Goodbye, July.

If there's one word for July, I think it has to be hot.

The kind of hot where the fields ask for your attention first thing in the morning and again as the sun begins to set. Watering became part of the rhythm of every day, and I know so many of our farmers have been spending long mornings and late evenings making sure their flowers had what they needed to keep going through the heat.

Even with the temperatures climbing, July rewarded us with so much beauty.

The zinnias finally hit their stride, followed by lisianthus, sunflowers, celosia, strawflower, scabiosa, and mountain mint. Every week the buckets seemed to fill with a little more color, and it's always such a joy to watch the season unfold flower by flower.

One of my favorite days this month was Steph visiting Kay at Kay's Boukays. Her sweet peas had just about finished their season, making way for rows of bright sunflowers reaching toward the sky. That's one of my favorite things about flower farming—there's always another chapter beginning just as one comes to an end. (check out some of her photos below).

Around the Guild, we've been keeping busy in the best ways. We delivered flowers to Emily for her beautiful Santé Supper Club gathering, welcomed another florist into our growing community, and added a special workshop with Erica of Rhythm Floral to the calendar for September 19. We're even beginning to plan our first end-of-season Guild gathering in early October, which feels impossible to say out loud already.

This week we're especially excited for a photo shoot with Steph and one of our favorite florists, Kate Rutter. We can't wait to share what we create together, so keep an eye on our instagram.

If you're out exploring this month, be sure to stop by and see Morgen at the Vermilion Beach Market on Friday, August 7, from 3–8 p.m. and Saturday, August 8, from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. It's a wonderful way to support local growers and enjoy everything this season has to offer.

This growing season has certainly kept us on our toes. Many flowers arrived later than expected, and every week has been another opportunity to learn, adjust, and trust the timing of the land. That's farming, after all.

As we turn the page to August, the fields are full, the harvests are becoming more abundant, and we're excited to see what the next few weeks will bring.

Thank you for being part of this growing community. Whether you're growing, designing, or simply enjoying local flowers, we're so glad you're here.

Here's to August.

Sue