The Blog

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Peek-A-Boo

Ranunculus
Daffodils
Tulips
Sweet Peas
Bachelor Buttons

How exciting to start seeing them poke their heads up through the soil! And so begins the promise of a colorful 2026, as evident in the rich, green sprouts appearing all over the farm.

It’s been a few weeks since we’ve started sowing the seed trays and working through the initial preparatory tasks for the upcoming season. The winter has been frosty and relaxing, but the spring has been sending us steady signals that it isn’t far off. This is the time of year that we begin to transition from indoor workouts on the elliptical and the treadmill to intentional hikes around the farm.

Winter is almost over? That’s ranunculus!

Speaking of sprouts… Now is the time to think about getting your Bud Club subscription ordered. You may have recently received an email encouraging you to join the club. But, in case you missed it…

Here’s that link to join the Bud Club

Fun Farm Fact

There are remote thermometers/hygrometers on the farm, all connected to our WiFi network. We are able to monitor the growing conditions at various locations from the comfort of our couch…errr…treadmill!

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Operation Market Frost

So glad the temperature outside climbed into the double digits. OK, so the LOW double digits! Even so, we were hoping that the chilled faithful would make the trek to the Oberlin Winter Market this past Saturday. Yes, it’s market time again, and it was so nice seeing many of our friends in attendance.

Not gonna lie…it’s been a winter for the record books, weather-wise. Many single-digit mornings that make your nose hairs bind. More snow than has been seen in a while, beautifully draping the scenery all over this bucolic area we call home. We were happy to add to the warmth and cheer of the market with a beautiful assortment of colorful dried-flower products. As you can see above, wreaths, bundles, mini-baskets and our popular cards were in the house. If you couldn’t make it to market this past Saturday, you still have more chances to see us there. To know when we will be making more market appearances, please visit Kay’s Kalendar for dates and times.

Speaking of dates and times… Now is the time to think about getting your Bud Club subscription ordered. You may have recently received an email encouraging you to join the club. But, in case you missed it…

Here’s that link to join the Bud Club

Fun Farm Fact

What with expected lake-effect snow, the recent winter storms, and constant “pop-up” squalls, we’ve had over 30 inches of snow on the farm since the New Year. We’ve removed snow from the greenhouse several times already. In fact, recently Mr. Boukay climbed onto the roof of our house and shoveled off a foot of ice/snow.

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Happy New Year!

Available for sale at 2026 Oberlin Winter Market

Our resolutions? Well, we resolve to actually take some time to rest and recuperate during the winter off-season…starting NEXT year to be sure! Because it sure looks like that resolution will go wanting during this 2025-2026 winter. I’m thinking we’re not alone, right?

Not to complain, it’s just that there are so many exciting things that we can’t wait to work on and tell you about. For instance…

We attended the Mid-Ohio Growers meeting this month, and learned so many things about; how to grow, what to grow, when to grow, marketing, taxes, techniques, etc. What a great learning experience with so many like-minded entrepreneurs. Turns out that there is so much more love that we can pour into our products and customers. Naturally, we are excited to get the 2026 season started.

That being written, you can see from the pictures above that Kay is busy crafting dried-flower items for the Oberlin Winter Market. To know when we will be making appearances there, please visit Kay’s Kalendar for dates and times.

Speaking of dates and times… Now is the time to think about getting your Bud Club subscription ordered. You may have recently received an email encouraging you to join the club. But, in case you missed it…

Here’s that link to join the Bud Club

Fun Farm Fact

People often ask us how we came up with the name of our business. Mr. Boukay (who fancies himself quite the wordsmith) was trying to find a way to work his wife’s name into the company name and subsequent branding opportunities. Truth be told, it pained him to purposely misspell the word “bouquet”.

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Deja Vu All Over Again

March 2025
November 2025

What a difference 8 months makes…or does it? Talk about the cycle of life! The span between the two pictures above would reveal the tale of the 2025 Kay’s Boukays season. But it all starts, and ends, with the prep work in the flower field. Thatching, raking, pulling, covering, composting, weeding, recovering. It looks the same to the casual observer. Trust me, it’s not…except for the weather!

Thanks again for a memorable 2025 season!

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Comes the Fall

Actually , we’re a month into fall and we busy ourselves with the familiar cold-weather tasking:

  • recovering tubers and corms
  • dismantling and storing the irrigation systems
  • collecting relevant blooms for winter drying
  • planning upcoming crafting activities
  • preparing the fields for the next season
  • still producing lovely boukays with what remains of our hearty stock

Our presence at outdoor markets has concluded for 2025, and we finished with consecutive sell-outs. Praise God! Much of our inventory has survived its first brush with Jack Frost…but the end is at hand. Still, it’s not too late to order up a Seasonal Boukay featuring dahlias and zinnias. Text, call, or apply online while supplies last.

