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Ep.54: Earth Day in the Garden: Where Flowers Lead Us to Soil, Stewardship & Hope
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In this special Earth Day episode of The Backyard Bouquet, flower farmer and garden educator Jennifer Gulizia shares a deeply personal reflection on growing in harmony with the earth—and what it really means to be a steward of soil, beauty, and biodiversity.
This solo episode blends story, science, and soul. Jennifer shares a poem Where Flowers Lead and shares the regenerative journey that led her family to restore 20 acres of neglected farmland—guided by flowers, rooted in soil, and inspired by hope.
🌿 Inside the episode, you'll hear:
- What Earth Day means through the lens of a gardener and flower farmer
- How Kiss the Ground and Common Ground confirmed her family's decision to become stewards of their new farmland
- The exact moment she stopped spraying neem oil after seeing bees sleep in her dahlias
- How a few books reshaped her thinking
- Simple, impactful actions gardeners can take to care for the earth
- Behind the scenes of her upcoming documentary, Where We Bloom
🎥 Watch the documentaries mentioned:
— Kiss the Ground (Amazon Prime): https://amzn.to/42qveXH
— Common Ground (Amazon Prime): https://amzn.to/449Lxtf
📚 Explore the books referenced:
— Dirt to Soil by Gabe Brown
— For the Love of Soil by Nicole Masters
— The Kindest Garden by Marian Boswall
— Seeds of Hope by Jane Goodall
🌼 Learn more about our documentary film:
Visit The Flowering Farmhouse to learn more about our documentary film: https://thefloweringfarmhouse.com/2024/10/28/regenerative-flower-farm-documentary/
🎧 Whether you’re walking your garden rows, composting your kitchen scraps, or simply reflecting on how to live with more intention this season, this episode is a heartfelt reminder that small acts matter. That flowers aren’t just beautiful—they’re powerful. And that where flowers lead, healing follows.
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New episodes every week to help keep your garden blooming!
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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.
Podcast's Mission and Earth Day Special
00:00:22
Speaker
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.
00:00:54
Speaker
Hi, flower friends, and welcome to the Backyard Bouquet Podcast. Today's episode is going to sound a little different than what you're used to. There's no guest today, no expert interview or how-to guide.
00:01:08
Speaker
It's just me and you and a little bit of quiet space to reflect together.
Earth Day Reflections and Garden Connection
00:01:14
Speaker
Because this week, we celebrate Earth Day. And instead of just sharing a quick Instagram reel or a cute flower lay online,
00:01:23
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I wanted to create something slower, something more personal, a conversation that goes beyond the surface of what we're doing in the garden and why it truly matters.
00:01:34
Speaker
So if you're listening while pulling weeds or watering seedlings or walking your dog on a gravel path, I'm going I hope this episode feels like sitting together for a slow chat on a warm bench in the garden, the kind of talk where time stretches and your soul exhales.
00:01:53
Speaker
This is an invitation to come in the garden. This is a love letter to the land, to the quiet beauty of a single bloom, to the invisible roots beneath the soil,
00:02:04
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to you, the one who tends and waters and shows up, season after season, even when the weather is unpredictable and the weeds seem endless.
00:02:16
Speaker
Earth Day can sometimes feel like a campaign slogan. red Reduce, reuse, recycle, plant a tree, use less plastic. And while all those things matter, Earth Day, at its core,
00:02:31
Speaker
isn't about performance. It's about relationship. It's a call to remember that the earth isn't a background chapter in our lives. She's the whole stage, the breath in our lungs, the ground beneath our feet, the food on our plates, the silence between birdsong, the reason we get to do this work at all.
Protecting Beauty and Soil Health
00:02:53
Speaker
As a flower farmer, I've come to see that my job isn't just to grow beauty. It's to protect it, to care for the conditions that allow beauty to exist in the first place.
00:03:05
Speaker
This means caring about what's beneath the blooms, so the soil. The worms, the mycorrhizal networks, the invisible threads that make life possible.
00:03:17
Speaker
And that shift from growing flowers to tending soil has changed everything for me. It's one of the reasons we bought our farm. One of the reasons we're making a documentary film.
00:03:30
Speaker
One of the reasons I'm sitting here talking to you today, hoping that this conversation might remind you of something true that you already know deep down.
00:03:43
Speaker
that small actions matter, that beauty is worth protecting, that every seed is a vote for the future. In today's episode, I'm going to share the story of how one film kissed the ground, planted the seed that changed the way I farm, and really, the way I live.
00:04:03
Speaker
I'll talk about how that film led us to purchase our land, how the books I read afterward reshaped my view of soil, and how our family is now in the middle of transforming 20 acres of neglected ground into a regenerative flower farm.
00:04:19
Speaker
I'll read a poem for just this episode, something to honor the work of flowers and the hands that grow them, and I'll share a list of books and movies that I'll return over and over again, titles that have helped me deepen my connection to nature, to beauty, and to the bigger picture of what it means to live and grow on this earth.
