Reading Time: 3 minutes After five years as owner-operator of flower farm Shifting Blooms, Raney’s long-time love of chickens is paying off more than she initially thought. The mix of Ameraucana, Easter Egger, Swedish flower hens, Copper Marans, silkies, an Orpington and a Polish chicken create a rainbow of eggs for her farm stand. But her chickens give so […] Read more
Flower power, with help from some feathered friends
Summer Series: The pros and cons of chickens on a flower farm
VIDEO: A week in the life of a flower farmer
Summer Series: Operating a business that is at the mercy of the weather means it’s always a gamble whether the hard work will pay off. Sticking to a daily routine helps flower farmer Kristen Raney stay on top of a busy wedding season — and hopefully beat the odds
Reading Time: 4 minutes July sun beats down on Kristen Raney as she works in her Clavet, Sask., flower garden. Weeding and watering are constant this time of year and so, from June to August, this flower farmer, blogger and writer maintains a strict routine to keep up with the demands of weddings, artisanal markets and the farm stand […] Read more
Saskatchewan flower grower experiments with crops to find best bridal bouquets
Summer Series: Part two of our series following Saskatchewan’s Shifting Blooms along their business decision trail throughout the growing season
Reading Time: 3 minutes After four years running a flower farm, Kristen Raney is getting to know her business clientele better each year. Experimenting over the years with the sandy soils of her Clavet, Sask., farm means that she’s feeling confident this summer’s brides and grooms will love what she has to offer. She supplied her first 2025 wedding […] Read more
The butterfly effect of floral planning
Summer Series: Decisions made months before summer arrives affect the seasonal success of this floral business
Reading Time: 3 minutes In the white and grey of a Saskatchewan winter, Kristen Raney was thinking about rich chocolate browns, peaches and soft pink tones. As owner and operator of Shifting Blooms Flower Farm, the flower farmer, blogger and author uses the winter months to prepare for a successful growing season. In December, Raney was looking into wedding […] Read more
Outdoor weather affects indoor crops, too
As weather patterns change, farmers across the country are finding solutions — even for indoor crops
Reading Time: 4 minutes January is a relatively quiet month at A Beautiful Wild, a flower farm located in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley. The last of the Christmas wreaths and floral arrangements are out the door, and the Valentine’s Day blooms are not yet ready. Owner-operator Sarah Callow-Fisher and her husband, Devan, market their products through local farm […] Read more
Nova Scotia greenhouse rebuilds after severe snow storm
How an employee-owned greenhouse built back better than ever after a severe snowstorm destroyed several of their greenhouses
Reading Time: 6 minutes Nothing forces change like having your business literally flattened. In 2015, a February storm brought snow to Falmouth, Nova Scotia. At Avon Valley Floral’s greenhouses, the snow froze into a thin layer of ice. Then came more ice and snow. Greenhouse staff cranked up the aged boiler system, but it was too late to melt […] Read more
Bold strides through new ventures
A five-part series featuring farm families leading change through bold decisions on farm planning, new ventures, revenue diversification, innovation and business operations. In this instalment, the Woodley family, owners and operators of Woodley Farm and Greenhouses in Boston, Ont.
Reading Time: 4 minutes Barry and Christine Woodley have faced tough business decisions throughout their farm careers. Today’s challenge is a new one, though, and it requires a bold new level of trust in their family team. The Woodleys own and operate Woodley Farm and Greenhouses, and over the past 30 years they have used it to develop their […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
