Full Moon December 2021
Bluma Update/ Farm Musings
Full Moon Poem
Gifts for the Holidays
I hope this finds everyone doing well and I hope you all have a sweet holidays and a happy new year!
If you're looking for some last minute gifts we got you covered. And we're excited to announce our Flower Club Memberships for 2022.
Give the gift that keeps giving and sign up for our flower club! If you'd like to join email us. Here's some details about the club here.
https://www.blumaflowerfarm.com/blog/bluma-farm-flower-club-for-2022
We also have gift cards available here.
https://www.blumaflowerfarm.com/bluma-shop/gift-card
We have some wreaths available and dried herbal tea bouquets- they make great gifts. Check it out here. We have a few fresh arrangements available too. We are offering pickup and delivery this Tuesday - so order ASAP!
https://www.blumaflowerfarm.com/bluma-shop/everlasting-dried-products
https://www.blumaflowerfarm.com/bluma-shop/p/pop-up-preorder-vase-arrangement-for-pickup-48
Farm Updates/ Musings
Our fresh flower season has pretty much wrapped up and tomorrow is the Winter Solstice. Happy Winter Solstice. I hope you take some time to think about what the winter season brings, maybe write a poem, or go to the top of a hill and read a story.
Growing up my family didn't have many traditions to mark the change in seasons. I didn't grow up celebrating religious holidays (other than Passover and the Jewish New Year). When I started farming there was something sweet about marking the passage of the seasons. Whether it was looking back on everything we grew, or looking toward the season to all that would be planted. I took to writing poems and reading them on the equinoxes and solstices. I haven't kept this up too well the last few years but hope to do so more. I'm including my most recent full moon poem at the bottom of this email. I hope you enjoy whatever winter celebrations you have planned and the rain to come!
Farm things -- A week or so ago I found myself at the farm on a rainy stormy night. I realized I would not sleep well if I didn't go back to the farm. Suited up in rain gear and boots I took the elevator up to the roof. In the eery night with floodlights from the building turning on as we passed we got to work (I convinced my bf Max to come and join me). Often over the winter we lay down silage tarps on the roof as a way to mitigate weeds and get the beds ready for Spring planting. When we get a lot of rain at once I can't leave the tarps down, they would get too heavy with water. I made the mistake of leaving them down this past storm, hence the evening work party on the roof. Myself and Max shed the water from the tarps and folded them up. I felt almost as if we were out at sea. Luckily the ground was not moving underneath us.
I'm still interested in working on rooftop farm legislation in Berkeley/ Oakland (if you're interested and have time to help let me know). I wish the particular roof I'm on had a way to collect rain water- maybe we can encourage new developments to do just that. I'm hoping to think more about how I can mulch on the roof to manage weeds and water.
Note on silage tarps- they are easy on the ground (no weight issues there). I highly recommend them for managing weeds or to use when switching out crops. Also if you are interested in taking out a grass lawn tarps work great. Let me know if you have questions about turning your lawn into a garden! Other good mulching options include cardboard and straw.
Sometimes I find it hard to take a break even in the winter. In California we can get 70 degree days in December, and I find myself feeling like I have to get things done. I'm glad the next couple weeks will be pretty slow (I'm not going to try to do much in the way of field work) and I hope I can leave some time for myself. I'm also going to try to carve out a few days to reflect and vision for the year to come. I have so many ideas. I want to find a way to have more ease in work and have more flexibility to do spontaneous things. While running a farm it can be challenging to do just that. Also stay tuned- I will be hiring again soon! I'm ideally looking for people who have experience on flower farms. As well I'll be updating our offerings for 2022 in the new year- so be sure to check those out (workshops, tours, plant sales and more).
Here's also a few places to donate this winter season if you can.
Sogoreate Land Trust
https://sogoreate-landtrust.org/pay-the-shuumi-land-tax/
Cafe Ohlone
https://www.makamham.com/supportus/support-cafe-ohlone-uc-berkeley
POOR Magazine
https://www.poormagazine.org/rev_donor
Full Moon Poem
Full Moon tumbles me
time moves even if i resist
like breathing i must
and sometimes
without taking notice
full moon reigns
me
in
or
out
breath
cold
news dwells on suffering
and here moon perfection
night
ground
swell
forgotten
endeavor
to be here
for you
tears scatter to the wind
i climb to say hi to the moon
home
how can i ask you to reach
home
allow myself the moment
quietude
low
i jump
across what seems time
into the infinite
like a tree branch in the moonlight
our suns reflection casting us in shadow
allow myself ease
long breaths
remind me treasure is near
i can be
holy
i am
moon
full
rain is coming
a light
i am relieved
for the rain
make time for all the rest
for rest
love
moon
december
rain
quietude
gratitude
words on paper
a balm for my spirit
— Joanna
