Not dry at all. I so appreciate when people are upfront about the cost of things. Thank you for sharing!

I found a “store” of daffodil bulbs on the side of our backyard shed and the owner of the house who has lived here since he was a kid has no idea how they got there. There’s hundred of them and after turning them a little they just started sprouting after who knows how many years. Now they come back every year like we landscaped.

I love gardening and wanted to sell flowers as a side income to support my gardening expenses and potentially a full time business. I am a realist and did the math vs labor last year and decided at 54 years old with chronic illness and pain that this in not a good business endeavor for me! Thank you for keeping it real! So many KZfaqrs are all about the fluff and so many people jump in head first without counting the costs. I'll continue to garden for fun and therapy and make a random buck here and there. But I will find a more profitable, less grueling and hopefully fulfilling business to enjoy and bring me profits.

Not dry at all! Your Mom is right, don’t bother fudging numbers, that’s a set of lies you won’t have to try to keep track of. Your candour is most appreciated. There’s more intrinsic value to what you do than your calculated hourly return. The value of your outreach is probably not calculable, and you aren’t getting monetary returns on your knowledge transfer, but I feel like there is another more ethereal ledger for people that freely share their expertise. You have my admiration, and I do not doubt, the admiration of many thousands.

I'm an accountant who has been watching your videos to start my own cutting garden. Definitely not dry to me.😊 That said, my part time accounting job is looking more realistic now rather than a flower business.

As an accountant/farmer I’ve never spent 34k on inputs seeds, plants bulbs. That’s a huge number which luckily was offset by 45k in flower sales. Add to that your other expenses and labor… and as always farming (of any kind) is a losing proposition (financially) However Your workshops are very profitable so essentially that is your off farm income! We’ve always had to work off the farm to supplement our farm losses😊

This was so helpful! Thank you for being so honest. I’m blown away by the fact you can stay on top of keeping 2 acres with two small kids! I’m struggling with a quarter acre 😅

well that was a mouthful and I think it goes to show that things aren't not as easy as they appear everybody thinks it's a lovely job and many people would do over some drum job that they didn't really care about because that itself is quite healing The travel is when you start a video title out with 107,000 and then we get to gas every time you talk about your expenses knowing that the bottom line is going to be virtually almost breaking even, it's pretty deflating I've been working on almost the last three months in a grocery store in the floral department. And I can tell you it is very hard work I process two trucks a week I try to maintain that department I have potted plants indoor potted plants outdoor we have the consumer bunches and bouquets and we have the arrangements that we make to put in the case for people to purchase as a ready to go situation There is ordering and ball balloons and ribbons and all of the accessories that are required like the little clips for the balloons then we have FTD and the unexpected events that come up like people needing boutonnieres corsages mini bouquets for their prom which were getting flooded with at the time and yet we still have to do all the other stuff including placing orders and trying to process flowers that have expired and trying to put them into arrangements hoping that they will last a little while for the pleasure and enjoyment of the customers truly we should be using fresh flowers however no matter how much I have pleaded with the manager in this department very little is actually taken into serious consideration Focus on the bottom line low labor so I'm having to work twice as hard half the amount of time and feel completely spent not really having the opportunity to do the things I would take pleasure in So if you add all of those things on top of the wrapping which we really don't specialize in I need sundries that you need to do that unboxing and storing all of your vases running to the back to grab more supplies it really is a very difficult position and then you have to grow the flowers? the fact that your business that you're running mostly comes from the extra effort that you take because the flowers themselves are not making you enough money and I want to question if you're charging enough I think farmers get the shaft And I do think it's because they give permission and participate in that so whoever you're selling your flowers to if you're not in the competitive position with surrounding businesses doing the same then you are short changing yourself so I would start looking very closely at what you are charging for your flowers and for your services because I feel that you are not charging enough and perhaps that's an effort which comes from a fear base to make some thing over nothing So yes this video without a shadow of a doubt was extremely discouraging to those who might consider doing this as a business but as you said this is really experimental for you and a learning process so that you can apply this on a larger scale elsewhere so it's not a complete loss neither is trying to see what actually works but your area is going to dictate some of that because of the residence what their interests are of course absolutely nothing selling to a flower market unless you were growing on large scale to anyone an individual if they're gonna pay those pricesat grocery store or florist in the middle as far as charging goes

That was great and very eye opening. Thank you. You put a lot into everything that you do and it shows. At 75 I certainly wouldn’t be starting anything as time consuming and intensively hard work but I was wondering if I might have done it when I was young. The answer is nope, I love growing flowers and gardening but to work as hard as it takes I just couldn’t do it. When I buy flowers or especially send an arrangement I tend to resent what it costs, but now I’ll have a new outlook on those prices. You certainly deserve a LOT more for all that hard work. Thank you so much for your honesty. You are a very beautiful woman.

