Walk and Talk
I love getting my steps in. I try for 20K a day. It's a lot of walking and a lot of time, so I try to multi-task. If I'm on my home treadmill, I will watch a show or listen to an audio book. Outside, on a safe, no-traffic route, I will schedule a phone call with a flower friend. I call these dates my walk-and-talks. I just plug in my air pods and go. Next to bringing my laptop to a coffee shop, this is my favorite way to get shit done outside of the shop. I've had three productive walk-and-talks recently, both in steps and in flower business.
My first mobile conversation of the week was with Maya Kosok of Hillen Homestead. While we see each other frequently and text almost every day during the season, November and December were whirlwinds for both of us, so we had a lot to catch up on. Maya told me all about her trip to the Netherlands led by Farmer Bailey for a select group of flower farmers and professionals. I loved hearing about the greenhouses and farms she visited. She shared photos with me of her favorite gerbers, lisianthus, and alstroemeria.
Maya is continuing her travels in 2025, so we needed to work out some logistics for flower deliveries. Hillen Homestead is one of my biggest suppliers. While Maya is away she has some new farmers growing on her land. We set up a continuity plan to keep my inventory flush.
I also had a walk-and-talk with Jennie from Love 'n Fresh Flowers this week. These are always productive. This week we chatted about her wholesale flower distribution hub, the Philadelphia Floral Guild, and what they have planned for this year. We talked about getting together when I'm in town for the next FlowerMore meet-up at the Philadelphia Flower Show in March. We also made a plan for me to join another episode of the Flower Guild Radio Podcast. Stay tuned!
In my last walk-and-talk of the week I caught up with Laura Beth Resnick of Butterbee Farm. LB has been one of my primary flower suppliers for over a decade. She filled me in on her winter growing. She overwintered anemones and ranunculus to pump out blooms for her CSA. She also told me about a new compost tea she's trying out to improve her soil. We'll know in a few months how its working. I'm looking forward to another season of Butterbee flowers in my shop.
Despite my self-proclamation of being a weakling, I crush walk-and-talks. The physical activity in combination with my enthusiasm for flowers keeps me and business going in the winter.
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