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Ep.73: Journey to Bloom: Learning to Be Present in Every Season
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As the flowers fade and the farm quiets down for winter, Jennifer reflects on what this past year of rebuilding her farm has taught her about patience, gratitude, and growth. Inspired by the timeless reminder that “it’s not the destination, it’s the journey,” she shares how slowing down and being present has brought new meaning to the work of tending both the land and the heart.
This episode is an invitation to pause and reflect, to notice the beauty in what’s already growing, to find joy in the process, and to move forward with faith even when the outcome isn’t yet visible. Jennifer shares lessons learned from transforming a fallow field into a thriving flower farm, from the small wins to the moments that stretched her the most. Along the way, she offers reflections to help you reconnect with your own journey, the one that’s unfolding right now between the planting and the bloom.
Whether you’re a flower farmer, gardener, or simply navigating a season of change, this episode is a gentle reminder that growth takes time and that the real magic isn’t found at the finish line but in who we become along the way.
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Show Notes: https://thefloweringfarmhouse.com/2025/10/25/ep-73-journey-to-bloom/
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Transcript
Introduction to Backyard Bouquet Podcast
00:00:02
Speaker
Welcome to the Backyard Bouquet Podcast, where stories bloom from local flower fields and home gardens. I'm your host, Jennifer Galizia of The Flowering Farmhouse. I'm a backyard gardener turned flower farmer located in Hood River, Oregon.
00:00:17
Speaker
Join us for heartfelt journeys shared by flower farmers and backyard gardeners. Each episode is like a vibrant garden, cultivating wisdom and joy through flowers. From growing your own backyard garden to supporting your local flower farmer,
00:00:32
Speaker
The Backyard Bouquet is your fertile ground for heartwarming tales and expert cut flower growing advice. All right, flower friends, grab your gardening gloves, garden snips, or your favorite vase because it's time to let your backyard bloom.
Seasonal Reflections in Hood River
00:00:55
Speaker
Hi, flower friends, and welcome back to the Backyard Bouquet podcast. I wanted to hop on here and share another seasonal reflection with you.
00:01:06
Speaker
As I record today's episode, Fall is truly in the air here in Hood River, Oregon, and the air is starting to change. It's starting to get cold.
00:01:18
Speaker
The mornings I find myself I need bundle up, put on that winter hat and some gloves. The colors right now are absolutely unbelievable.
00:01:29
Speaker
I wish I could share my farm with each and every one of you right now. i pull up every day and I'm just amazed at the fall foliage all around us. I know they talk about other areas of the country being a sight to see for the fall foliage, but if you've never seen the Columbia River Gorge in the fall,
00:01:48
Speaker
please come visit us sometime because the fall colors are incredible. They will literally stop you in your tracks here. And as we're talking about fall, I noticed that the garden is really winding down for this season.
00:02:03
Speaker
My dahlias are fading. We're starting to dig them up. The birds are getting quieter. The bees are getting quieter.
Embracing the Journey on a New Farm
00:02:10
Speaker
And it's that time of year when I really start to reflect on the season.
00:02:15
Speaker
The other morning I was listening to my daily morning motivation through Brendan Burchard's growth day. And they were talking about how it's the journey, not the destination. And it made me start thinking about Ralph Waldo Emerson's quote, it's not the destination, it's the journey.
00:02:35
Speaker
And that's really been sitting with me, especially this week as I'm cleaning up our farm and thinking about everything we've done in this last year, which is our first year on this new site.
00:02:47
Speaker
And for me, it's been so easy to look ahead. I'm so eager to build out the vision for our new farm. But what I've realized is that sometimes I forget that the real magic is happening right now in the process. It's the tending, it's the growth that we can't always see.
00:03:06
Speaker
And so that's what I wanted to talk to you about today. i i just felt in my heart that I'm probably not the only one who's reflecting as the season is winding down.
Growth and Personal Reflections
00:03:18
Speaker
And i think it's so easy for us as farmers and gardeners to get so focused on the destination that we forget to enjoy the process, whether it's planting that dahlia and waiting so anxiously for it to bloom, but forgetting to enjoy the process and marveling at the beauty that comes from this tuber that we put into the ground and takes weeks, if not months, to grow and form a bud and then produce this beautiful bloom that just amazes us and makes us be so present in the moment.
00:03:53
Speaker
So that's what I really wanted to talk to you about today. I've been really reflecting on our new property, which you're probably sick of me talking about at this point, but it's a big deal for us. I mean, for five years, we were looking for land in Hood River. And when we finally found this property, it was like, okay, it's time to start building out our dream.
00:04:14
Speaker
And I have my vision boards. i I, my future is so clear, but what I realized is I'm not being present in the moment because I'm so focused on The future, I'm so focused on getting that barn, having our you pick open, having people come to the farm.
00:04:31
Speaker
And what I realized is I need to step back and appreciate all that has happened this year. We started with a fallow field just over a year ago, 13 months ago. and was a field covered in napweed.
00:04:44
Speaker
And we have planted over thousand native trees and shrubs. We have converted an acre into a cut flower farm. production. We grew 4,000 dahlias this year and the number of birds and bees that have returned to this farm has been absolutely incredible.