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Where the Magic Happens

Kay in the Seed Shack

It’s now been a year since the Seed Shack has arrived at our farm. One half of it is outfitted with columns of seed-tray shelving, banks of grow lights, and related equipment. From late winter to early spring, a warm, pink glow leaks out of the shack’s windows. Symbolizing the hopes and dreams of a successful coming season, which ride on the successful germination of thousands of seeds.

Once the seedlings are relocated to their homes in the soil and sun, the other half of the Seed Shack springs to life. It is here where Boukay Production takes place. Surrounded by fresh-cut flowers and greens, ribbons and vases, paper and stickers…boukays by Kay are being lovingly created by our President and COO.

Here she is, getting ready to craft the arrangements of beauty and splendor that we’ve all grown fond of. Pretty sure that the magic happens once I leave the shack.

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Along Came…

…Charlotte!

Well, that’s what Kay calls her. Making her home in our greenhouse, among the lisianthus stems, she’s been preparing to lay her eggs for the season. Gorging on unsuspecting garden pests, Charlotte is actually quite beneficial to the gardener…helping to control beetles, mosquitos, and flies. Not to mention the odd, unfortunate grasshopper.

Charlotte is a yellow garden spider. Although that seems like such an inadequate name for this impressive beauty. She is sometimes referred to as a McKinley spider, because some have reckoned that the unique pattern of her web design resembles the signature of former President McKinley. Kudos to whoever got close enough to figure that out.

For sure, though, that’s a web design that no autopen can replicate!

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My Fair Lady

On our way to the fair!
“Grandparents” Boukay
2nd Place Cosmos
2nd Place Zinnias
2nd Place Dahlia
See you again next year!
Blue-ribbon Boukay!

That was fun! The 2025 Lorain County Fair is a wrap, and the ribbon haul was quite a “patriotic” affair…reds, white, and blue. Being our first year entering our flowers at the fair, we were quite blessed with the results. There were so many beautiful entries from dozens of talented farmers. We learned so much and made many new friends. To everyone who worked the flower barn, and to those who came out to support us and our farmer friends…

Thank you from the Award Winning Kay’s Boukays!

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Peachy Keen!

If you take a look at our Featured Boukay page, you’ll get the full story on the creation of these custom-crafted boukays. They were made for our friends at Quarry Hill Orchards to help promote their special Peaches & Cream event this weekend. Their market shop is just loaded with summer goodies, some of which are displayed here behind Kay and her babies!

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No Boukay Left Behind

“Leftovers”

Seems such a pedestrian word to ascribe to those “one-of-a-kind”, hand-crafted boukays that haven’t sold when the Saturday markets come to a close.

On such rare occasions, we may set these lovelies on our boukart, and then announce their availability on social media and our Google business profile.

Today, however, these precious, organic explosions of color are coming into our home. Because leftovers look better the next day (and the next…and the next…)

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“Many Hands…

…pull many weeds”

Kay and Seth attacking the weeds!

It’s been one of the warmest and most humid summers in recent memory, and it’s not half-over. Customary “pop-up” thunderstorms and copious amounts of timely rain. And, not just a little bit of moist “stickiness”. We’ve realized great results from the flower fields because of the weather, though the insects and the weeds have also flourished.

This is why a timely summer visit from our grandson has been most appreciated. We’re not sure he knew what was in store when he stepped off the plane, but he’s been a blessed addition to our modest workforce of late.

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Fresh Cut Flowers

Well, someone has to cut them! That’s what Thursdays are all about at the farm. On Thursdays, Kay cuts the flowers, as you can see here. On Fridays, Kay makes the boukays inside the air-conditioned comfort of the Seed Shack. Then, when Saturday comes, it’s off to the markets, or delivering to the parties, etc. Even though tomorrow is July 4th, Kay will still be making the magic happen in the Shack. Though, time will be set aside for a few dips in the pool and the consumption of a grilled bratwurst.

Happy birthday, America!

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June Bride

Boukays at work!
Arch from above
Soon to be in the bride’s hands.
Peonies in place

A common theme, but made quite uncommon when Kay’s Boukays is your florist. Our wedding season is off to a fabulous start as you can see. It all started when the bride-to-be poured her heart into our online event form, and here’s a glimpse at how it turned out.

Arches, tables, bridal bouquets, etc. No longer “to-be” now, but a blushing bride who can enjoy looking at her flowers for some time to come.

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A Little Rain Must Fall

Well, we’d settle for a little, but lately? Sheesh. Copious precipitation over the past few weeks. Topped off by a tornado warning this past Wednesday evening.

