The Dirt on Flowers

A ghost photo, a bride throwing flowers, and a hard-earned goodbye to dry-storing tulips: Lyndsay and Shannon head to the flower-farmer graveyard to bury the crops, habits, and business advice they’ve outgrown. They talk about why big social followings don’t guarantee a profitable farm, how saying no to customers can protect your business, and what changed when they stopped treating long hours as...

A mulch lifter meant for plastic beds unexpectedly helped lift dahlias—and gave these flower farmers a new way to think about getting tubers out of the ground. Lyndsay and Shannon swap notes on what worked, what didn’t, and why borrowing a neighbor’s equipment can be a smart way to test a big investment. They also get into the hidden costs of plastic, drip irrigation and transplanting; the spray-p...

A crop can be beautiful, beloved—and still not earn its place on the farm. Lindsay and Shannon share how a look back at sales changed their growing decisions, including swapping rose lilies for standard lilies. They also unpack why Shannon’s customers couldn’t get enough of gladiolus—even when the first succession flopped—and why adorable Tweety pansies didn’t make the cut. Along the way, they off...

Shannon’s farm crew turned Brian’s $88 Amazon ring idea into a real proposal—with local jewelers, input from nearly everyone he knew, and a soccer-game reveal. That’s just one of the season’s stories as Lyndsay and Shannon compare patchy first frosts, wrap up flower-market season, and share what’s next. They also get into a holiday fundraiser rethink that’s already drawing new customers to the gre...

Three Porch Farm was on the brink of collapse when the pandemic shut down its farmers markets—then shipping flowers helped save the business and opened up an entirely new model. On The Dirt on Flowers, Mandy and Steve talk with Lyndsay and Shannon about that pivot, why they walked away from weddings and summer crops that looked successful from the outside, and how sales data revealed poppies were...

An update on the 450-guest wedding called for 23 dahlias in a single centerpiece—and cleanup revealed one very unexpected use for a flower vase. Lyndsay and Shannon swap stories from the event, talk through the exhaustion of an expanded dahlia harvest, and weigh whether to squeeze in one last flower-field sale before frost. They also share practical ways to make a self-serve flower stand more memo...

A flower farm can sell out every week and still be making the wrong move by growing more. On this episode, Julia Shanks and farmer Dan Brisebois explain how to follow the ripple effects of a business decision—from added harvest and labor to market costs, profit, and time off. They share practical ways to track what a market actually costs, why an extra $20,000 in sales may not be worth giving up e...

5A 450-person wedding has Lyndsay calling in reinforcements—and relying on a colleague’s U-Haul loading map to get every floral detail there safely. Lyndsay and Shannon swap stories from their final fall events, debate whether anyone really needs to wire a boutonniere, and share how growing their own flowers has made them picky about buying wholesale. They also talk Christmas plans, Dirt Con ticke...

Ten years into flower farming, Lyndsay still has moments when she wants to throw in the towel—and Shannon admits a new greenhouse has her feeling unconfident, too. In this candid conversation, they get specific about what confidence looks like in business: hiring before you feel ready, facing the numbers you’ve been avoiding, and taking small steps that build trust in yourself. Lyndsay shares how...

A wedding party arrived for eight buckets of flowers—and found just one. Lyndsay owns the mix-up, gets the couple to come back the next morning, and sends them off with an extra bucket. That’s one of the real-life moments in this unfiltered farm update, alongside a surprisingly successful two-day farm trail that drew thousands of visitors and 618 cars to Lyndsay’s dad’s parking area. They also sha...

In this episode of The Dirt on Flowers , hosts Lyndsay and Shannon welcome farm marketing coach Charlotte Smith to discuss burnout prevention in flower farming. Charlotte emphasizes the importance of building the "no muscle" — learning to decline requests without explanation or guilt. She advises farmers to evaluate their commitments early, ideally after their first season, and narrow their focus...

In this episode of The Uncut , Lyndsay and Shannon, two flower farmers, share an honest conversation about the realities of farm life. Lyndsay recounts returning from vacation to a hectic week, including a last-minute tent crisis for a farm dinner that was resolved just in time. They discuss evolving their workshop and dinner formats to better suit attendees. The duo also highlights the upcoming D...

