August Abundance
The summer sun sets over the U-Pick fields at Rathvinden Farm during our yearly flower subscriber appreciation event.
From the Field
August is the month of plenty.
We’ve been harvesting flowers almost daily since May. However, many flower varieties don’t hit their stride until their second or third “cut”. Most of the flowers we grow are “cut-and-come-again” flowers, meaning, the more you cut them, the more they grow! So it’s no surprise to us when flowers we’ve been harvesting for months are suddenly huge and branching! Dahlias, cosmos, zinnias, and snapdragons are a few examples. If you’ve been to our U-pick field this summer, then you’ve seen all sorts of varieties with this habit.
What’s Blooming Now
Dahlias are definitely stealing the show. We’ve got them blooming in five tunnels and three outside beds. If you give Fiona a tuber and a spade, you can be sure she’ll have that baby in the ground before the day is up! Thankfully, our customers love all our dahlias, and we are happy to share them with our community.
A few other show stoppers this season are the lisianthus (affectionately called, “lisis” on the farm), cosmos (these cuties have been showing off for our CSA members weekly!), echinacea (we planted these perennials last year and are finally harvesting from them this year), and salpiglossis (the most fun name to say!).
What’s New
SUBSCRIBER CELEBRATION!
We got to celebrate our flower subscription members this month with an evening picking flowers and exploring the fields. Mother Nature put on a FULL SHOW for our attendees with gale force winds, rain, sunshine, and rainbows! We got the full spectrum of weather in the space of a couple hours. We’re so grateful for our members who braved the wind with a smile and a happy heart! We were rewarded for our stalwartness with an incredible show of rainbows in the dreamy evening light. It was a special reminder of why we take the time and energy to give back to the land and improve the soil of this great valley.
Dried Harvest is Here!
We’ve started harvesting for the colder months by hanging blooms to dry in barn. Our favorites this season are strawflower, oregano, amaranth, and rattail statice. If you visit the barn, ask for a sneak peek of the dried rainbow before you leave! We’re gearing up for wreath and garland season!
NEW THIS YEAR: WINTER CSA!
We’re excited to offer a winter flower subscription this year! We will have six weeks of flowery offerings for you to enjoy during the darkest months of the year. Since these are “forever blooms,” we won’t keep you to a strict pick-up schedule. You can even pick up all six at once if you prefer!
Check out all the details and purchase here:
Please note: this subscription includes 6 locally-grown items picked up in two separate bundles, on November 20th and December 11th. These These subscriptions are not available for shipping. Want to send some flowers to a loved one that lives out of town? Check out our Shippable Dried Flower Gift Box - more details to come!
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Yes, you heard that right: local flowers in the dead of Montana winter. Though we can’t figure out how to grow fresh flowers in the Montana tundra (and honestly, nor do we want to) we still have a bounty of our flowers to share, in dried form, so we dreamt up the Winter Flower Subscription. ♡ Everything in this box was grown here on our farm or thoughtfully foraged around Bozeman, which is a rare and wonderful thing in winter, when most "fresh" flowers on the market have traveled thousands of miles to reach you. We think that’s worth celebrating!
What's included (note: each of these creations is unique and hand-made. Items will vary from picture and purchasers will be able to select the color combination of their choosing upon pick up):
Fresh Holiday Wreath- Hand-tied with freshly cut juniper and spruce boughs, fragrant and full, ready to hang on your door or over your mantel.
Dried Floral Wreath- A softer, everlasting companion piece, made from our preserved summer harvest for texture and warmth that lasts well beyond the holidays.
Strawflower Garland- Papery, jewel-toned blooms strung into a garland to bring color to any room. Drapes beautifully over doorways, mirrors, or mantels.
Marigold Garland- Sunny and bold. A nod to marigold's long history as a symbol of warmth and celebration, even in the coldest months.
Dried Bouquet- A gathered, seasonal arrangement designed to be enjoyed all winter long, no water required.
Edible Flower Sprinkles- A little edible magic to elevate your baking projects, cocktails, or table. Farm-grown petals you can eat.
By purchasing a Winter Flower Subscription you're not just getting a delightful assortment of one-of-a-kind, locally grown items; you're helping keep our crew employed through the off-season. Your subscription directly supports the people who grow, harvest, and hand-craft every piece in this box; a win-win if you ask us. ;)
Pick up #1 occurs on November 20th and includes: Holiday Wreath, Strawflower Garland, Sprinkles
Pick up #2 on December 11th includes: Dried Floral Wreath, Marigold Garland, Dried Flower Bouquet
The Winter Flower Subscription is split into two pick up weeks on November 20 and December 10. Both pick ups will occur at our farm off of Springhill Road. Detailed directions here!
♡ Thank you for supporting locally-grown flowers! ♡
Upcoming Events
We love partnering with other creatives to offer fun experiences on the farm. In the coming weeks, we will explore a Harvest Moon Yoga session with our very own local yogini, Kodee Cloninger. Afterwards, attendees get to pick their own bouquet of flowers from the U-pick fields that are currently bursting with blooms.
October is a great time to clear the air and the skin with a facial party guided by Megan Ulrichs of Glo Luxury Oils.
Book your spot now before they sell out!
Event is Saturday September 26 from 9AM-11AM. One hour yoga flow followed by an hour for U-pick! We will have some mats available but please BYO if you’re able! :)
Kodee has been teaching yoga locally since 2023 after completing her 200 YTT with the Collective School of Yoga. Her teaching is accessible for all levels and allows everyone to prioritize their own comfort levels. She strives to create a space for others to find the power of breath, movement, balance, and playfulness while surrounded by community.
