Traditions
September 10, 1995! We made the front cover, full colored, of the Middletown Sunday record. We were the new kids on the block, as a matter of fact the best advice I got when we got started was to not look at your competitors just do what you do and do it well. We did just that and had just finished up a very successful first spring and summer season and thought hey lets do the parade on General Montgomery Day. Since then we have just about done every Montgomery Day parade and we always show case our flowers in one form or another. We got into handing out small bouquets instead of candy to those watching. We always enjoyed watching the smile on the ladies faces as we handed them that bouquet. I like
to believe that each year there were women looking forward to getting that small touch of appreciation. You see traditions were being formed. As a family owned business in a small town we wanted our customers to feel like family. The parade and handing out bouquets was a way for us to connect in a personal way. We also tried to always spend time with our customers as they came to the greenhouse and we formed some lasting relationships. Of course it was easier then when we just had one greenhouse a little harder now but we do appreciate all who come out. We know you could choose the box stores but you choose us, so thank you.
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Not only were we forming traditions with the business but also with our family. My own immediate family was and still is big on getting together for the Holidays. Having a farm has a way of keeping the family together. We work together 247365, we played together, and we celebrate together. Thanksgiving and Christmas was always spent at the farm at my moms house. New Years and Easter was always spent at a restaurant. Dad decided the women by this time needed a break from cooking. We continue to do our best to keep these traditions. Meanwhile Tom and I wanted to start a new tradition for our growing family. On October 31st we decided to do our own "Thanksgiving" dinner just with our family which started with just him and I and now includes all our children and spouses. Why October 31st, it was the day we moved to the area, it was our step of faith day and since then God has proven himself faithful in more ways than one since that move. This dinner became a tradition and remains today. I cook a big meal typically including a few dishes that have become favorites that includes corn casserole, sweet potato surprise, a Christmas Jello Salad and of course a turkey. We then started to include time after the dinner in which we intentionally review the year and how God has shown his faithfulness. We would then choose an object that would represent his faithfulness and placed it in a shadow box that hangs on our wall. For example we placed the hospital wrist band from Matt's birth in the box, so then every year there after we can review ALL of God's faithfulness in the past. This shadow box is based on chapter 4 in the book of Joshua, where they miraculous crossed the Jordan River and God asked the tribe to each grab a stone and build an altar, the stones served as a tangible reminder of God's power and faithfulness, and as a symbol of the Israelites' covenant with God, thus the shadow box on our wall which has gotten bigger but continues to remind us of His faithfulness. My next blog is on how quickly five years went.
The Business of Growing
So not only were we starting to grow plants that we have never grown before but in 1995 we were also starting a family. In July of that year our first born son, Matthew will join us in this adventure. This year was a year of many answered prayers. I have already shared that our faith is a very intricate part of our daily life. One way that Tom and I do this is we daily pray with each other. Committing our day and our plans to God and seeking his guidance and wisdom in all that we do. We also bring before God our requests. Philippians 4:6-7: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." We were praying for our business, in one such way we were praying was for a truck, a dump truck with a rack body. Tom needed a truck to do landscaping with, remember we only moved to the area with a pick and shovel and a dump truck would be handy. One day Tom was driving home to Walden from the farm and along the way he spotted a white 1967 dump truck with a rack body up for sale just down the road from the farm. Tom felt the Lord say, stop what you are doing and go ask about this truck. Good thing he obeyed because just then another person was stopping to inquire about the truck. We purchased that truck for $3000, it was a perfect truck for us that lasted many years. It was an answered prayer.
We also went for prayer to conceive. We had been trying to start a family thinking it would just happen, after several years of trying we felt the Lord was leading us to go for prayer at our church that was having healing services. We went by faith and a few months later Matthew was conceived. Matthew means a gift from God, an answered prayer.
The move to Montgomery was a step of faith, leaving all that Tom knew, his family business to the unknown. We didn't have plans for housing or a job. We just knew we were to move, in that step of faith God opened up every door we needed to open and then some. He provided housing, gave us a dream and provided space, finances, connections and now children! It honestly was a time in which my faith was growing too. When we learn to trust in a God we can't see but sees us, faith takes root. My son was recently asked if his parents are those religious ones? I do not apologize for our faith, to me it's not a religion but a relationship with Jesus. We all have faith is someone or something. Where is your faith? I choose to have faith is someone far greater than I, who created all things in which creation itself cries out to Him, Psalm 19:1-2: "The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky proclaims his handiwork. Day by day they pour forth speech; night by night they reveal knowledge, but they have no speech, no words, no voice" When I start to doubt I just need to look around me at nature or in to the very eyes of my loved ones to know that there is a God in heaven who created all things!
Water is Gold
So the planning begins to construct a greenhouse on my family dairy farm. Plans were drawn out for a 30x50 greenhouse on the west side of River Rd, and we drew out some design for our entrance and overall appearance for the location. On March 3, 1994, Tom's birthday. we filed our first DBA as Twin Ponds Greenhouses and Nursery. That winter Tom continued to work for Ray Perri, whom we still today buy plugs from today and I had gotten a job working as a 2nd grade teacher at Goshen Christian School. In February of that year we moved from my grandmothers house, which had gotten sold, to a house in Walden on Scofield Street. As our plans were being laid out for the coming year we knew we were going to need to drill a well, hook up electric, prepare the site for the greenhouse, plan on
what plants we were going to grow and we also wanted to tip our toes into getting into landscaping since that is what Tom did in Spencerport with his dad. Tom is a very talented landscaper and we wanted to capitalize on that. We knew we couldn't get a greenhouse up and running in time for the 1994 spring so our goal was to have it up and ready for the spring of 1995. One of the first things we were to do is drill a well. Water source at the farm has always been good but be were aware that some neighbors have had to drill deep and not much water pressure. We were praying that would not be so for us. Thompkins well drilling came in and started drilling at the location we choose. Soon he was done! He was amazed at how far he did not have to go and hit what may be a lake under the ground. Water was not going to be an issue, we had plenty of it! For a greenhouse operation that is like hitting gold! To us it was a confirmation that our Lord was in this. Now that we had water let the planting begin. That first year without a greenhouse we planted pine trees along the path to to where the greenhouse will be located, some display beds around the barn and our sign. I think we did mums that first year and sold them using a honor box! Tom also got his first landscape job! You see part of his design around our sign was a small stone wall. Well someone driving by saw that wall, stopped and said that is exactly what I want. Margret Williams from Williams Realty was looking for someone to do a stone wall around her sign in Walden. That wall still stands and she has remained at loyal customer and friend since! We can't say enough about some of our customers who have been with us from day one! We are forever grateful to you! Some who may be reading this may have some memories of your own please share with us as we reflect on our past 30 years! In my next post not only was the business getting started but so will our family get started!