00:04:41
Speaker
But this just isn't a story about me or my farm. This is an invitation. Because whether you're growing flowers in a big field or nurturing herbs on a windowsill, you're part of this story too.
00:04:54
Speaker
Every person who tends the land with care is part of the regenerative movement. every backyard gardener who chooses not to spray, every compost starter, every wildflower scatterer, every child taught how to sow a seed.
00:05:11
Speaker
You don't need a perfect garden. You don't need a homestead. You don't even need a green thumb. You just need a heart that's open to remembering what the earth has been trying to teach us all along.
00:05:24
Speaker
And that is that healing doesn't happen overnight, that growth takes time, that beauty begins beneath the surface.
Earth Day Significance and Nature Partnership
00:05:33
Speaker
So thank you for being here today, for showing up, for listening, for caring.
00:05:39
Speaker
This episode is for you, for the bees and the roots and the rivers, for the flowers, yes, but also for the soil they grow in, for the past we've been learning from and the future we're planting now.
00:05:53
Speaker
So let's zoom in now for the broader idea of Earth Day to what it really means when you're standing in your own garden. What does Earth stewardship look like through the eyes of a gardener?
00:06:05
Speaker
And how can something as personal as growing flowers connect us back to the planet that we call home? When you hear the words Earth Day, what comes to mind?
00:06:17
Speaker
For many people, it's a school science fair or a reminder to recycle, or maybe a flash of green marketing from a big brand once a year. And while awareness is important, Earth Day has been a little too easy to scroll past.
00:06:34
Speaker
But for gardeners and farmers, so for those of us who tend to soil and bloom, who move through life with mud on our boots and compost under our nails, Earth Day hits differently.
00:06:47
Speaker
It's not just a calendar date. It's a rhythm we live by. Every morning we step into the garden. Every afternoon we deadhead or water or pause to admire a bumblebee covered in pollen.
00:07:02
Speaker
That's Earth Day. Every season we plant with intention, compost with care, and grow with gratitude. We're celebrating Earth Day. The garden is a mirror.
00:07:13
Speaker
It reflects our values, our pace, our willingness to listen. And when we treat it like a partner instead of a product, Everything changes.
00:07:24
Speaker
One of the biggest mindset shifts for me has been learning to see my role as more than a grower of beauty. I'm not just farming for flowers. I'm stewarding a patch of the planet.
00:07:36
Speaker
And that shift from growing on the land to growing with the land is what Earth Day invites us to remember. We aren't separate from nature. We are nature.
00:07:48
Speaker
And the more we engage with our gardens like they're alive, because they are, the more connected we feel to the bigger story of regeneration. Here's the thing.
00:07:59
Speaker
You don't have to be a farmer to be a part of this. You don't have to grow 500 dahlias or have a landscape design degree. Earth stewardship doesn't begin with scale.
00:08:10
Speaker
It begins with awareness. Maybe you start by tending a few pots on your porch. Maybe you pull weeds from the sidewalk cracks outside of your apartment. Or maybe you're dreaming of your first raised bed, or you've been gardening for decades.
00:08:26
Speaker
Wherever you are, you can begin right now. You can choose plants that feed pollinators. You can compost even a few food scraps. You can skip the chemical sprays, mulch your beds, add more perennials.
00:08:42
Speaker
You can let your garden get a little wild again. And perhaps most importantly, you can slow down and observe. That's where the real wisdom lives, not in doing more, but in doing less with intention.
00:08:59
Speaker
I had to learn that the hard way. There was a time not too long ago when I used neem oil to control pests on my dahlias. It's considered organic and the label said it was safe for bees as long as you sprayed in the morning or evening when the pollinators weren't active.
00:09:16
Speaker
So I followed the directions and I thought I was doing the right thing. Until one evening, just as the sun was setting behind the hills, I went out to mist a row of dahlias.
00:09:28
Speaker
I leaned in, about to spray, and that's when I saw it. A bumblebee, curled up inside the petals of a bloom, fast asleep.
00:09:40
Speaker
And then I saw another, and another, nestled into each of the dahlias, resting after a day of foraging, I hadn't noticed it before.
00:09:50
Speaker
I'm not sure why. But now I couldn't unsee it. And in that moment, everything shifted for me. Because the truth is, the bees are always present in the garden, even when we don't see them.
00:10:04
Speaker
even when the labels tell us it's safe. I stood there with spray in hand, realizing that my definition of safe needed to change, that if the garden is a home for more than just me, if it is truly an ecosystem, then I had to start acting like it.
00:10:23
Speaker
So I stopped spraying any pesticides, and I started learning.
Regenerative Gardening Philosophy
00:10:28
Speaker
I started asking questions and watching instead of reacting. And yes, that meant I had to accept a little more imperfection.
00:10:38
Speaker
There were definitely some chewed leaves, a few aphids, but in exchange, I gained something far more valuable—a relationship. The garden became less of a project and more of a partner.
00:10:51
Speaker
and Earth Day became something I live, not something I post about. That moment with the bees, that was Earth Day. It was one of those tiny turning points that changes the way you see everything.
