How I OVER DOUBLED my income as a Flower Farmer

[@mslindqu]

You get bonus points for using actual numbers and providing actual experience instead of beating around the bush like most people on KZbin. Doesn't matter if the numbers become outdated, without numbers it's not useful. Good job!

[@misfitkrew2144]

3b?? WOW! We are zone 10b here. I could not imagine only 90-120 days. That is amazing! This is my 4th year flower farming.

[@ourcozygarden]

You are one of our inspirations for short season flower farming. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@ShiftingRoots]

You're so welcome! It's not easy, but it can be done!

[@hongphuongtrip1]

Very beautiful flowers, nice sharing, have a happy day

[@intentionalallie]

Thank you for your transparency! I’m going to start a small cut flower garden and seeing your progress in the videos has been so encouraging for me.

[@EvelynM-vlogs]

Your raspberry boucle jacket (coat?) looks really good with your complexion and glasses. Just thought I would let you know that. Also, don't hate me but my dahlias are still going strong and I'm still selling single dinnerplates ($4ea or 3 for $10 - I sell them in pop cans so that they can stay in water in a cup holder in a car, people like that) and bouquets ($20ea) from my roadside stand. I'm in Campbell River on Vancouver Island. Sales have definitely slowed but that's OK.

[@ShiftingRoots]

I promise not to hate you, but I AM totally jealous. Sometimes I think if I ever moved to a warmer climate I wouldn't even know what to do with myself, lol. And thanks about the jacket! It was a bit of splurge last year, but I think it was worth it.

[@EvelynM-vlogs]

@@ShiftingRoots boucle is so on trend, both in interior design and in fashion. In my warmer climate I have so much to do that I am never caught up on everything. Just how I like it cause what would I do if I was caught up? I have no idea.

[@ambethk77]

@@ShiftingRoots I agree! Beautiful!

[@gildamolinar5155]

You are the queen of bouquet making. Love your videos!

[@ShiftingRoots]

Thank you!

[@jessicaeiss2541]

Hi there! I've now just found you tonight, have watched 3 or 4 videos, and have to say, I'm so impressed with your honesty, and that you haven't posted all the rosey information. I appreciate that you've been honest even in the lean times, when you weren't making much money, but it looks like you've really turned your part time business around. I'm south of you in NY state, and can appreciate your colder zone growing! New subbie here, and congrats on your baby too. I followed on IG

[@ShiftingRoots]

Thank you so much!

[@flowergrower1247]

Kristen, you look fabulous! Your flowers looked fabulous and I love your pumpkin bouquets!

[@ShiftingRoots]

Thank you so much!

[@terrafarmer48]

So excited to hear you're from Saskatchewan!! Me too!

[@rosemacdougall2967]

Great job Kristen!!

[@planetsingatorade]

I also tried to start in 2019--which was NOT the best time. 4/5 of our local florists shut down. So I'm only getting started now again as a hobby. I think I'd rather do it as a side income for another farmer florist. XD XD

[@bernideencanfield6548]

How perfectly wonderful!!!! Congratulations!

[@mrs.mcnamara1669]

Thank you for sharing.

[@rosemarythyme6351]

Thanks for your transparency! If my back would allow me to garden yet, I would definitely consider florist farming here in 4b. I've been a flower lover since I was a little girl and have decades of gardening and flower arranging under my belt. BLessings for a prosperous 2023!

[@barbaravanerp4598]

I used to be a home florist for weddings. I’d go to hotels weekly and do their work too. This seems realistic to me. I’d buy wholesale and sell retail and didn’t grow myself. I love this and good for you. I just got a small greenhouse as a birthday present and live in Montana!

[@_OceanBlooms]

I live in Qld in a subtropical climate but still love watching your videos. Your bouquets are always stunning! Congratulations 🤗

[@ShiftingRoots]

Thank you so much!

[@Doublehacres]

I just found your channel this evening. Thanks for sharing all your info. Your bouquets are beautiful

[@ShiftingRoots]

Thank you!

[@kevinoneill7223]

Love your videos. We are in zone 4, and we just finished our first year of small scale flower farming. Watching one of your videos a year ago helped to validate our idea of small scale farming, not to mention we are in our late sixties and small scale was very doable and enjoyable for us. We ran a small scale greenhouse business from home with five children under the age of 7, so be encouraged that you can run a business from home with little ones underfoot. They just made the work sweeter( most of the time lol). Blessings to you and your family!

[@ShiftingRoots]

That is extremely encouraging to hear someone else is doing it with a lot of littles in tow as well. I’m so glad you had a good first year too!

[@helenachase5627]

You really are an incredible flower arranger. I hope you have some workshops next year

[@ShiftingRoots]

I’m going to try again. I had a couple, but not well attended.

[@helenachase5627]

@@ShiftingRoots oh gosh, I wanted to come

[@ruthpullman5812]

Enjoy your videos. I also live in 3B and that is great for a side business. Your a busy person. Best of luck with your new baby.

[@ShiftingRoots]

Thank you!

[@clairel8720]

Great work!