00:05:05
Speaker
And I was going to miss all of that if I didn't stop to really pause and think about it because I was so focused on getting that barn, on building our shed for our U-Pick and for people coming to the farm for on-farm sales.
00:05:21
Speaker
And I think it's so easy for us to do, especially in this society where we're always looking for more, more, more. But sometimes we really need to just focus on being grateful for what we have.
00:05:31
Speaker
And that's what I hope to instill here today. I mean, for me, it has been an overwhelming year to say the least. I mean, you probably have noticed that I have not been super consistent with the podcast starting all over after six years on another piece of land has been a process and it's been exhausting. It's been joyful. It's been incredible. It's been all of the emotions.
00:05:58
Speaker
And it's taken a lot of hope and a lot of faith to get to where we are today. And i don't think I really appreciated that until this last week. And perhaps it was the fall foliage. I mean, we kind of sit in this little valley where there's a mountain called Middle Mountain and then on the others, and then our property dips down to the Hood River, which is the river that runs off of Mount Hood and out to the Columbia River.
00:06:24
Speaker
And then the hills climb back up towards the Cascade mountain range on the other side of our property. And all of those trees are just turning colors right now. And the shades of red and orange and yellow are so incredible that I just, I froze this week. I looked around with amazement and gratitude and I was like, okay, we have so far to go, but wow,
00:06:50
Speaker
Look how far we have already come. And not just not just the farm, but us as individuals too. I mean, we have been pushed and tested in so many ways and to be able to look back and just feel so much gratitude for that.
00:07:06
Speaker
And I have to tell you, so much of that gratitude goes to this audience and our past guest speakers and all of you who have encouraged me along the way. I mean, we would have never even found this land if I hadn't talked to people on this podcast who farm at a larger scale than I previously did that caused me to say, well, if they can do it, why can't I? And I hope that you are finding that same encouragement in your own life as you listen to this podcast.
00:07:35
Speaker
But what I want to remind all of us today is what I have realized this week, and maybe you are already there and this is just a reminder, or maybe you needed to hear this because you have been so focused on the destination that you've forgotten to really appreciate the journey that you're on right now. So the thing that I have learned this week is that the real thing for me is not the finished farm at the end of the journey.
00:08:00
Speaker
It's this, it's the process, it's the sewing, the tending, the growing, that's where the magic lives. And so I hope that you can see that for yourself too.
00:08:13
Speaker
Did you plant dahlias for the first time this year? And did you get to experience the magic as you saw the ladybugs coming and eating the aphids on your plant and watching this plant survive?
00:08:25
Speaker
extreme heats or droughts or heavy rains. And this thing that was literally this little tuber that looks like a potato produced this phenomenal plant. I think that's where the magic is, is really appreciating the journey and looking at yourself too. Look what you grew, whether you expanded your farm this year, planted your first garden, really take time and appreciate that.
Living in the Present Moment
00:08:49
Speaker
What I would love to do today is I want to offer you a perspective for being grounded in the present moment and learning to trust the process because that's what this year has been for me. I recently had an opportunity to go to an event where Brendan Burchard was speaking and his business partner, Ethan Willis, gave one of the speeches while the weekend was taking place and he talked about going forward with faith.
00:09:15
Speaker
And I thought, how true is that for us farmers that we are constantly having to move forward in faith. There is so much out of our control, whether it's mother nature or pests weather, so many things that can affect that we have absolutely no control of, but we plant the seed anyways, we move forward in faith.
00:09:37
Speaker
And I realized this week that I was living far too far ahead. I've been dreaming about what will be, about that barn that we don't even have the funds for yet, but will happen someday.
00:09:48
Speaker
And instead of really appreciating what we really have, appreciating that we just grew an acre of flowers from a fallow field, and we did it. we We had people come to our farm this year, and it was incredible to see the joy and the smiles on their face as they brought home flowers from our farm, and they were so excited to support us.
00:10:08
Speaker
One thing that's really stood out to me is that we don't live in the past and we can't live in the future. The only place that growth is happening and that we can live is in the present moment. And I think we all, and think that's why we're so drawn to flowers because we know they draw us into that present moment. The only way you can appreciate that flower is to be present in the moment when you are truly grounded and truly Living in that moment, you get to experience the true beauty and joy that comes from appreciating that flower.
00:10:41
Speaker
And not only do the flowers teach us that, but the land also. When you plant that seed, you can't rush or hurry that seed to sprout. That seed is going to sprout on its own time.
00:10:53
Speaker
The soil on our new farm we started with pretty poor soil. We can't rush the healing of the soil. We can tend to it We can add amendments. We can cover crop. We can move forward with faith, trusting that what we're doing now will better the soil and help us grow better plants in the future.
00:11:12
Speaker
But the only thing we can do is right now in the present moment. And so every day we have to keep showing up with that faith that what we're doing right now matters, whether it's harvesting those flowers for your neighbor or for your customer or sowing those seeds. Some of you might be sowing sweet pea seeds right now, trusting that they're going to bloom this spring, or maybe you're sowing delphiniums or larkspur and knowing that they're going to get tucked into your soil over winter and produce beauty this spring. We're going forward with faith.
