Today I'm diving into a topic that I've never really talked about before: collaboration versus competition. Why are we so afraid of competition? Let's explore why collaboration can actually be more beneficial.

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Amy's Organic Garden on Instagram

Online Workshop: Collectives101

⁠The Flower Farmer Club⁠, presented by The Gardener's Workshop

⁠⁠⁠⁠Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!⁠⁠⁠⁠

The⁠⁠⁠⁠ Field and Garden Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Cut Flower Handbook, Vegetables Love Flowers, and Cool Flowers⁠⁠⁠⁠, owner of⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Gardener’s Workshop,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Flower Farming School Online,⁠⁠⁠⁠ and the publisher of⁠⁠⁠⁠ Farmer-Florist School Online⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠ Florist School Online.⁠⁠⁠⁠ Watch⁠⁠⁠⁠ Lisa’s Story⁠⁠⁠⁠ and connect with Lisa on social media!

Most garden problems start before the first seed is planted. In this episode, Lisa shares the five simple setup decisions that make a cutting garden easier to care for—and far more productive.

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Products: Garden Fork & Spade, TGW Seed Collections, Biodegradable Mulch Film, The BIG Calendar-Journal, The Cut Flower Handbook

Online Courses: The Easy Cut Flower Garden, Flower Farming School Online

Irrigation Suppliers: Dripworks and Berry Hill

Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Field and Garden Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Cut Flower Handbook, Vegetables Love Flowers, and Cool Flowers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, owner of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Gardener’s Workshop,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Flower Farming School Online,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and the publisher of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Farmer-Florist School Online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Florist School Online.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Watch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Lisa’s Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and connect with Lisa on social media!

If I had the opportunity to restart my business today based on what I have learned since starting in 1998, these are some of the things that would change the course of my business. They seem so simple now, but when I was in the weeds-- I never even thought of these things!

Hope they help! ~Lisa

P.S. Listen through to the very end for an uplifting note from Jennifer!

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Lisa's Course: ⁠Flower Farming School Online

⁠Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Field and Garden Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Cut Flower Handbook, Vegetables Love Flowers, and Cool Flowers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, owner of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Gardener’s Workshop,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Flower Farming School Online,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and the publisher of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Farmer-Florist School Online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Florist School Online.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Watch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Lisa’s Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and connect with Lisa on social media!

If your garden (or your to-do list) feels too big, this episode will feel like a deep breath. Lisa shares how cutting back her growing space—on purpose—actually increased her productivity, lowered stress, and brought the joy back into her season. Learn why “smaller” can make you a stronger, more profitable grower, and the simple shifts that help you get more from the beds you already have.

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The BIG Calendar-Journal from The Gardener's Workshop

Book: The New Organic Grower by Eliot Coleman

Live Class with Lisa: "Where to Sell Cut Flowers: Finding the Best Markets for YOUR Farm"

Lisa's Course: Flower Farming School Online

⁠Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Field and Garden Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Cut Flower Handbook, Vegetables Love Flowers, and Cool Flowers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, owner of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Gardener’s Workshop,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Flower Farming School Online,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and the publisher of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Farmer-Florist School Online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Florist School Online.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Watch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Lisa’s Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and connect with Lisa on social media!

Today, I’m thrilled to share some important tips for anyone dreaming of starting a flower farming business. As I look back on my journey, I wish I had these resources when I started. This is about the three key steps that can lead to failure as a flower farmer. I’ve seen many passionate people vanish from the business, and it’s often due to skipping over some basic but crucial steps. I'd love to keep YOU from failing, and I hope these tips help you navigate the challenges of flower farming and keep your passion alive.

~Lisa

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⁠⁠The Flower Farmer Club⁠⁠, presented by The Gardener's Workshop

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Field and Garden Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Cut Flower Handbook, Vegetables Love Flowers, and Cool Flowers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, owner of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Gardener’s Workshop,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Flower Farming School Online,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and the publisher of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Farmer-Florist School Online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Florist School Online.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Watch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Lisa’s Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and connect with Lisa on social media!

In this episode, Lisa shares the deeper truth behind nearly 30 years of growing, teaching, and building The Gardener’s Workshop: success didn’t come from pressure or perfection—it came from following the quiet pull toward the work she loves. From discovering gardening as a dyslexic learner to building tools and resources that help others succeed, this is a gentle, inspiring reminder to listen to the tug that keeps you showing up, season after season.

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Documentary, The Big Picture: Rethinking Dyslexia

The BIG Calendar-Journal

Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Field and Garden Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Cut Flower Handbook, Vegetables Love Flowers, and Cool Flowers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, owner of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Gardener’s Workshop,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Flower Farming School Online,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and the publisher of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Farmer-Florist School Online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Florist School Online.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Watch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Lisa’s Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and connect with Lisa on social media!

In this episode, Lisa shares a gentle but game-changing reminder: a focused plan beats a flashy one every time. If you're building a flower farm (or dreaming of one), tune in to hear why growing a few reliable crops, resisting the urge to overcomplicate, and sticking to your plan can lead to real, lasting success.

P.S. Listen through to the end for a special note from Julia!

Original air date 1/31/23 as Field & Garden #222

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Arnosky Family Farms on Instagram

Lisa's Course: Flower Farming School Online

Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Field and Garden Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Cut Flower Handbook, Vegetables Love Flowers, and Cool Flowers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, owner of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Gardener’s Workshop,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Flower Farming School Online,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and the publisher of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Farmer-Florist School Online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Florist School Online.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Watch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Lisa’s Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and connect with Lisa on social media!

Don’t Go It Alone: The Flower Farmer’s Superpower

Dreaming of flower farming success? There’s one simple (but powerful) strategy that can save you time, money, and burnout: community. In this episode, Lisa shares why building a solid support network might be the most important decision you make as a beginner flower farmer.

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Lisa's Private Online Community: The Flower Farmer Club

Lisa's Course: Flower Farming School Online

Book: The Flower Farmer by Lynn Byczynski

Discover our online courses!

⁠⁠Shop the TGW Online Store for all your seeds and supplies!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up to receive our weekly Farm News!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Field and Garden Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is produced by Lisa Mason Ziegler, award-winning author of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Cut Flower Handbook, Vegetables Love Flowers, and Cool Flowers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, owner of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Gardener’s Workshop,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Flower Farming School Online,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and the publisher of⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Farmer-Florist School Online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Florist School Online.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Watch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Lisa’s Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and connect with Lisa on social media!