Saturday October 10, 10:30-noon
This workshop is equal parts education and indulgence. Whether you’re skincare-curious, refining your routine, or just craving a relaxing morning, you’ll leave with practical knowledge, a radiant complexion, and a deeper connection to intentional care, both inside and out.
Megan Ulrichs, owner of Glō Luxury Oils, will walk participants through a luxurious 45-60 min facial using 9 Glō products and warm, cloud soft face towels between each step to leave you fresh, dewy, and educated on organic skin care rituals. These facials are chock full of education around how diet and lifestyle affect our skin as well as how, why, and when to use your Glō products.
Participants can expect to sit back, sip a nourishing and delicious beverage, and enjoy a fully pampered moment in the beautiful Rathvinden barn overlooking the Bridger Range.
Behind the Blooms
The Rathvinden crew is putting in the hours and effort required to bring beauty to the world. This summer was a season of new beginnings and new offerings on the farm. Lauren lead the charge to provide all the flowers and arrangements for the recent GVLT evening and event in Bozeman’s Bridger mountains. We are so proud of our work and the products we are putting out into the world. It was a pleasure to share our flowers and design prowess with the community.
We’ve had many helping hands this summer to ensure our blooms don’t get strangled by weeds or fried in the sun. Kodee Cloninger shared her time and energy with us for several weeks before she started back as a Spanish instructor at the Bozeman Field School. She also teaches yoga when she’s not farming or teaching or biking or hiking or hanging out with friends!! She’s the real deal.
We would be remiss not to mention the incredible volunteers we’ve had on the farm this summer. Our volunteer days have been full and happy. Our weekly U-pick is regularly staffed by volunteers from the community willing to offer their time and love of flowers to our crew after hours. As a team, we so appreciate the time this gives us to relax with friends and family and not worry about the flowers! (Believe it or not, flowers can really stress you out if you’re not careful!)
We hope to see you at the U-PICK!
U-Pick season will continue until the frost closes us down, so come one, come all!
TUESDAYS FROM 4PM - 7PM
(psst. If this time doesn’t work for you, ask us about our private U-pick options!)
Giveaway!
We have loved sending so many flowers out the door to happy couples, florists, community members and MORE. We are even hosting our first wedding on the farm this month (!!). The more we get to share the beauty of this valley, the happier we are!
In an effort to keep the momentum going, we’re giving away one bouquet of fresh farm blooms ($40 value) to anyone who leaves us a review on google in the next TWO WEEKS. We’ll announce a winner via email on September 22nd.
Leave your review HERE!
Please note: this subscription includes 6 locally-grown items picked up in two separate bundles, on November 20th and December 11th. These These subscriptions are not available for shipping. Want to send some flowers to a loved one that lives out of town? Check out our Shippable Dried Flower Gift Box - more details to come!
—
Yes, you heard that right: local flowers in the dead of Montana winter. Though we can’t figure out how to grow fresh flowers in the Montana tundra (and honestly, nor do we want to) we still have a bounty of our flowers to share, in dried form, so we dreamt up the Winter Flower Subscription. ♡ Everything in this box was grown here on our farm or thoughtfully foraged around Bozeman, which is a rare and wonderful thing in winter, when most "fresh" flowers on the market have traveled thousands of miles to reach you. We think that’s worth celebrating!
What's included (note: each of these creations is unique and hand-made. Items will vary from picture and purchasers will be able to select the color combination of their choosing upon pick up):
Fresh Holiday Wreath- Hand-tied with freshly cut juniper and spruce boughs, fragrant and full, ready to hang on your door or over your mantel.
Dried Floral Wreath- A softer, everlasting companion piece, made from our preserved summer harvest for texture and warmth that lasts well beyond the holidays.
Strawflower Garland- Papery, jewel-toned blooms strung into a garland to bring color to any room. Drapes beautifully over doorways, mirrors, or mantels.
Marigold Garland- Sunny and bold. A nod to marigold's long history as a symbol of warmth and celebration, even in the coldest months.
Dried Bouquet- A gathered, seasonal arrangement designed to be enjoyed all winter long, no water required.
Edible Flower Sprinkles- A little edible magic to elevate your baking projects, cocktails, or table. Farm-grown petals you can eat.
By purchasing a Winter Flower Subscription you're not just getting a delightful assortment of one-of-a-kind, locally grown items; you're helping keep our crew employed through the off-season. Your subscription directly supports the people who grow, harvest, and hand-craft every piece in this box; a win-win if you ask us. ;)
Pick up #1 occurs on November 20th and includes: Holiday Wreath, Strawflower Garland, Sprinkles
Pick up #2 on December 11th includes: Dried Floral Wreath, Marigold Garland, Dried Flower Bouquet
The Winter Flower Subscription is split into two pick up weeks on November 20 and December 10. Both pick ups will occur at our farm off of Springhill Road. Detailed directions here!
♡ Thank you for supporting locally-grown flowers! ♡
A simple denim blue tote bag for all your daily essentials ;) With a large silkscreen print of our BRAND NEW logo in lavender and sage green.
We are offering FARM PICKUP ONLY by appointment. Please fill out your preferred pickup time 9AM- 3PM Mon, Tues, Thur, or Fri ONLY at checkout.
As always, thank you for your support, flower purchases, friend referrals, and belief in our little farm and what we’re doing.
We know it would be so much easier to just till the soil, hire cheap labor, and plant easy flowers. Instead, we’re committed to doing something different. We’re committed to paying our people a living wage, building up our ecosystem by using organic and regenerative practices, and supporting our community with events and workshops. We may be small but we’re also mighty!