00:11:46
Speaker
I think it's so easy to think that fulfillment lives in the someday, but it can be really found in the right now. so I just want to offer you a few prompts as we're heading into the weekend to really just pause, think, and feel connected with your flowers, with the land, with yourself.
00:12:06
Speaker
So the first question I have for you that I want to challenge you with today is where have you been so focused on the end result that you might've missed the beauty in the process?
00:12:18
Speaker
For me, I think about how many times I've walked our new field this year. I've been anxious for it to just look finished. I've looked at those empty rows thinking, okay, when it's all in bloom. But when I finally stop and pause,
00:12:32
Speaker
What do I notice? I notice there's the cover crop and all of the bees swarming the flowers on the buckwheat. The native trees that we planted in our native restoration area, we took three acres and we have we're working on restoring a native habitat.
00:12:48
Speaker
And those trees are taking root. They started as little 12, 18-inch sticks. Some of them are five feet tall already. These sumacs literally sprouted this summer and have grown so fast. I can't wait. I mean, and I need to live in the present. There I go.
00:13:04
Speaker
But just what have you been so focused on that you might have missed the beauty in the process? I challenge you to think about that because the beauty is already here. You just have to be still enough to see it.
00:13:17
Speaker
The next question I have for you is what are you tending to right now that deserves your presence and not your perfection? So I'll say that again. What are you tending to right now that deserves or needs your presence, not your perfection.
00:13:32
Speaker
Maybe it's your garden, your business, your family, or maybe it's yourself. We don't have to have everything figured out to keep showing up and moving forward with faith each day.
00:13:44
Speaker
For me, right now, my family needs my presence. It's almost my daughter's birthday. It's a busy season. She's got school sports, school events. I need to be present for my family. So how How can I show up and be present?
00:14:00
Speaker
I don't have to be perfect, but how can I be present? I know that that is a reminder that I have needed recently is I don't have to do things perfectly. i just need to show up with presence and trust that I'm moving forward with faith.
00:14:17
Speaker
I'd love for you to take a moment to look back on this week and think about how far have you come?
00:14:25
Speaker
For me, It allows me to pause, to notice, and to celebrate progress over perfection. For me, if I really pause, I can celebrate. We planted 4,000 dahlias in what was a fallow field, even through all of the clover that kept coming back and the napweed. We still had blooms this year. I had no idea at the beginning of the season if we would even have flowers to sell this year.
00:14:49
Speaker
And we did. They bloomed and they were beautiful. So my next question for you is What if the real magic was never the bloom at all, but who you've become while you're growing it?
00:15:05
Speaker
For me, I think that's the lesson that I'm going to carry into the next season. It's not about the destination. It's about becoming.
00:15:16
Speaker
Okay. As the flowers are fading and our fields are becoming quiet and we're putting them down to rest, I am choosing gratitude. Gratitude for the process, gratitude for the growth that I see and the kind still happening beneath the surface.
00:15:33
Speaker
I challenge you to do the same. When we live in the present, it's so much easier to focus on the gratitude, the good things in our life. So wherever you are in your own journey, I really challenge you and encourage you to do the same.
Recommendations and Conclusion
00:15:48
Speaker
Keep tending, keep trusting, keep showing up with that forward faith that what you're planting today will bloom in its own perfect time. Because the real magic isn't in the bloom, it's in who we become while we're growing it.
00:16:04
Speaker
So until next time, flower friends, keep tending your garden and your heart.
00:16:11
Speaker
Before we close, I want to share one more thing that's been helping me to stay grounded and intentional in my own growth this year. It's an app called Growth Day, hosted by Brendan Burchard, and it's where I track my habits, journal, and tune into coaching sessions from teachers like Brendan himself and Mel Robbins and Ed Milet.
00:16:32
Speaker
It's honestly been such a supportive space for reflection, especially in the season of building the farm and learning to stay present in the process. If you'd like to try it, I've added a link in the show notes. It will give you seven free days to explore growth day and see how it can support your own growth journey.
00:16:49
Speaker
It has everything from morning mindset, journaling prompts, and even your to-do list you can put right there in the app. I can't recommend it it enough. And if you're looking for a way to bring more presence and purpose into your daily life, this is my favorite go-to app.
00:17:06
Speaker
All right, one more reminder. The real magic isn't in the bloom. It's in who we become while we're growing. Until next time, happy gardening.
00:17:19
Speaker
Thank you, flower friends, for joining us on another episode of the Backyard Bouquet. I hope you've enjoyed the inspiring stories and valuable gardening insights we've shared today.
00:17:30
Speaker
Whether you're cultivating your own backyard blooms or supporting your local flower farmer, You're contributing to the local flower movement, and we're so happy to have you growing with us. If you'd like to stay connected and continue this blossoming journey with local flowers, don't forget to subscribe to the Backyard Bouquet podcast.
00:17:49
Speaker
I'd be so grateful if you would take a moment to leave us a review of this episode. And finally, please share this episode with your garden friends. Until next time, keep growing, keep blooming, and remember that every bouquet starts right here in the backyard.