UPDATE - FARM NOW SOLD. NO LONGER TAKING BOOKINGS.
This is a post I never imagined I'd be writing.
We made a big move from suburban Brisbane to rural Tasmania ten years ago. It was the classic sea change. We couldn't believe how great our new life was! When we bought our farm it had around 3 - 4 acres of proteas planted for commercial cut flowers. We began picking for wholesale orders within 2 months of moving in. This was huge for us - we had never grown proteas before and didn't even know what a leucadedron was. Talk about a learning curve!
We used our family car to pick our first big wholesale order. We didn't have a ute or a tractor.
Ten years on, and our little farm has seen some huge changes. We've gone from using our garage to store our harvest to building our own flower shed and cool room.
We've gone from 3-4 acres of plantation to 8-9 acres with a change in emphasis from quantity to wide variety.
We planted our first new plants in June 2009 and have planted every year since.
There is literally something to pick all year round.
We have gone from providing cut flowers just for the wholesale market, to providing floral designs for weddings which has been a huge pleasure. It has been such a great ride!
But it is with a heavy heart that I write that the ride is coming to an end.
Seven years ago, we had a little girl with some big health challenges. In that time we've spend at least 12 months in hospital with her, most of that in Melbourne. She's currently well and now we are all learning how to do life at her pace. We've realised that if we continue with our current lifestyle we are going to burn out ... and so we need to let it go. Its heartbreaking, but its the right thing to do.
It has been a great privilege to own our little farm, even for just ten years. We have learnt so much and it has changed us - probably more than we even realise. It has been such a genuine pleasure to be involved in hundreds of weddings over the last few years. Being part of such an important day in someones life is challenging and rewarding.
Multiplying the love
Thats what makes the world go round.
Thanks for coming along for the ride.
