Happy Thursday evening my friends. I hope all is well with you. Things are moving along over here, things are certainly different than what they once were that’s for sure!

I actually took part in a Farmers Market yesterday, something I said I would NEVER do, but here I am…. – I was the only one with pottery & the only one with seedlings – so that was super nice! I ended the four hour night ahead of the game financially, but certainly put a lot of effort and time into getting ready, but that is how things go! I think I will even probably do it again! The cute little display shelf Joe made me certainly made life soooooo much eaiser!!

I’ve also discovered I need to make more gnome & cow things (not on the same piece…they are separate!) – they sell much better! I only sold 3 pottery items last night, (non of which were cow or gnome, because I only have one piece of gnome left…..) and only a flat and a half of seedlings. Granted it was only a four hour event on a week night – not the 7 hour event we had for the Spring Market on a Saturday. There is a lot that goes into play when trying to gauge things – unfortunately there isn’t any such thing as apples to apples when comparing sales at a market. I suppose I could be really underhanded and put up cameras at my place, do a facial recognition scan, pull people’s credit card information, run license plates and hire a firm to process data for me so I can target in a bit better – oh wait…I’m not Wal-Mart, Target or the government — I’m just little old Jade….I’m just out here doing my thing….it will be okay!

I’d rather not say that Facebook won….because did it really win, or am I just figuring out how to use it as a tool. Everyone is on Facebook….there honestly is nowhere else to sell, advertise or connect as good as you can on FB. Damn it anyhow…Mark Z. got the last word….or did he? It’s a different time and a different space right now, it’s really difficult to know for sure if getting rid of my seedlings would have gone better had I been on FB sooner.

I have no way to gauge why things are happening the way they are…..but here is what’s happening….

My seedlings sales are down dramatically – thankfully – the amount that I am selling is also down–so I don’t’ have AS much as in years past!! We don’t have the road side stand – nor do I have the audience reach that I did last year on FB thx to “being on FB for less than 3 months”….apparently I can only reach a limited number of people via Market Place because I’m new? I suppose you could say that’s a win for Mr. Z? I did sign up for a few groups – but again, I’m limited because I’m new. And here I deleted my Double J Flower Ranch facebook page that had followers on it…(insert face palm here). Well, we live and learn, it’s just not time to bail on that tool just yet. I thought there were other tools to use, but apparently there are no tools that reach as far as FB….and I see that things are still being manipulated over on good old FB – because as stated before–I’m unable to reach very many people. It takes time to build a business, it takes time to build a following, and I blew it – why….because I didn’t like the way he did business, and still don’t, but unfortunately, sometimes you have to utilize the tools you have in front of you – and until someone else comes up with something different….this is what’s happening.

However, I do not want to underestimate the power of personal invitations. I can contribute a great deal of cash sales to – the 25 invites I handed out & hung up in places of business…. – as well as seeing friendly faces at the Spring market – despite the ugly weather. Was it the personal invites that brought people in….would there have been more had I been on Facebook…? Who knows….I imagine it probably wouldn’t have hindered. I will definitely do the personal invites, which will be a bit trickier this summer because my co-workers and I do not keep in touch outside of work, but I think it can still be done. We shall see what happens come July….

Who knows, maybe there won’t even be a summer – there is an unbelievable amount of rain coming out of the heavens right now….UGGGG!! And the cold….don’t even get me started!

I say all this, and kind of see it as a blessing….A) I don’t have to rush to get things in the ground B) I don’t have to worry about the greenhouse getting too hot while I’m at work C) I don’t have a timetable that I’m on to get flowers into customers hands. Even when I do get things in the ground, there’s a certain kind of calm that happens when things finally get in the ground, you just kind of have to step back and wait – Mother Nature has to do her business on her time…back to that quote – about taking our cue from nature….be patient, it will happen on it’s own time.

I’m itching to get my hands dirty with clay again, but I’ve been so dang busy with work…seedlings….getting ready for the market, trying to be to take care of things – “work before play”….which if that’s the case all the time, I doubt I will ever get my hands dirty with clay again…so I guess I need to figure that part out.

Well, I best get a move on – time to get some things taken care of – always….yes….there’s always something that needs attention….but it’s important to put into perspective what’s important & take time to enjoy things from time to time. I hope you are taking care of yourself & doing what you makes you happy. Until next time my friends, hugs to you!