to learn, to dream and to grow.  They also help to frame your personal wants needs.  Finally books help you to work out who you are and who you are not.   These choices all influence my FLower Farming practice in one way, or another. Enjoy.   Rebecca   Be the first to know when the next Flower Farmer's Planner is available to order! Join the waiting list here   Join Rebecca and Antony for an honest, enthusiastic and pragmatic discussion on the Career Transition to being a FLower Farmer. March 17th 0930 GMT   If you have enjoyed this episode and others, please support Antony and I by buying us a coffee. By us a coffee! Thank you    

Recording information about your practice is a habit.  In this episode I share the absolute minimum pieces of information that I recommend collecting as a Flower Farmer. Seeds of Change Join Rebecca and Antony for an honest, enthusiastic and pragmatic discussion on the Career Transition to being a FLower Farmer. March 17th 0930 GMT Flower Farmer's Planner Waiting List Be the first to know when the next Flower Farmer's Planner is available to order! Join the waiting list here Buy us a coffee If you have enjoyed this episode and others, please support Antony and I by buying us a coffee. By us a coffee! Thank you  Follow along MULCH is released every Monday, however I am on Instagram most days of the week.  You can follow our work and thoughts HERE during the week. Silver Grey Foliage on Instagram   When I get to the field, I usually loose myself in the planned work for the day pretty quickly.  SOmetimes I remember to take short films.  You'll find these on our Youtuve channel.   Join us on Youtube to see our work in the field        

Join Rebecca and Antony for an honest, enthusiastic and pragmatic discussion on the Career Transition to being a FLower Farmer. March 17th 0930 GMT   Last chance to download: Business Planning for Flower Farmers Pricing for Flower Farmers   If you have enjoyed this episode and others, please support Antony and I by buying us a coffee. By us a coffee! Thank you   MULCH is released every Monday, however I am on Instagram most days of the week.  You can follow our work and thoughts HERE during the week. Silver Grey Foliage on Instagram   When I get to the field, I usually loose myself in the planned work for the day pretty quickly.  SOmetimes I remember to take short films.  You'll find these on our Youtuve channel.   Join us on Youtube to see our work in the field    

So in the view of this Flower Farmer, there are 2 reasons that we have fears about the business of FLower Farming. Listen, to find out what they are and to hear Rebecca's top tips for keeping them in perspective.   Join Rebecca and Antony for an honest, enthusiastic and pragmatic discussion on the Career Transition to being a FLower Farmer. March 17th 0930 GMT   MULCH is released every Monday, however I am on Instagram most days of the week.  You can follow our work and thoughts HERE during the week. Silver Grey Foliage on Instagram   If you have enjoyed this episode and others, please support Antony and I by buying us a coffee. By us a coffee! Thank you      

Is there really such a things as a perfect growing space?  Or are the best Flower Farms built on the basis of compromise?   Join in the fun! Shout Bingo! Get a Full House! Have some fun whilst you work!! Bingo For Flower Farmers!   If you have enjoyed this episode and others, please support Antony and I by buying us a coffee. By us a coffee! Thank you     I love supporting new FLower Farmers to set up their fields and business.  For pragmatic help and problem solving, have a look at our Workshops in January 2024.  1-2-1 Mentoring   Rebecca  

I know that we all want one, but do we all need one?! Join in the fun! Shout Bingo! Get a Full House! Have some fun whilst you work!! Bingo For Flower Farmers!   If you have enjoyed this episode and others, please support Antony and I by buying us a coffee. By us a coffee! Thank you I love supporting new FLower Farmers to set up their fields and business.  For pragmatic help and problem solving, have a look at our Workshops in January 2024. Business Planning for Flower Farmers Pricing for Flower Farmers Marketing for Flower Farmers   Rebecca  

Join in the fun! Shout Bingo! Get a Full House! Have some fun whilst you work!! Bingo For Flower Farmers!   If you have enjoyed this episode and others, please support Antony and I by buying us a coffee. By us a coffee! Thank you   MULCH is released every Monday, however I am on Instagram most days of the week.  You can follow our work and thoughts HERE during the week. Silver Grey Foliage on Instagram   When I get to the field, I usually loose myself in the planned work for the day pretty quickly.  SOmetimes I remember to take short films.  You'll find these on our Youtuve channel.   Join us on Youtube to see our work in the field  

