10 Things I Love Having on the Farm
July 5, 2023
It’s officially high summer in Western New York (USDA Growing Zone 6b) and I’ve been using a few new things to provide comfort in the hot flower field this year. Comfort can sometimes be hard to come by on the farm, whether it’s freezing rain or sweltering heat, but after 10 years of working in the field, we’ve got some tricks up our sleeves to share. Amazon links shared below reflect the exact items we use!
Read some of our other “favorites” lists below:
Our Favorite Resources for Vegetable Gardening: Books, Tools, Soil Amendments & Sourcing
Organic Fertilizers for Flower Farming
What’s in my Flower Farming Toolbelt
Repel Mosquitoes with Our Homemade Natural Bug Spray recipe
50% Lemon Eucalyptus Essential Oil + 50% Water. Mix together in a small spray bottle and the bugs really do not like it! DEET and chemical-free. This is a lovely smelling all natural bug spray!
Hydrate better with Electrolyte hydration packets
I’ve tried a few brands — Drip Drop, Nuum, Stur and Liquid I.V.
As far as taste, Liquid I.V. Hydration Packets are by far the best with Drip Drop Electrolyte Powder Packets coming in second (Watermelon being my favorite flavor). Nuum flavors are all bland and taste terrible if I’m being completely honest.
I don’t necessarily follow the directions for the exact amount of water. I simply fill up my insulated water bottle and drop the hydration crystals in. Not only do hydration packets provide essential minerals lost from constant sweat, they also make me drink more water because it tastes good!
Avoid sunburn with lightweight, moisture wicking long sleeved shirts
These shirts are incredible — even on the hottest 85 degree days you will find me in the field wearing a lightweight, long sleeved breathable shirt. Despite being long sleeved, the material is breathable and moisture-wicking. I think they actually keep me cooler by shielding the sun. These types of shirts are made by a lot of high quality brands, my favorite of which is Columbia. These shirts come in tons of fun colors!
Avoid rolled ankles with hightop hiking boots
My favorite farm shoes, from spring thru fall, are Merrell Moab 3 Waterproof Hiking Boots. While I’ve found them to not be forever waterproof on their own, these shoes have held up for quite a long time with major wear and tear. Merrell is my favorite shoe brand across the board, for hiking shoes, farm shoes, and walking sandals — this Slingback Sandal being my top favorite. Merrell shoes are all so comfortable and long-lasting. Note that Merrell runs 1/2 size small in closed-toed shoes… so order up.
When you think you’ve touched poison ivy, wash with tecnu
I recently had a run-in with Poison Ivy that was bad enough to send me to the walk-in ER for medication. Now, because I’m afraid I’ll inevitably contract the rash again, I keep a bottle of Tecnu Outdoor Skin Cleanser on hand to wash my body and clothing whenever I think I may have brushed up against a patch of Poison Ivy, Oak or Sumac. This stuff really is amazing and is worth the price. It smells pleasant, too!
The gardening apron that holds it all
I’ve written about my favorite Carhartt Canvas Duck Apron before in this article that features my favorite tools and gear for farming and gardening. I love this apron/belt so much that it’s worth another mention!
Indeed, this is an apron designed for the male body, but I wear a size Medium and it fits me just fine. It is fully adjustable to suit many waists!
Many new flower farmers wear one of those leather belts with a pouch to hold their snips and a few other items. Honestly, I find these to be silly (and more of a fashion statement) because there is way more you need to carry around in the field than can fit in one of those belts. My apron always has a handful of rubberbands, several pairs of snips/pruners for different purposes, writing utensils, chap stick, irrigation pieces, zip ties, and it’s a wonderful place to stuff garbage I find around the field… for some reason there is always garbage to pick up or old rusted artifacts we dig up.
I have an old, dirty brown one for the farm (going on 10 years of use!) and a cleaner looking black one for when I’m doing on-site wedding floral design work.
INsect identification book for the field
For those of us organic/regenerative farmers who dedicate a lot of our efforts toward Integrated Pest Management, identifying bugs in the field is super important. What better than to have a book on hand that you can mark up with post it notes and dates of where and when you’ve identified the bugs in your farm or garden?
Rain Gear for the Farmer — The Best Waterproof Rain Jacket
This Helly-Hansen Rain Jacket is our favorite on rainy days in the field.
The best sunscreen to protect your face from premature aging and sunburn
The sunscreen I use every single day on the farm is Neutrogena Age Shield Face SPF 70. I used to wear the SPF 110. I don’t believe they make the 110 anymore, but the SPF 70 has blocked the sun from my face with equal results. I wear this sunscreen every single day and don’t leave the house without it! My face literally NEVER burns, and for the amount of time I spend in the sun, you’d be wrong not to be totally impressed with this sunscreen.