00:11:05
Speaker
The kind of experience that doesn't come from reading a label, but from paying attention. And I think that's what Earth Day invites all of us to do. to notice To question we've been taught. To question what we've been taught.
00:11:18
Speaker
to take one step closer to living in harmony with the cycles of nature instead of against them. Because when we do, the garden starts to feel different.
00:11:29
Speaker
You stop needing to control every bug and weed and You stop seeing everything through the lens of efficiency and aesthetics. You start asking, what does the earth need from me today?
00:11:42
Speaker
And that's regenerative gardening or farming. That's what it means to be in a right relationship with the land. You might not be able to fix everything. None of us can.
00:11:53
Speaker
But we can at least begin. With one bloom, one garden bed, one small act of care. Because when enough of us do that, that ripple becomes a wave.
00:12:05
Speaker
Your garden is not separate from the planet. It is the planet. It's one tiny patch of earth saying, here, this is where you begin.
00:12:16
Speaker
And that's what Earth Day means through a gardener's eyes. The shift from control to relationship, from reaction to observation, was a big one for me, and I didn't make it alone.
00:12:30
Speaker
The truth is, have been being guided, first by books, then by a film that changed everything. So let me take you back to the moment that helped me say yes to our new farm, and the moment that redefined what growing really means to me.
00:12:47
Speaker
It actually all started with one of you, one of my podcast listeners. Someone reached out and said, you have to read Dirt to Soil by Gabe Brown.
00:12:58
Speaker
At the time, I hadn't heard of Gabe Brown and I hadn't heard of his book. I was deep into flower farming, growing hundreds if not thousands of dahlias, working long days in the field, and focused on my blooms and the bouquets and the beauty of it all.
00:13:15
Speaker
But something in me was stirring. I started to ask bigger questions about our role as growers, about sustainability, and what it means to grow flowers in a way that isn't just pretty, but purposeful.
00:13:29
Speaker
So I ordered the book. And once I opened the first chapter of Dirt to Soil, I didn't stop. Gabe's voice was straightforward, practical, grounded.
00:13:40
Speaker
He didn't just talk about soil as theory. He lived it. He walked it. He wrote about years of failure, trial, and error, and what happened when he stopped tilling, started planting cover crops,
00:13:56
Speaker
introduced livestock, and began working with the land instead of forcing it to perform. His story planted the seed that maybe, just maybe, I wasn't doing enough by simply avoiding synthetic sprays.
00:14:11
Speaker
Maybe i was actually missing the bigger picture. After I finished Gabe's book, I bought On Audible, For the Love of Soil by Nicole Masters.
00:14:23
Speaker
And that's when things got real for me. Nicole didn't just write about soil science. She wrote and spoke about soil as memory, soil as an ecosystem, soil as intelligence.
00:14:38
Speaker
She helped me see that regenerative farming isn't just about growing more— It's about remembering more, remembering how ecosystems work, how fungi and microbes and plants form communities underground, how soil can be our teacher, not just a tool.
00:14:57
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Her writing cracked something open in me, and I started looking at land differently.
Influences and Inspirations
00:15:03
Speaker
I started seeing everything through the lens of relationships, and I couldn't unsee it.
00:15:10
Speaker
I remember walking through my field of dahlias, staring down at the dry soil beneath my flowers and wondering, what's really happening underneath all this beauty?
00:15:22
Speaker
Am I feeding the soil or am I taking from it? What happens when I dig up my tubers? What am I leaving behind? That question stayed with me.
00:15:33
Speaker
And not long after, I watched The Biggest Little Farm. Also, thanks to one of our podcast listeners, that film was the bridge for me. It showed what it looks like to live this kind of relationship with the land.
00:15:47
Speaker
It was cinematic and raw and inspiring. Of course, the past photographer and me loved it. It was a story of people learning through failure, of animals and orchards and compost and rebirth, watching it made me realize that this kind of farming, this kind of stewardship was possible, even if you weren't born into it.
00:16:12
Speaker
It reminded me that the journey matters more than perfection, that beauty and biodiversity can coexist, that maybe we don't need all the answers, we just need the commitment to begin.
00:16:26
Speaker
And then the final spark for me was Kiss the Ground. The same week we walked the property that would later become our forever farm, we sat down as a family and watched Kiss the Ground, the documentary.
00:16:40
Speaker
I had just seen what would eventually be our 20 acres. It was dry, neglected, littered with trash, and still holding the ghosts of a manufactured home that had caught fire years before.
00:16:54
Speaker
On paper, And at first glance, it certainly wasn't a dream property. But somewhere in my bones, deep down, I felt something, and I knew that there was life beneath the surface.
00:17:07
Speaker
And that night, as we watched, as the film played, everything crystallized. And it was like that final puzzle piece clicking into place, The science, the soil biology, the stories, it all aligned.
00:17:21
Speaker
Kiss the Ground confirmed everything I had been reading, wondering, and dreaming. That soil isn't just the key to healthy farms. It is the key to healing the planet.
00:17:32
Speaker
And more than that, it showed that healing starts with humbleness, with compost, with cover crops, with watching, listening, and trusting the wisdom of the land.