I’ll be honest, I LOVE these videos. The money in/money out is really helpful and so interesting. I also like the KZfaq income breakdown videos. Basically anything that gives me the numbers 😅

Thank you for sharing. More visibility is needed so folks know going into it. Start small and learn how you want to grow your business. It’s easy to see big farms and think you should be buying all the bulbs etc. It also helps to have a spouse who is making an income off the farm ❤

Great video. People often don't add up the costs of gardening, especially the infrastructure and soil amendments. Gardening for a business also has the many hazards of bad weather and insect damage.

your honestly very appreciated.

Thank you for this video & your transparency. People struggle their entire lives working at jobs they don’t like. It seems you have found something you enjoy doing and feel good about - that is priceless. I too love the outdoors & gardening and striving to make this love of mine a profitable one. 🌸🌱💕

Your video is extremely informative and flower farming ranks with the rest of farming ventures. At the end of the day, most farmers do not make a lot of money, their revenue is tied up in their land, infrastructure, machinery and ranchers have livestock and other costs. Calculating hourly salary can be disappointing however life is not just making money, life is being active and loving it!

So 35, 000.00 for plant material. 45,000.00 sales from that plant material. Plus materials, soil. Wow. I'm in my second year and spent maybe a grand. I am growing my own perrenials . I'm hoping I can use the property for weddings and airbnb. It's just part of my world so like you I'm not in it for the money.. Edit : it seems nobody is making much in the flower farming business unless they produce you tube content and have functions. I have heard that Lisa Mason Zeigler has made a living but she is a master in self promotion and very few people could work like her.

Loved this format! Thanks for sharing your numbers, I'm going into my 3rd season growing, 2nd for profit. And lemme tell you I'm deff in the red this year just because of all the infrastructure we put in & classes I take, yours being one of them.

Eye opening...I still love it, even if the payoff in dollars is low.

My guess is this. Owning and operating local farm seems to pay 10 to 14 hours an hour if you are doing well....that is once you get past the hurtles of acquiring your initial land, your initial infrastructure, and initial operating costs. The benefit is the life you live and/or the living you experience which you can't put a price on

Harsh reality 😢 💔. I assumed you made more for such beautiful flowers 💐 😍. It's a labor of love and passion for sure. Thank you for sharing.

very real... I am a flower farmer in MN . I get it.

This is so helpful as someone who about to embark on my flower production trial year! I've been running a perennial flower business tending to other's properties and gardens, but now my partner and I finally have our own land. I want to start the little flower farm that I've dreamed of for a decade! I noticed that wedding flowers are one of your income streams. Would you be willing to spell that out a little bit more? I'm curious if you do the floral design work for weddings, or if you sell your flowers wholesale to wedding florists? I have done floral design for a couple of weddings and found it to be a huge output of energy and time, and I struggle to imagine incorporating that with my garden business, and the mini farm I intend to establish. But, I wonder if doing wedding floral design is an important income stream for making it as a flower farmer. Thank you!!

Thank you so much for your honesty and openness on this subject! I knew it wasn't a get rich career, and my goal originally was to make _at least_ $500 a week, just to support myself comfortably (cheap rent on family farm), so this is a good reality checkup that it is 100% doable. Thank you, it means a lot.

I really appreciate this video. There's a certain flower farmer on social media that's always bragging about making six figures but never goes into details about her costs. It doesn't really matter how much money you bring in if you're spending more than you make! Lol so glad you get to pursue your passion and help take care of our planet!

I’m getting started as a first timer this year. And when you say $10 that’s crazy low. But there’s a trade off to not being a cooperate slave to the machine. Sounds like a good trade off to me! Cheers!

I appreciate your transparency. I think many get ideas of romanticized farming both veg and flower, and both require hard work and commitment for it to work. I have so enjoyed your channel (and “you cant eat the grass” as well), with your honesty. Keep doing what you love

Will you do a video on how maybe you will reduce spending & increase profit to essentially give yourself a raise or operate a more lean operation? I would be very interested in that sort of info maybe quarterly. I think its a struggle a lot of us growers face! You have been such an encouragement to me in being mindful of my growing practices (not many people could motivate me to examine things in the way you do haha). This time of year it's hard to control the spending....everything feels like a need! I am learning to shop & enjoy adding to my cart....then leave it for a few days to get perspective and get past the impulse phase & think through where I will plant it all. Then I ho back to the cart & try to be ruthless in cutting back & only order a small % of what I initially put in my cart (also splitting bulk seed orders & shipping costs with other local growers has helped too).

Love how up front and honest this is.

