Picking flowers at small farm

We're lucky to be surrounded by so many wonderful farms. Our favorite ones to visit are Parlee Farms, Honey Pot Hill Orchards, Tougas Farm, and more recently, Applecrest Farm. This year we wanted to explore a few new ones and small farm was one of them. I was excited as soon as I saw "pick your own flowers" on their website.

The farm is located right off the road. It's really charming. Once we arrived, we were given a plastic container and a pair of scissors. We can fill as many flowers as we can fit into the container for only $7! Isn't that such a fun idea? I love this post about how they came up with it :)

Although we came later in the season, there were still plenty of flowers to pick. I felt like I was roaming around a field full of wildflowers. 

I love how whimsical the arrangements can be depending on the flowers that are available. I enjoyed having the time to let my creativity flow. This would be a great place to bring kids or have a fun outing with your friends. 

It was a fun way to spend a couple of hours and at the same time, support a small local farm. I can't wait to visit again next season! 

Visiting Tips:

1. Their season is listed as July to September but call first to make sure. It can be earlier or later depending on the weather. 

2. Honey Pot Hill Orchards is just a few minutes away if you have time for another stop. 

Lost in a Sunflower Field

It doesn't get much more magical than this. 

Every year in early September, the sunflower field at Colby Farm puts on quite a show - weather permitting, of course ;) This was our third year visiting. It's a tradition we really love and look forward to. 

The sunflowers were gorgeous this year and we lucked out with perfect weather. It felt like we stepped into a beautiful painting. 

This was a random outtake from James' phone camera. My photo outtakes are usually pretty bad with funny faces or weird expressions but I love this one. I love the feel of it. 

Visiting this beautiful sunflower field is always a highlight for us during September. We already can't wait to go back. I hope you'll have a chance to visit too!

Visiting Tips:

1. Bring bug spray! The mosquitoes are pretty thirsty. 

2. Go earlier during the day or go on a weekday to avoid the crowds. This sunflower field has become quite famous over the years.

3. The blooms typically last a week depending on the weather.  Call or check their website for current updates.

4. Don't be discouraged if there are a lot of people. You can still find areas to take nice photos without others in your shots. Believe it or not, there were a lot of people around us but with patience and good timing, we were able to capture it as if we had the field to ourselves :)

5. Stop by the farm store to buy fresh locally grown produce and support this wonderful farm. 

Sweet Summer Days: A Visit to Applecrest Farm

Hi there! Remember me? I've been such a bad blogger. It has been quite a busy spring and summer. Now that things have settled down a bit, I can share what I've been up to :)

We love visiting nearby farms during the fall (hello apple cider donuts!) but this year we ventured out during the summer for peaches and blueberries. We headed out a bit late on a Sunday and, to our surprise, all of our favorite farms were only opened a half day that day. Luckily, James did a search and found Applecrest Farm. 

It was our first time picking blueberries and the task seemed daunting at first. How long will it take us to fill our container by picking each tiny blueberry one by one? James wasn't too excited about it. He was tempted to buy a pint at the farm's store instead. We started picking the blueberries and was amazed when we tasted them. They were floral and sweet - definitely the best blueberries I've ever had. 

James, who loves blueberries, was hooked at this point (and was no longer a party pooper). We were both happily picking the blueberries. When I looked to see how he was doing, all I saw was his purple-stained lips from eating so many! Needless to say, that lovely pint there was mostly my hard work. (I kept him busy by taking photos for me though hehe.)

We went to pick peaches next. They were so juicy and sweet. We picked a mix of white (my favorite!) and yellow ones. 

Funny Fact: I often frame the shots for James to give him an idea of what I'm looking for so he almost always has a similar photo like mine. He loves having these nice photos too! Wouldn't it be great if James starts an Instagram page with all of these pictures? :D

We ended the day by browsing through their little pick-your-own flower field. It was a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon. We can't wait to visit again and also have a meal at their Farm Bistro which looks amazing. 

Visiting Tip: For pick-your-own, drive to the main entrance where the farm's store is located and purchase the bag/container at the register. Then get back into your car and drive a few minutes down the road to the actual orchard. The set up can be a bit confusing for first-timer. 

Never Stop Blooming

Happy first day of spring everyone!

This time last year I was heading to Japan to fulfill one of my biggest dreams. I wanted to explore this beautiful country on my own during the sakura season so that I can photograph and enjoy it at my own pace. It was my first solo adventure and the range of emotions that I had during this trip was pretty incredible. There were moments of extreme loneliness and moments of beautiful quiet reflection. I learned so much about myself. Ultimately, the trip allowed me to celebrate me - who I am as a person and what I like to do without worrying about anyone else. It was an amazing experience. I returned a happier, more appreciative, and inspired person. 

For me, a big part of life is about continuing to dream, learn, and grow to be the best version of myself. I stay truest to myself whenever I can be creative and bring my ideas to life. That is why I am so excited to finally launch my website! It has been in the works for a while. I love that I can share my love for photography here. I am also ecstatic that I can blog again! I started a blog a few years ago and really enjoyed it. I am looking forward to having this space to learn, share, and cultivate creativity with everyone. 

So with the start of spring where we celebrate new beginnings, I want to leave you with one of my favorite poems:

The Noble Nature by Ben Jonson

It is not growing like a tree
In bulk doth make Man better be;
Or standing long an oak, three hundred year,
To fall a log at last, dry, bald, and sere:
A lily of a day
Is fairer far in May,
Although it fall and die that night— 
It was the plant and flower of light.
In small proportions we just beauties see;
And in short measures life may perfect be.

To the saying, "Never stop growing", I want to add that we should not only grow but bloom and flourish as much as we can in the limited amount of time that we have here. I always strive to make the best out of what I have and be active in creating the life that I want for myself and I hope that you do too. So lets...never stop blooming :)