00:17:44
Speaker
When the credits rolled on, I looked over at my husband and I said, this is it. This is what we're supposed to do. We were meant to be stewards of that fallow field, that burned old home, the deserted land.
00:17:59
Speaker
It wasn't a burden. It was an invitation for us, an invitation to show that we can do things differently, to restore instead of replace, to build a farm that isn't just beautiful, but alive.
00:18:16
Speaker
And that's when the real work began. We walked the land and started to imagine. What could we grow here? What could return if we gave the soil what it needed?
00:18:27
Speaker
I saw a place where compost would someday become sacred, where bees would someday return, where native plants would someday hold the hillside together,
00:18:38
Speaker
where flowers would someday be more than decorative. They'd be anchors for the biodiversity underground. I saw a story that deserved to be told, and that's how our documentary, Where We Bloom, was born.
00:18:53
Speaker
We didn't want to just show people bouquets. We wanted to show them the soil, the dirt, the erosion, the debris, the work, The fencing, the failed plantings, the waiting, the cover cropping, the questions.
00:19:09
Speaker
We're capturing it all because regeneration isn't a before and after photo. It's truly a process. It's a messy one, but it's meaningful.
00:19:20
Speaker
It's a hope-filled process. And it all started with one of your recommendations. So thank you. It started with a book, and then a movie, and then a moment.
00:19:33
Speaker
So if you haven't seen Kiss the Ground, or if you have and want to revisit it this Earth Day, it's now available on Amazon Prime. And you can watch it with The Biggest Little Farm or listen to Nicole and Gabe's books and you've got the recipe for a perspective shift.
00:19:50
Speaker
Just don't be surprised if it changes the way you walk your own land or look at your own garden. Because once you know what soil is capable of, you can't go back. And honestly, i wouldn't want to.
00:20:02
Speaker
I've shared the books and films that have shaped my mindset in this past year, but sometimes it's not the information that moves us. It's the beauty. It's emotion.
00:20:14
Speaker
It's something deeper. So before we continue, I want to pause and read you a poem. It's called Where Flowers Lead, and it speaks to the quiet, powerful work we do as growers and the silent wisdom of the flowers we follow.
00:20:31
Speaker
So before we move on, I want to take a pause, a breath, because sometimes the heart needs what the mind can't fully explain— And for me, poetry is how I process those quieter truths, especially in the garden, where so much of the magic happens slowly, invisibly, and often wordlessly. This poem is called Where the Flowers Lead.
00:20:57
Speaker
It's a reflection on what I've learned from growing flowers, from watching them return each spring, from seeing them thrive even in poor soil, or being knocked down by the wind when I have nothing left to give.
00:21:11
Speaker
It's a poem for growers, for dreamers, for those of us who are trying to live gently and with purpose.
Documentary Vision and Land Transformation
00:21:18
Speaker
And it's a poem for the earth on this Earth Day.
00:21:21
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I hope it meets you wherever you are today, whether you're in full bloom, still in the planting phase, or somewhere underground letting your roots grow.
00:21:33
Speaker
Where Flowers Lead Where flowers grow, hope is never far behind. They bloom, not for applause, because blooming is what they were made to do.
00:21:45
Speaker
Even when the soil is tired, even when the winds have been unkind, they push through what others avoid—gravel, clay, memory, time—breaking open the ground with nothing more than silence and intention.
00:22:01
Speaker
And isn't that the work? To soften what's been hardened? To nourish what's been stripped? To offer color in a world gone gray? Flowers don't demand attention, but they invite it.
00:22:15
Speaker
They whisper, look closer. There's beauty here. There's life returning. They teach us that growth doesn't always look like progress.
00:22:26
Speaker
Sometimes it looks like dormancy, stillness, losing your petals so the roots can go deeper. They remind us that not everything that appears delicate is weak, and that sometimes the strongest thing you can do is begin again.
00:22:44
Speaker
So we follow their lead. We plant, even when we're unsure. We water, even when the clouds don't come. We weed, and wait, and listen.
00:22:56
Speaker
Because something in us believes, still, in beauty, in resilience, in restoration. To be a grower is to be a keeper of hope. To scatter seeds and trust that even if you never see them bloom— The act itself was enough.
00:23:13
Speaker
So let us keep planting, keep tending, keep showing up for the earth, for each other, for the unseen harvest still to come. Let us follow where the flowers lead.
00:23:27
Speaker
This poem is for those many moments when you've been standing in the field, unsure what comes next. It comes from seeing beauty pushed through against all odds.
00:23:38
Speaker
It comes from the days when you feel like you're not doing enough, and the flowers remind you that just showing up matters. My hope is that where flowers lead becomes more than a poem, that it becomes a mindset, a reminder, a quiet invitation to continue choosing the path of growth, even when the ground feels hard.
00:24:01
Speaker
Because that's what we do as gardeners, as farmers, as growers, as stewards of the earth. We follow. We trust. We plant. Water, tend, and wait.
00:24:14
Speaker
And somewhere along the way, without force, without pressure, something beautiful rises. This poem came from a season of deep listening both to the land and to myself and my inner knowing.