Thanks for sharing, I’m sure that it was hard to share your numbers but honestly it was so nice to hear as a microgreens farmer wondering if this was going to work! But you’re right, it’s about so much more than profit. It’s building community, a healthy planet and a priceless skillset.

Great video and reality check- thank you! Can you tell us more about your Minnesota farm???

The brutal reality of farming! Thanks for sharing this:)

Thank you! This was very informative and was presented very professionally yet with feeling. I love the way you present your ideas with facts that are not sugar coating the reality. Thank you!

Haha - never dry!! Always entertaining along with learning 😊😊

Thank you for your honesty. You are passionate at what you are doing and it shows :) Keep up the good work ! Love your videos ! Stay warm ! From GA peaches 🍑💕

Oh, I love this! We are currently looking for a suburban space with acreage where I can gain experience and learn regenerative practices to hopefully someday use on my home farm in WI! It is so helpful to hear what that looks like for you!

As someone that’s considering leaving my corporate job to be a grower this is sooo helpful! Thank you 🌸💕🌷☘️

Thank you so much. I’m a solo parent with a dream of owning and running my own flower farm. This helps me think up other income streams besides just selling flowers. I think having a greenhouse to rent out for specialty photography etc. I’ll keep thinking 🙏🏽🌸

So a labor of love in other words. A lot of people have a degree and make about that after graduating and a student loan. It’s not easy, but it helps that you do what you love.

Thanks for the video! I am super excited that I found your channel. My partner and I just bought our first property in the southern part of Westminster (1.2 acres). We are excited for our first growing season and the seemingly endless possibilities! 🙂

Great channel! You tube just recommended it to me. $10 an hour while you are educating yourself (and a bunch of others) is pretty good.

Thank you! This was not dry at all. I love that you address the reality of this business that is too often romanticized.

I am just starting out and this is incredibly helpful! Thank you for your content, your farm is one I admire! 😊

Thank you so much for this video! I’m starting a “trial run” of an extremely small scale flower farm in my yard this year to see if this might work for me. I’m super excited, but very worried about whether this might be enough to support myself so this video helps put things in perspective!

Thank you so much for your willingness to show us what goes on behind the scenes. Cheers from FL.

This was so so so informational and helpful! Thank you for being so transparent!

Love the info you shared! Thank you for taking the time to go through your numbers. I've been toying with the idea of starting my own flower farm in Canada, so this is really helpful info.

So appreciate your transparency! Cheers.

Suuuupppper helpful!!! Thank you!

From another flower farmer (2 acres, 4th growing season), this is a great video. Flower farming is a business and not a hobby, and I think there is a lot of unrealistic expectations around the finances of the business from brand new growers who do this to "make money on the side". Theirs is a very different operations model than a full production flower farm - especially when you look at expenses like claimable income taxes and employee wages. I really appreciated this video. xx

Thank you for all of these insights! You had us hanging on every word. Go, team B&B!

Not dry at all totally understand the reality and expenses of owning a business. I call it a labor of love thanks for sharing.

Hybrid coi am just crunching the figures for my 1st year of flower farming on a little less than half an acre. Having these figures fyour farm where you are experiod and have been farming for several years Is helping me put my figures into perspective.

I hope you can grow this with affiliate links and KZfaq ad revenue. You could also do some cute merchandise, that I’m sure your viewers would love to buy! Like me.

Clearly it is all about passion. Wish that you are able to make a lot more. Thanks for sharing!

Excellent video! As a CPA and a flower farmer wanna-be I am very impressed by your income/expense breakout. I'm 61 yrs old and looking forward to selling my business. I'm getting my infrastructure in place in anticipation of "retirement " so that I will hopefully be cash flowing in a couple more years. Living in a very small town I don't have a lot of opportunities for selling and I don't love social media. Do you have any idea of how much social media impacts your sales? Is it the main source of advertising that you do and do you offer any type of CSA membership? I thank you for the endless source of excellent information that you provide. You have been a real gift to me as I learn about regenerative farming!!

Excellent info! My ears perked up when you said you were from MN! What part of MN are you from? I’m in the twin cities area. I’m having a mid-life restart. My kids are almost all grown now. I left corporate world 16 years ago and was a homeschool mom for 11 years. I’ve been working at an educational farm the past two summers doing lots of gardening and loving it. 🌱 I also grew up in a garden center where my dad was the manager and I have also watched him keep beautiful flower gardens all my life. When I’m in the garden with dirt on my hands it feels like home. Thanks for all your truthful and realistic content. Reach out if you find you have a need for some hands in MN 💗🌱

Wow, this was so great and interesting to learn about your practices more and what can be done your honesty with the hours you work and the expenses is so needed thank you!!! 🎉

Love your transparency! Very helpful! You are a true gem!