Hello! In this episode, I share a structure to help you to deal with overwhelm in your Flower Farming Practice.  Hearing people worry about overwhelm really distresses me, because I know that YOU CAN do this.  I hope that applying this technique will help you grow your flowers in a stress free manner over the coming weeks and months. If you have enjoyed this episode and others, please support Antony and I by buying us a coffee. By us a coffee! Follow us on Instagram - Silver Grey Foliage on Instagram Follow us on Youtube - Join us on Youtube to see our work in the field   Thank you Rebecca and Antony  

Wecome back! Today's episode provides a pretty detailed insight into behind the scenes at Silver Grey Foliage this January (2024). Do let me know if this helpful! I know that I talk about this al the time, but the key to a successful flower farming practice is definitely good quality records that are relevant to your Flower Farm.   The Flower Farmer's Planner is a planner written for Flower Farmers - Order your copy here!    For pragmatic help and problem solving, have a look at our Workshops in January 2024. Pricing for Flower Farmers Marketing for Flower Farmers   Finally, Antony and I are writing and producing this podcast becase we want to.  We want to make it useful and relevant.  It takes time to plan, record, edit and upload to all of the platforms.  We will continue doing this because we are absolutely loving the process. If you have enjoyed listening to the podcast and fancy buying us a coffee (we are happy to share as we are married!) we would be so grateful.  Thank you for buying us a coffee!   Thank you Rebecca and Antony  

Welcome back to Mulch.  I can't believe that this is Episode 3!  Thank you so much for listening.   January is as busy as any other moth for FLower Farmers!  One of the things that I know that alot of you are doing is checking your seed sowing plan and making a list/ordering new or extra seeds for your collection.   This episode is to help you to plan and organise how you add varieties to your availability list in a logical and consistent way that limits waste.   Enjoy!   I love supporting new FLower Farmers to set up their fields and business.  For pragmatic help and problem solving, have a look at our Workshops in January 2024. Business Planning for Flower Farmers Pricing for Flower Farmers Marketing for Flower Farmers   Finally, Antony and I are writing and producing this podcast becase we want to.  We want to make it useful and relevant.  It takes time to plan, record, edit and upload to all of the platforms.  We will continue doing this because we are absolutely loving the process. If you have enjoyed listening to the podcast and fancy buying us a coffee (we are happy to share as we are married!) we would be so grateful.  The link for coffee buying is HERE.   Thank you Rebecca and Antony  

Welcome back to another Episode of about things that matter to Flower Farmers. In this episode: I talk about Weddings.  I talk about things that were important to Antony and I when we got married and how this is reflected in the work that we do now as DIY wedding providers. I tal about what goes in to different sorts of wedding provision and how this impacts your time and therefore what you need to consider when costing a wedding. I talk about what brings me joy and the customers that we choose to work with as a result of understanding our own strengths and preferences. And finally I as the question - Is wedding work, an essential part of your work as a Flower Farmer? I hope that this makes interesting food for thought as we pass through the most common time of year for couples to get engaged.   Join a business workshop I love supporting new FLower Farmers to set up their fields and business.  For pragmatic help and problem solving, have a look at our Workshops in January 2024. Business Planning for Flower Farmers - to help you to start to think the way that we do and create a Business Framework that allows you to Get On and Grow. Pricing for Flower Farmers - to help you to understand what you need to take into accuont to calculate how much you need to charge for your flowers to pay yourself and make enough profit to grow your business. Marketing for Flower Farmers - To get your flowers sold!   Are you getting married in Leeds? Con gratulations on your engagement! Head to our website to start plannng your seasonal and locally grown DIY wedding flowers. Rebecca    

Hi and welcome to Mulch! In this episode... Each week I wil share a solo episode about Flower Farming Practice and Flower Farming Business. This is our first episode as a small Christmas present to you all!  It's an introduction to the podcast to give insight into what you can look forward to every Monday in the new year. Learn with me I love supporting new FLower Farmers to set up their fields and business.  For pragmatic help and problem solving, have a look at our Workshops in January 2024. Business Planning for Flower Farmers Pricing for Flower Farmers Marketing for Flower Farmers   Keep good records I know that I talk about this al the time, but the key to a successful flower farming practice is definitely good quality records that are relevant to your Flower Farm. The Flower Farmer's Planner is a planner written for Flower Farmers, by me a Flower Farmer, to help you to collect fantastic records that will help you to grow and develop your business now and in the future. Order your copy here!