Who is Maudie’s Flower Farm?

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Just a little introduction to the madness around here! My name is MJ and I am a transplant from western Idaho.  I moved to the Willamette Valley to attend college and fell in love with the area and decided to not leave! I came from dirt and sage brush to a place where things literally grow in the cracks in the window. My husband and I have four kids that range in age from 18-2 and we wish we could say they keep us on our toes but in reality our toes haven’t been on the ground in a while, we are constantly flying around all over the place. If that didn’t keep us busy enough we both work 40-60 hours a week. To help balance our craziness we decided to grow a boat load of flowers to give friends and family and of course fill our house with them. We quickly learned just how much we loved bringing something beautiful to others and decided to grow more, like, A LOT more! So, here we are!  

For many many years, despite the valiant effort I put into grow things, the articles I read, and bending the ear of the Midas touch gardeners in my life, I have always seemed to have a black thumb. I have always wanted a flower garden but never had the time, space, or forethought to make it happen.

In 2018, I married my husband and we bought our farm. The farm belonged to his side of the family for many years. We were in complete shock that everything worked out and we’re so excited we could hardly stand it. I decided this was going to be the year. I was going to change the color of my thumb. My plan was to start a flower garden and vegetable garden. I reluctantly, but wisely decided to pick one and would “reward” myself with the other if it went well.

I “grew” our first garden and it failed. Miserably. Like, really miserably. I think we got one whole tomato and that was it. 

In 2019, I was pregnant all summer and miserable. I wish I had magical pregnancies like some people but that just wasn’t the case so I set aside my gardening plans for the summer and dove into planning for 2020.

Winter of 2019, I went. NUTS. I graphed out the garden down to the inch, I stood in the area I wanted to plant and watched where the sun hit, I read books, I watched YouTube videos, I joined social media groups, you name it, I did it.  I was studying like I was back in college. With two little kids and an incredibly draining and stressful job. I was burned OUT. Physically and emotionally.

But then it changed. It totally worked. It became the distraction from work that I longed for and needed more than I realized. Instead of dreaming about the horrible things I saw and dealt with at work, I started dreaming about dirt, trellises, and plants. Let me tell you, my head and heart needed it.

Not only did it help mentally and physically. I actually grew things. Edible and beautiful things. It provided food for my family during a pandemic. It helped me be a better mom, a better wife, and better friend. 

Growing up I spent a lot of time with my Great grandmother, Maudie and my great aunt, Beth. Maudie, who I called Monkey, had that Midas touch I talked about earlier. If she touched it, it grew, and it was beautiful. 

One of the Crown Jewels in her collection of flowers was her driveway lined with lilacs. In every beautiful heavy scented variety you could imagine. Deep royal purple, soft lilac, delicate baby pink, and pure white. My favorite picture I have of her, she is standing in front of her lilacs and looks completely at peace with life.

Maudie (Monkey) was one of those people that have a gravity of their own. She was kind to everyone she met, she was stubborn, she was everything that love should be. 

Beth, was more of a mess but that’s another story for another time. My memories of her and gardening center around dahlias. So many dahlias. I remember helping her plant and care for them and as a kid it was not something most would enjoy but I did.

The best part of putting in all the work was the final product. The bouquet. Picking a handful of flowers to put in a jar and arranging them was one of the first things I did when I got there for our weekend visit.  I remember putting jars full of flowers around the house and looking at them all weekend. Every time I saw them, I smiled. It brought joy to my heart. This is something I still do to this very day. When the world is too much, fresh flowers have always brought a little bit of joy back to my environment.

I remember the lessons I learned while planting and weeding and never really realized just how precious that time was with them. 

It clicked for me when I saw my son excited to come help me in the garden that history was repeating itself. In the best way possible. Of all the things I can pass on, a little bit of joy.

I found myself taking flowers to friends and family and really enjoyed bringing a little joy to their day. Because who looks at flowers and has a negative feeling? 

So here we are, my hobby, my escape, and now hope, is to bring you just a little bit of joy too.

So, stop by the farm and pick up a bouquet or sign up for our new subscription and add a little joy to your day.