A decade into farming, Laura Beth Resnick of Butterbee Farm decided to institute a summer break: eight weeks off, mid-June to mid-August. She and her husband had no idea if it would work. Would their florists come back after eight weeks away? Would the finances work out? How would they balance vacation, rest, and the necessary farm work to get ready for the fall season? Three summer breaks later, they can attest: it’s working! They have learned a lot about how to manage the precious time, how to hire for the season, and how to think about our cash flow. In this session, Butterbee Farm owner Laura Beth will share the strategy behind the break, what she’s learned, some mistakes made, and how she and her team make up for summer sales during the shoulder seasons.

Laura Beth Resnick is the founder and owner of Butterbee Farm, a five-acre flower farm in northern Maryland. Butterbee Farm has provided locally grown flowers to florists and flower lovers from Baltimore to Washington, D.C. for thirteen seasons. Growing in greenhouses, high tunnels, and fields, Butterbee Farm specializes in high quality cuts for use in design. Laura Beth has served as President of the MCFGA (Maryland Cut Flower Growers Association) and Secretary for the Board of the ASCFG (Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers). She is a regular speaker at conferences, garden clubs, and arboretums, and mentors new growers through Future Harvest’s Beginning Farmer Training Program.

Website: www.butterbeefarm.com
Instagram: @butterbee_farm

Zoom instructions will be emailed to members on the day of the event. All Ask an Expert webinars are recorded.