00:24:31
Speaker
It's the heart behind our biggest project yet, Where We Bloom, the documentary we are filming as we restore our farm from the ground up. Let me tell you a little bit more about why we're making it and what we hope it will grow into.
00:24:47
Speaker
There's a phrase that came to me the first time I walked our land. It wasn't always this way. It echoed in my mind as I looked at the burned-down house, the scattered debris, the dry, compacted soil.
00:25:01
Speaker
It wasn't a lush field or a thriving garden. It was a patch of forgotten earth that had once held life and beauty. And I knew it could once again.
00:25:13
Speaker
And deep down, I knew we were supposed to be part of that story. From the very beginning, I saw this not as a blank slate, but as a relationship.
00:25:24
Speaker
The land wasn't waiting to be used. It was waiting to be remembered, to be listened to to be restored. And that's how the idea for Where We Bloom was born.
00:25:35
Speaker
And Where We Bloom is our working title. Perhaps that will change as the film goes on. But what started as a whisper, a what if, what if we documented not just the results, but the entire journey from the mistakes,
00:25:51
Speaker
The mess, the messy middle. What if we could show what it actually looks like to revive degraded land through flowers and care and intention?
00:26:02
Speaker
What if we could invite others along, not just to watch, but to feel the hope of it? We didn't want a highlight reel. We wanted a living story. And so over the last six months, we've been filming.
00:26:17
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We've been capturing what it looks like to start with a fallow field and a vision and slowly, step by step, bring it to life. This isn't a story of overnight transformation.
00:26:28
Speaker
In fact, it's a two to three year journey. This is a story of cover cropping when the soil tests come back bleak. It's a story of planting trees and shrubs one by one by hand.
00:26:42
Speaker
a thousand of them, in our native prairie, of learning how water moves across our property, how native pollinators show up when you make room for them, how compost isn't just a pile, but a promise.
00:26:56
Speaker
It's a story of our family, too, of teaching our daughter to look for the worms, of digging out old styrofoam and rusted metal from the creek, of working weekends and making mistakes and celebrating small wins like the first sprouts pushing up through reclaimed soil.
00:27:16
Speaker
And of course, it's about the flowers, but not just flowers for bouquets, so Flowers that anchor ecosystems. Flowers that invite in bees and birds.
00:27:28
Speaker
Flowers that signal life returning. That's why we're calling it Where We Bloom. Because it's about place. About belonging. About what's possible when we follow the flowers and let the land lead.
00:27:43
Speaker
This documentary is our offering to you, not as experts, but as learners, not as saviors of the land, but as stewards. We want to show people that restoration isn't just a job for big nonprofits or policymakers.
00:28:00
Speaker
It's something each of us can do right where we are at. If we're willing to listen, to partner, to take the long view. We're still at the beginning.
Healing Soil and Flower Symbolism
00:28:11
Speaker
There's so much to come for this documentary. Structures to build, systems to install, flowers to plant. But already there's change. Already the land is starting to respond.
00:28:24
Speaker
And I think that's what makes this story worth telling. The soil doesn't need us to be perfect. It just needs us to begin. This project is, of course, about flowers, but it's also about healing. Healing soil, healing disconnection, healing the belief that we're separate from nature.
00:28:43
Speaker
Because when we return to the earth, we return to ourselves. If you've been following along and you felt that tug, like maybe there's something deeper in your garden, your farm, your life, then you're already a part of this story.
00:28:58
Speaker
Whether you grow flowers or vegetables or simply keep a house plant on your windowsill, you are connected to the earth and how we show up in those relationships matters. That's what this documentary is all about.
00:29:12
Speaker
And if it speaks to you, if you want to be part of this story or support the documentary, we'd love that. We'll share a link in the show notes with more details about how to get involved, stay updated, or share this message with others.
00:29:26
Speaker
But even more than that, I hope this inspires you to look at your own corner of the world differently, to see potential where there's bare ground, to believe in slow growth,
00:29:37
Speaker
to tend to what's yours with love. Because here's the thing I've come to believe with every season I grow. Flowers are more than decoration.
00:29:49
Speaker
They bring people together. They feed the soul. They offer beauty in places that feel forgotten. They speak the language of the heart when words fall short.
00:30:00
Speaker
They show up at our weddings, our hospital rooms, our funerals. They arrive when we welcome life, when we grieve, when we fall in love, when we say goodbye. They are the quiet messengers of care.
00:30:14
Speaker
And when you grow them, when you choose to grow beauty, you become part of that message. That's why this documentary is about more than farming. It's about remembering that flowers aren't frivolous.
00:30:28
Speaker
They're medicine. They're connection. They're how we say, I see you. I'm with you. And sometimes i don't have the words, but I brought these instead.
00:30:40
Speaker
So wherever you're growing in a field, on a balcony, or simply in your heart, I hope you remember the work you're doing matters. Because the truth is, we all have a place where we bloom.
00:30:54
Speaker
And sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is return to it.