In this episode of The Dirt on Flowers , hosts Lyndsay and Shannon break down the business side of flower farming by identifying three essential weekly metrics: sales , labor , and waste . They explain how tracking sales by revenue stream helps farmers measure progress toward annual goals, while monitoring labor hours reveals true profitability. Tracking waste highlights inefficiencies in crop pro...

In this episode of Uncut with Lyndsay and Shannon , flower farmers share candid stories from their recent Dahlia Fest, navigating rainy weather, parking chaos, and late-night flower pickers. They discuss Facebook ad struggles, pricing strategies for pick-your-own cups, and crop losses from pumpkin rot. Lyndsay previews an exciting multi-farm Harvest Fest featuring a "farm passport" experience. A l...

In this episode of The Dirt on Flowers , Shannon and Lyndsay explore the power of Public Relations for flower farmers. They emphasize that flower farming is a real business requiring strategic PR, not just beautiful blooms. Lyndsay shares her experience using press releases and TV appearances to build brand awareness, while Shannon highlights the importance of overcoming insecurity about self-prom...

In this episode, Lyndsay and Shannon discuss the realities of running a flower farm business. They cover weather challenges, including El Niño forecasts and strategies like high tunnels and soil steaming. Event planning for Dahlia Fest is explored, including flower wall construction and managing customer demand. The conversation touches on merchandising using print-on-demand services, bouquet wrap...

In this episode of The Dirt on Flowers , Lyndsay Shannon discuss the realities of running a flower farm while working full-time—what they call "the double shift." Inspired by listener Amy, they share personal experiences of exhaustion, guilt, and mental load, while offering practical advice on financial planning, managing capacity, and knowing when to make the leap to full-time farming. They empha...

In this midweek episode of The Uncut , flower farmers Lyndsay and Shannon chat candidly about bouquet-making challenges, including color mixing rules and communicating standards to employees. They discuss crop struggles from heavy rainfall, upcoming farm events, and agritourism collaborations. Lyndsay shares her disappointing experience canceling a cyanotype workshop after poor ticket sales. They...

In this episode of The Dirt on Flowers , Lyndsay and Shannon discuss the critical difference between growing flowers as a hobby and running a profitable flower farm business. They emphasize adopting a CEO mindset, making decisions based on profitability rather than personal preference, and avoiding common pitfalls like underpricing. The hosts break down key business components—production, marketin...

In this episode of The Uncut with Lyndsay and Shannon , the two flower farmers chat about Lyndsays successful customer appreciation night with 90 attendees, a Fleetwood Mac playlist, and dahlia field tours. They discuss their heartfelt connection with H-2A farm workers, particularly crew lead Brian, who recorded his first video in Spanish. Topics also include creative festival props, Facebook Mark...

In this episode of The Dirt on Flowers, Lyndsay and Shannon dive into the real-life highs, lows, and lessons of running a flower farm. They answer listener questions about weed management, flower bed placement, seasonal color palettes, and how they approach fertilizing different crops. They also talk about the challenge of hosting agritourism events when the weather refuses to cooperate—and why so...

In this episode of The Dirt on Flowers, Lynds and Shannon answer listener questions about growing flowers, running a flower farm, and making money throughout the year. They talk about embracing weeds and finding a realistic “weed tolerance,” along with their favorite spring and summer color palettes for bouquets. They also dive into ways flower farmers can create income beyond the growing season,...

In this episode, Lyndsay and Shannon discuss the challenge of comparison traps in flower farming. Drawing from six years of building six-figure businesses, they offer practical advice on transforming jealousy into motivation. Key topics include using self-reflection to identify what truly triggers envy, focusing on controllable factors, viewing others' success as proof of what's possible, investin...

In this episode of Dirt on Flowers , Lyndsay and Shannon talk about the challenges of a rainy summer on the flower farm. They share updates on dahlias, zinnias, and other crops that are struggling with the weather. They also discuss getting ready for Summerfest and the unpredictable nature of flower availability. The conversation turns to farm visitors, photography rentals, and the importance of s...

In this episode of The Dirt on Flowers , Lyndsay host an interview with Vanessa Tarr of Tarrnation Flower Farm in northern New Hampshire's White Mountains. Vanessa shares her journey from working at flower shops and Floret Farm to transforming her family's property into a thriving cold-climate flower farm. She discusses scaling back weddings to focus on farmers markets, retail, and workshops, hiri...