[@radmilamiljanic5977]

My dear, I still don't understand how you manage to find time for everything!

[@ShiftingRoots]

I think I have more energy than most people, and I also started hiring help this year. I couldn’t have done it without help!!

[@drabdirahmanmuse552]

Really beautiful flowers

[@ShiftingRoots]

Thank you!

[@belowthetamaracks]

Congratulations Kristen! Very respectable indeed!

[@ShiftingRoots]

Thank you, and I love your Garden’s name!!

[@RuthanneR1]

The figures you gave are gross or net profits? If gross, what would you estimate were net profits for this year?

[@finelimedesigns]

you are making me want to start another side hustle lol

[@ShiftingRoots]

Shiny object syndrome at it's finest ;-)

[@patrickdempsey9886]

Another thing is don't follow the money ever business makes a loss at some point or other or have to sell at half price you were right to go on with your classes rember you can buy flowers bulbs manure but you cannot buy a name don't let the customers down if you can Second of all on machinery if you need it get it don't brake your back there's this big thing on no dig that alright if you can get what you need easily but if you have heavy clay you need something to break the soil anyway you not digging down deep enough to do much damage soil needs airing and there's a point where to much organic manure can start to pollute heavy clay is the best soil in the world despite what's said it's mineral rich it hold well and can retain water I love these tv gardners digging dry flour with not a weed in sight sometimes expanding a business is out of your control Second of all a customer is always right but remember a customer is a person you have the potential of making money from so if someone say to you I can get it at a better price else where tell them to go elsewhere I tell you 9 out of 10 they will be back God Bless all the family and especially the little ones

[@donnaj1049]

I just watched one of your videos I missed way back......and I have just one request from that video......can you please sing something for us????? Please?????

[@ShiftingRoots]

Aww, that’s so sweet of you! If I manage to do some sort of Christmas special again, I’ll sing something.

[@donnaj1049]

@@ShiftingRoots Will definitely be looking forward to it!!!

[@katheryncraig6897]

Thank you for sharing this!

[@ShiftingRoots]

You’re so welcome!!

[@leighanntindle5652]

Property, hoop house, greenhouse but only a third back into the business? Your labor costs? Seems like numbers are way off.

[@ShiftingRoots]

I wasn't counting my labour, I was thinking of my profit as paying for my labour. The greenhouse was actually free except for the paint to redecorate it, the hoop house was a cost from last year, and is not exclusively for the flower business, it's also for the blog business and personal use. Plus if you count the property, it's also complicated because there's a portion that is for us just living there, blog activities, and this business that I'm talking about. so when I'm talking about what I put in, I chose to talk about seeds, corms, water, etc. like I said in the video.

[@leighanntindle5652]

@@ShiftingRoots cool. Just from an accounting perspective your labor is a cost. If you had to hire someone else to do your tasks for any reason then their labor rate would eat any excess. Also, personally as a small business owner if you're not accounting for your labor hours then when you divide your "profit" by your time input you may find that you are making a very small hourly wage. Accounting for your labor will help in pricing your product to make sure those labor costs are covered so that you can scale as well as generate a profit for you as a business owner. The hoops, land, and greenhouse even if free would be considered assets and a cost of doing business would be any maintenance and replacement savings. These things should be included in your costs so that you don't get hung out. Also, didn't mention anything about sales tax, personal tax, insurance, bookkeeper, etc. Like your videos but I always think all costs should be accounted for when talking business.

[@beeandbloomhomestead]

This is great you made that much money but I hate to be a Debbie Downer but I don't think you've included all your costs. We've been farming for over 13 years primarily be ekeeping with some flowers. And I'm sure you know after you at add and all your expenses you probably made maybe half of that if you're lucky and that's not even including your time 😬😬 not trying to say what you're doing isn't great but I definitely don't want people to watch this and think you're going to make a part-time income doing the occasional event are having a good market making $400. My husband has a full-time job we managed anywhere from 60 to 100 beehives we do honey soap lip balm candles, some bouquets but we haven't done any this year because of shoulder problems I've had, dried flower wreaths pressed flower art eggs. We do a Farmers market online sales and have a fiam stand. The average about 400to $700 a week at the Farmers market and maybe two hundred or so a week at the Farm stand . It's a good income so I don't have to go to work.. but even if we're grossing 40 Grand there is a lot of overhead that goes into.. I just think you kind of glazed over that part of it. I'm definitely not trying to be negative but I just see such an influx of people watching KZbin videos they're going to make money farming.. I'm here to tell them if they want to try to do it and make some extra cash as a hobby that's great but if you want to farm to actually make a living you are going to be one of the few that hangs on long enough and gets through the tough parts to even make that happen. It's a selfless profession with endless hard work.

[@hopemorrison2367]

That is a lot of work for that little money

[@ShiftingRoots]

Hope, honest question, why are you so negative? Businesses take time to build and they are a lot of work to get off the ground. Ask any small business owner, especially those of us who have run multiple business, and most of the time they will tell you that the first 3-4 years are a slog. I’m sure there are exceptions, but it’s normal to have to hustle in the early years.