This is a really good and informative video. People don't realize what it takes to run a business.

Thank you for your transparency! I appreciate your vision and your drive to build your ecosystems and soils. Cheers

Thank you for all the wonderful content 💕 I have loved learning about flowers.

Hi there! I’m a wholesale grower at Harlequin’s gardens in Boulder. We do mostly natives and permaculture plants, pesticide free. Check us out if you ever need some rare natives!

Not dry at all. I am starting my 5th year, also in an expensive urban/suburban area, and finally this year will not have major infrastructure expenses. Hoping for my best year yet, but this is not for the faint at heart or someone looking for easy money. Love following you on IG.

More folks need to hear this and see how hard our farmers have to work with little to no pay out. Our farmers work so hard and make so little. Being an entrepreneur is hard...wish more salary based folks understood how easy they have it and would be more appreciative of the services of others more.

Thank you for sharing this information. I’ll definitely need to rethink and plan more before I embark on something like this.❤🌸🌸🌸

Thank you so much. This really helps frame the challenges for what lies ahead for us.

Love your channel! Thanks for the information. If it makes you HAPPY THATS THE MOST IMPORTANT!!

Thank you for all of that! Truly!

Good Information. Thanks for sharing!

Great job with the costs breakdown! That honest account really gives everyone a really good idea what the baseline is to be able to know if you would even want to scale up or down. Like you were saying, if you wanted to invest more to try to make more, at least you would have a good comparison for everything to see how worth it it actually is at the end of the year.

Thanks for sharing this! It’s so helpful!

Hi! Curious if you made any money from social media and if you added that in your yearly income? Thanks for being so transparent about these numbers. This is SUPER helpful.

Thank you for being transparent, so many people won't answer these types of questions honestly if at all. Why do you have to rebuy the ranunculus corms if you are using the same corms? If you aren't propagating them why would you need to buy new?

Thank you for sharing and the discussion

Thankyou for sharing!! It's so interesting. I haven't been game to put our financials out there, so well done!!

Wait you have a 250 acre Minnesota farm? Who takes care of that and what do you/they grow on it? Fascinating!

thank you so much for all the info you put

Thank so you much! Excellent information. Not dry in the least, your genuine care and passion shows through and your honesty is appreciated. By no means were you discouraging but instead encouraging of the reality of the potential investment of both time and energy as well as what to expect from the investment. It must be a labor of love with some sort of support otherwise the cost/benefit ratio would have to be reconsidered. Thanks for keeping it real. -I love growing from seed as well. Closest thing to real magic that we’ll ever experience! 🌻🌞

Very informative Thank youuu

I love all of this information! It’s so helpful to know what you are getting into!

This was SO incredibly helpful. Thank you!!

& you probably price accordingly! Now I wish all new flower farmers that underprice would see this!

Thank you for the video and for being so honest! I really appreciate everything that you shared 💚

Love your videos, thank you for sharing the details of your business 😊❤

No offense intended, just my observation, which apparently I'm not allowed to express in certain forums: it seems like flower farming is the new gold rush and the only people making money are the people selling supplies and courses, similar to the merchants during the gold rush.

Great info, thanks so much. I just subscribed and will watch more, much appreciated.

Great video, thank you for sharing!! :)

Thank you for the video. It's the simplest numbers breakdown video I have seen in a while. I heard you say you have young children and was wondering if child care was included in the expenses

Great video, the one thing you didn’t mention or maybe I missed it. You have a significant amount of followers on KZfaq and other social media outlets. Any income from them?

I am so surprised! I had no clue that there where intellectual property rights for seeds and bulbs. Do you have any other videos where you talk more in depth about this? I want to star a flower farm and have been doing a TUN of research and this is the first time I heard someone mention this. Also I am from Canada so I wonder if our laws about this would be any different.

So some of these are "investments" and not just costs that have a value over and above the salary at the end. So it would be I made: $10.58 an hour plus invested xyz into my farm/I have xyz in materials valued used with a resale value at: _______ after consumable costs that have zero value at the end like annuals, water, web fees, insurance etc.

Thanks for sharing! 💯

What I've learned in 11 yrs farming is there isn't much money in the actual farming side of things. All the big money comes from agrotourism, youtube, classes. 😅 every thing but farming.

Very helpful❤😊

0:10 - WHAT are they! They're lovely! I didn't order any daisy type seeds, and that makes me think I made a mistake

Thank you for making this. Do you get to write off some of you mortgage and car as expenses ?

The $30k was a bonus for all the rewarding work you've done for your family & homestead. The sacrifice & investments you're making today will surely pay its benefits in the long run.

5 Starz!! Thank You!

THANK YOU!!!!

Not being able to save bulbs, having to repurchase yearly feels like a crime against nature.