Hello avid readers! This week we caught up with Jemma, our Research Coordinator, to bring to you a little behind-the-scenes insight into what she gets up to during a typical farm day.
What to know more? Then let us stop spieling and allow us to introduce the much-loved Jemma whilst we step inside her little (big) world at Shropshire Petals.
What do you do on a daily basis at Shropshire Petals?
I form part of a small, dedicated team that seeks to refine processes on the farm. This means researching what works best for keeping our flowering plants at their happiest and implementing those in a way that keep our harvest staff and farmers at their happiest, too.
What's your favourite part of the job?
I can't believe I'm lucky enough to get to learn about the plants and flowers we grow and sell…which means spending a lot of time in the fields studying the flowers and how they grow!
What do you love most about working at Shropshire Petals?
Everyone that works here is quite unique with interesting skillsets – everyday this plays out whilst spending time with other people who also just LOVE working on our incredible flower farm.
If you had to make your own bespoke confetti mix, what would it be?
This is a difficult one…I love the delicate pinks of our Berries and Cherries mix, and I love the earthy, warm tones of Autumn Fall! I had a little play and mixed them together, added in an Envy flower or two, and I think I've found my perfect mix: warm pinks with a touch of nature. Sometimes the unexpected works best…
Berries and Cherries Biodegradable Confetti Mix
When you're not on the farm, what do you do with your spare time?
I'm my happiest when at the top of a hill I've just walked, or keeping warm next to an outdoor fire in the evening. I like to keep active but also have a busy brain, and so birthed my little business, Paper Lore, to explore using waste materials to create meaningful and beautiful papers.
Tell us more about Paper Lore Recycling:
How did your hobby transpire into your side hustle?
Over the Covid lockdowns I felt the intense need to create things, so I trusted myself and my body. Maybe this is relatable? It ended up with me dedicating time to come up with a lil ol' business that represents lil ol' me – and how to make it appear in this world.
What is your favourite of our petals to use in your products?
Pretty petals added to my recycled papers are always the most fun; however, learning to use more substantial plant waste materials such as stalks and stems to make more traditional-style papers is very important to me.
What can we expect to see from Paper Lore next year?
Who knows! I'm open to taking new directions that feel good and right, and Shropshire Petals/LSF is truly allowing me to fulfil this need by offering me the opportunity to explore and test different materials and waste types. I'm working on a floristry range made purely from dried flower waste, so that will be my next big project. I always love to work on personal and interesting projects so always happy for enquiries too!
It goes without saying that the work Jemma does for us on the farm is unbelievably valuable. We'd be lost without her, and we are always excited to see what new discoveries she's made whilst out gathering insight into procedures on the farm – researching how we can be and do better!
If you want to see more behind the scenes, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Pinterest for lots of updates.
With love,
SP xx