00:31:01
Speaker
One of the things that have supported me the most on this journey has been the books that I've read. I often listen to them on Audible while working in the field, while planting, weeding, harvesting.
00:31:13
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Each one has offered wisdom that has shaped the way I see the earth and my role in it. So I want to share few that have stayed with me in case they speak to you too on this Earth Day.
00:31:25
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The first one is Dirt to Soil by Gabe Brown. Of course, as I mentioned earlier, this book came to me through a podcast listener who messaged me and said, you have to read this.
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And I'm so glad I did. Gabe Brown's story is honest, grounded, and incredibly practical. He walks you through how he turned worn out, degraded land into a thriving, resilient farm by applying regenerative practices,
00:31:53
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Not trendy ideas, but time-tested, soil-centered solutions. As I listened to the audiobook in the field, I found myself nodding along between rows of dahlias, his five principles of soil health, minimize disturbance, maximize diversity, keep the soil covered, maintain living roots, and integrate animals, and They have become foundational for how I approach the decisions on our new farm.
00:32:22
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More than anything, Dirt to Soil gave me hope. It made regeneration feel doable, like something I could actually practice, not just admire from afar.
00:32:33
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The next book is for The Love of Soil by Nicole Masters. After Gabe's book, I picked up Nicole's book, and her perspective took me even deeper. Where Gabe focused on the systems, Nicole helped me understand the soul of soil.
00:32:49
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Her writing isn't just scientific, it's reverent. She treats soil like a living being, one with memory, relationships, and wisdom of its own. I listened to this while planting native shrubs, and her words made me feel like I was part of something ancient and intelligent.
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She connected the dots between microbial life, mineral balance, plant health, and ecosystem healing in a way that I felt like I was being handed sacred knowledge.
00:33:17
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She helped me understand that soil isn't just a medium, it's a mirror. How we treat it reflects how we live. And how we heal it reflects what we're willing to restore and ourselves and our communities.
00:33:30
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The next book you may be familiar with is The Kindest Garden by Marian Boswell, who was recently a guest on the podcast. I was so honored to interview Marian on the podcast, and her book is just as beautiful and wise as she is in conversation.
00:33:47
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Her book, The Kindest Garden, is an invitation to see the garden not as a project to manage, but as a relationship to nurture. She writes about creating spaces that support both biodiversity and emotional resilience. so Her voice is calm, intentional, and full of gentleness.
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This book reminded me that kindness is a design principle, that how we grow matters just as much as what we grow. That we can create spaces that feel both wild and safe, soft and strong.
00:34:20
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As I read the words in her book, I think of all the ways the garden has been a place of healing for me, not just a place of work or production. Her message brought me back to the emotional roots of why i do this book.
00:34:34
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The next book that I actually just finished reading this week is Seeds of Hope by Jane Goodall. Listening to Seeds of Hope, narrated by janes Jane herself in her own voice, was like having a wise elder walking alongside me while I worked.
00:34:51
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Her stories, scientific knowledge, and unwavering optimism all feel like nourishment for the soul. This book reminded me that even when things feel overwhelming—climate change, biodiversity loss, soil degradation—we always have a role to play.
00:35:10
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That an act of planting a seed is an act of belief, of resistance, of remembering. And there's one line that stayed with me. Hope is not passive.
00:35:21
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It's a choice. And every day in the garden, I choose it again. Each of these books have become part of my Earth Day rhythm, not just as a source of inspiration, but as companions in the field.
00:35:35
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They all help me to understand that restoration is not just a theory. It's lived, felt, and practiced. So if you're looking for something to read the next time you're out in the garden or listen to, I hope one of these books will find their way to your ears, your heart, or your garden path.
00:35:54
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Because once you hear what the soil is trying to say, you can't unhear it.
00:36:01
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And just like these books have changed my views on the world and soil health, so have films. Sometimes seeing something with your own eyes, seeing soil come to life on screen, can stir something no paragraph ever could.
Earth Stewardship Actions
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And there are two documentaries in particular that have shaped this path for myself and my family. These movies didn't just inspire us, they activated something.
00:36:29
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They gave us language, vision, and the urgency to take what we've been learning in the garden and to live it out in a deeper, more rooted way. Together, they're helping to shape the direction of our farm, our family, and the documentary we're now filming.
00:36:46
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If you've never seen these before, or if you have, I can't recommend them enough, and I encourage you to take time this Earth Day to watch them. Both of these movies are beautiful, powerful, and surprisingly emotional reminders of what's at stake and what's possible.
00:37:04
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And the best part, both Kiss the Ground and Common Ground are streaming now on Amazon Prime in celebration of Earth Day. We watched Kiss the Ground the same week we walked the land that would become our farm.
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At that point, I had just finished reading Dirt to Soil by Gabe Brown and For the Love of Soil by Nicole Masters. I was just starting to understand that science, the microbiome, the power of soil, but seeing it come to life on the screen hit differently.
00:37:36
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From the first few minutes of this film, I was pulled in. The imagery, the stories, the science, it brought everything together, and it brought me to tears. Not because the film was sad, but because it was hopeful.
