Peony Season Is Starting to Come Into View

Spring is my all-time favorite season. That’s probably no surprise, since my farm’s focus is spring blooms, right? I’m always so eager to get the season started that I push tulips as early as I possibly can, with blooms beginning in January. Then April arrives, and trees begin leafing out, the first flowers start opening, and it feels like we’ve been given a fresh start — a kind of renewal that only spring seems to bring.

This is also when the peony field begins to change quickly. In just a matter of days this week, the plants gained nearly a foot in height, and the rows suddenly started to feel like peony season is truly coming into view.

This stage is a busy one. We’re treating for weeds, watching closely for pests, planting the last successions of flowers, managing the hives, cleaning the cooler, and adding plant supports. It’s also the point where I start paying closer attention to how each variety is moving, because not all peonies arrive at the same pace.

Some of our earliest blooms are usually the corals and reds, followed by whites, blush tones, pinks, and deeper magentas as the season unfolds. That progression is part of what makes peony season feel so short and so special — the field changes quickly, and each variety has its own brief window.

This year we’re offering a Peony CSA in May, built around that short harvest window when the field is at its best. It’s a way to enjoy the season as it unfolds, with bouquets shaped by what is opening naturally that week.

You can read more about the Peony CSA here if you’d like to see what this season will include, and you can bring a bit of the farm home for yourself!