00:37:50
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Because it offered solutions rooted in care and collaboration, not control. Because it showed that healing the earth doesn't require new technology. It requires ancient wisdom and a willingness to see the soil as alive.
00:38:05
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It confirmed everything I had been feeling in my gut, that soil isn't just the foundation of healthy farming, it's the foundation for a healthy planet. That what we do with the land matters, that healing is possible, and it all starts with a relationship.
00:38:22
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When the credits came on with Kiss the Ground, my husband and I looked at each other and we said, this is it. We knew that it was our calling to buy our new farm.
00:38:34
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We felt so drawn to that dusty, littered, forgotten field. Because we weren't just buying property, we were now stepping into stewardship. The second film that I saw this winter was Common Ground, also by the same directors as Kiss the Ground.
00:38:53
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This film builds upon the foundations of Kiss the Ground, diving deeper into how regenerative agriculture isn't just about healing soil, it's about healing systems.
00:39:03
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It goes beyond the science, though there's still that, and it's great. But it also explores the human side of regeneration, the social justice side, the way our current food systems have left entire communities behind,
00:39:19
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and how rebuilding our relationship with land can also rebuild equity, dignity, and access. There's something so powerful about sitting in a theater with other people who care.
00:39:30
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The energy was different. We felt the collective weight and the collective hope of this film. Common Ground reminded me that this work we're doing isn't isolated. It's part of a larger movement.
00:39:43
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a larger reckoning, and a larger remembering. It's helped me realize that where we bloom isn't just about our farm. It's about showing others what's possible when you begin with the belief and build with the earth.
00:39:56
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These films have not only changed my mindset, they've changed our mission. They've helped me to see that regeneration isn't just an idea, it is the future. That what we do on this little patch of land in Hood River can be part of a much bigger conversation.
00:40:13
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that sharing our story isn't saying, hey, look what we've done, but instead it's an invitation to come and see what's possible. So if you're looking for something to watch this Earth Day, something that will move you, challenge you, and leave you feeling a little more hopeful, please start with common ground and then...
00:40:34
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Or excuse me, please start with kiss the ground and move on to common ground. They'll make you think, they'll make you feel, and they'll remind you that change starts not with perfection, but with presence in our fields, our backyards, or our balcony gardens, wherever you bloom.
00:40:53
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I want to bring this home with something more grounding, a reminder that you don't have to own a farm or a film documentary to be an earth steward. You don't have to have it all figured out.
00:41:04
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You don't need a perfect compost system. You don't have to have your native plants certified or have the most sustainable tools. You just have to care and you just have to start where you are.
00:41:16
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That's the heart of regenerative gardening. It's not about scale. It's about intention. It's not about control. It's about relationship. It's not about doing everything.
00:41:28
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It's about doing something. And that something, when done with care and consistency, ripples out. So here are a few of the most impactful and accessible ways that you too can be a steward of the earth, starting in your own garden, no matter its size.
00:41:45
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Number one is you can grow for pollinators. Pollinators are struggling, not because they aren't needed, but because they're losing their habitats that support them. You can help them by planting native flowers, adding more diversity to your garden beds.
00:42:01
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You can also choose single-petaled blooms that are easy for bees and butterflies to access. Let your herbs go to flower. Leave dandelions in the early spring. Tuck in milkweed.
00:42:13
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Grow sunflowers, zinnias, cosmos, basil, lavender, and of course, dahlias. Think of your garden as a feast for the pollinators. Make it abundant, colorful.
00:42:24
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and welcoming. And remember, if you are using pesticides, even organic ones, ask yourself who else might be affected by this use.
00:42:35
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Next, ditch the sprays. As gardeners, we've been conditioned to believe that pests need to be managed with products, but the more I learn about soil and ecosystems, the more I've come to believe with every imbalance is an invitation to observe.
00:42:50
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Neem oil, insecticidal soap, even organic sprays, they all have consequences. i shared earlier how I used neem oil in the evening until I saw bees sleeping in the petals of my dahlias.
00:43:02
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That changed everything for me. I realized the safe time wasn't so safe after all. Instead of spraying, I now focus on plant health, biodiversity, integrated pest management, and patience.
00:43:16
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I toleant tolerate more imperfection, and I trust that the garden will find balance when I stop trying to control every part of it. And the third thing you can do is compost.
00:43:29
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Even just a little, composting is one of the simplest and most powerful things you can do to support soil health. You don't need a fancy bin or perfect ratios. You just need a pile, a bucket, or a corner.
00:43:42
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Kitchen scraps, yard waste, shredded paper, all of it adds up to nourishment. And beyond the soil benefits, composting is a mindset shift. It teaches you that nothing is wasted, that decay is part of the cycle, and that beauty begins in the breakdown.
00:44:01
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If every gardener composted just a little, we could keep millions of pounds of organic matter out of landfills and return it to the soil where it belongs. Next, you can plant for the future.
00:44:14
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This could mean trees. It could mean perennials. It could mean something as small as an heirloom seed you plan to save and replant. year after year.
00:44:25
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When you plant something that lasts, you send a message to the future. I believe you'll be here, and I believe it matters. That's what we've been doing on our farm.
00:44:36
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We've been planting native trees and shrubs, reimagining what it means to landscape for function, not just aesthetics. It's not fast, it's not showing, but it feels meaningful.
00:44:50
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So whether you have a whole field or just a little corner, think about what you can plant that will still be here a year from now or five. or 50.
00:45:01
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And this one is hard for some, and that is leave some mess. This one can feel super counterintuitive, especially if you're used to tidy rows and clean edges.
00:45:13
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But nature doesn't operate in straight lines, and many of the creatures we support rely on little messes. So go ahead and leave some leaves.
00:45:25
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Don't pull every spent bloom. Leave a few seed heads to linger through winter for the birds. Resist the urge to deadhead everything just because it looks neater.
00:45:36
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Your garden isn't a showroom. It's an ecosystem. And when we give it permission to be a little wilder, it comes alive in new ways. Next, let's rethink water.
00:45:48
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As climate shifts, so must our habits. And that means thinking more intentionally about water. Mulch your beds to retain moisture.
00:45:59
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Use drip irrigation when you can. Water early in the morning or later in the evening. Collect rainwater and group plants by watering needs.
00:46:10
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Water isn't something we should take for granted. And when we use it wisely, we not only help the planet, but we help it thrive. And the last one is talk about it.
00:46:22
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This one might be the most important of all. Talk to your friends, your neighbors, your kids, your gardening club. Share what you're learning, not from a place of judgment, but from a place of joy.
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Say things like, i didn't spray this year. and the bees flourished. I started composting, and I can't believe how much less waste we have.
00:46:47
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I planted my milkweed for the monarchs, and I saw my first caterpillar. People are hungry for purpose, for beauty, for hope. And you, my friend, my fellow flower farmer and gardener, are growing all three of these. You are growing purpose, beauty, and hope.
00:47:09
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If Earth Day has taught me anything, it is that healing the planet won't come from a single policy or program. It comes from millions of small choices made consistently by people who care.
00:47:23
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People like you, people like me, people like us. So start where you are. Grow what you can, listen to the soil, and keep tending what matters.
00:47:35
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Because one garden is all it takes to start a ripple, and one ripple can change everything. I know that this is a lot, and I hope you feel more equipped, more inspired, and maybe even more grounded in your role as a gardener.
00:47:52
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Before we close, I want to offer a final reflection, a reminder that you're not alone in this work, and that tending to beauty is one of the most powerful things we can do.
00:48:04
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So if you made it to this point in the episode, first let me say thank you. Thank you for being here. Thank you for caring. Thank you for believing, like I do, that what we grow matters, not just in terms of what's visible, not just the bouquets and the blooms and our beautiful harvests, but the why underneath it all, the roots.
00:48:32
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Because here's the truth. Growing flowers is so much more than just color. It's about hope. It's about healing. about It's about remembering that we belong to the earth and she belongs to us.
00:48:48
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It's about waking up early and walking the rose with a cup of coffee and a sense of wonder. It's about watching the bees wake up with the sun and knowing you are part of that same rhythm.
00:49:02
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It's about the child who plants a seed and sees their first sprout and realizes, I did that. It's about the person grieving who receives a bouquet and feels, even for a moment, that beauty is still possible.
00:49:21
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It's about the way flowers speak when words won't come. Earth Day is not a date on the calendar. It's a way of living, a mindset, practice.
00:49:33
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And I hope that in today's episode, you felt that. That this wasn't just a list of books, or a documentary recommendation, or a call to compost. Although it was all of that too.
00:49:46
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I hope it was a reminder that you are part of the story, that your garden, however big or small, is sacred ground, that your decisions as a grower ripple outward, that your willingness to plant, to tend, to believe again and again and what you cannot yet see.
00:50:06
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That is powerful. And that is enough. If you're walking away from this episode feeling inspired, I encourage you to do just one thing today.
00:50:17
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It doesn't have to be big, but make it intentional. Plant a seed. Leave those leaves alone. Watch a film. Start a conversation.
00:50:29
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Notice what's growing inside you and around you. And if you'd like to go deeper into our journey or support our documentary, we'd love to share more with you. I'll include links in the show notes, and we'd be honored to have you walk with us as we tell this story over time.
00:50:48
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Because this story isn't just a film about a flower farm. It's a story about healing of soil, of land, of family, of community.
Conclusion and Listener Encouragement
00:50:59
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It's a story about what happens when you say yes to the earth. So keep growing, keep tending, keep choosing beauty. Not because it's easy, but because it's worth it.
00:51:13
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You don't have to be perfect. You don't need to do it all. You just need to begin. wherever you are, on a farm, in a garden, or even dreaming from a balcony, i hope you know this.
00:51:29
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You are making a difference. You are planting hope. You can be part of the earth's healing. And I'm so grateful to be growing alongside you.
00:51:41
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Happy Earth Day, flower friends. Let's keep blooming together.
00:51:48
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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.
00:51:58
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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.
00:52:18
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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.