While attending prayer night at our church that evening, we’d all received mobile network tornado warning blasts on our phones, and immediately departed for our homes before we’d be trapped. So we figured. Turns out, we drove through the teeth of the approaching maelstrom on our way home.

The 80 MPH wind gusts had already visited our flower farm minutes beforewe arrived. In the morning, while assessing the damage, we thanked God that nothing more serious afflicted us than what you see here. We neither lost any structures nor sustained any significant inventory damage.

The Boukart is back in business again!

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The Flowers are Coming, the Flowers are Coming!

They may be coming, but it’s only because someone has been pouring her love and alfalfa tablets into dozens of rows and thousands of divots. Countless trays of seedlings, having been under the light in the Seed Shack for months, are now being planted. This has been going on for a couple of weeks now, and now we can begin the joyful anticipation of the colorful results. Pray for rain…and a bit of well-deserved rest.

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Holes to Fill

You’d be surprised how many seed trays it takes to fill all of the holes, in every row, of just a 1/4 acre of our flower farm. Many of you are quite aware of the work and the hours required to find a permanent home for each of the thousands of seedlings that have been germinating under the lights in the Seed Shack. Labor of love? Absolutely!

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To Market, To Market (2025)

We kicked off the 2025 season of market appearances this past Saturday in Oberlin, OH. Occupying booth 13, the freshest spring boukays were available to all comers at the Oberlin Farmers Market…now in session every Saturday throughout the summer. Y’all stop by now, hear?

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Trench Warfare

Lotsa rain lately. Over the past two weeks, we’ve had quite the variety of stormy, wet weather. And, since much of our farm is situated on some of the lowest topography in the area, there has been considerable thought and effort given to the implementation of various irrigation/drainage engineering practices. Sometimes, though, the best idea is to just grab a hoe and start trenching.

What’s up, ditches?

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The Seven-Layer Garden

I suppose if we composted any left-over seven-layer burritos, we could also add them to this rich agri-melange that you see here. The formal term for this type of garden preparation is hügelkultur. Which, loosely-translated means “seven-layers of the finest materials that a flower seedling could ever hope to be planted in”…or something like that. We’re currently waiting for the first six layers to settle before adding the seventh.

  1. Wood
  2. Fill dirt
  3. Grass clippings/leaves
  4. Domestic compost
  5. Cured chicken manure
  6. Topsoil/Leaf humus composite
  7. Row cover

YUM!!!

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Not your Grandma’s Daffodils

When I walk though the rows of daffodils, I am constantly amazed at the different types and shapes of these amazing, spring beauties. Varieties that I never saw when I was a kid. And you can enjoy the beautiful spectrum of the season’s finest daffodils as we feature them in just about all of the hand-crafted boukays that are being crafted in our Seed Shack. Many of these boukays are now appearing, for a limited time, on the BouKart during the Easter Weekend.

That’s the tall and short of it!

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Subscription Special Delivery

When one of our subscription customers asked us if we could deliver her weekly boukay to a deserving, anonymous recipient at a local senior living facility, we were only too pleased to spread the smiles around. Now, which resident would most benefit from this handful of joy? We left that decision in the hands (literally) of this pleasantly-surprised activities director.

Our job here is done…until next week!

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Kart Kickoff

The freshest of new spring boukays adorn our kart.

Kicking off the 2025 season, these garden-direct boukays are now available on the BouKart. Your spring faves, and we’re tickled to bring them to you. Swing on by this weekend. They don’t get any fresher.

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And…just like that!

Daffy about the new arrivals!
Off and running with the spring blooms

Well, the waiting is over…and with a BANG! After a few warm and rainy late March days, here we are on March 31st, and the colors are popping throughout the garden. Not quite the Skagit Valley, but we’re tickled anyway.

BTW…you can start placing your orders for Seasonal Boukays and our subscription-based Bud Club. Away we go.

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Any moment now…

You know what makes a great flower farm? FLOWERS!!!

Spring has sprung, the grass is ris'. I wonder where the flowers is!

Sure, we know it was an OG Winter, but for Pete’s sake….bloom already!

Meanwhile, we have the promise of imminent tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, etc. And, a reminder that our God is sovereign.

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Do the Seed Shack shimmy!

Meet the new addition to the flower farm. Affectionately called the Seed Shack, it dropped just before Thanksgiving and we finished outfitting it last month. With it, we are able to consolidate activities that took place in other areas around the farm; seed germination, assembly and production, administration, etc. It’s an answer to a flower farmer’s prayers. But please, don’t call it a “she shed”. It’s the…

Seed Shack, baby, Seed Shack

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All 2024 Stems Must Go!

Kay is conducting a clearance! She’s clearing out all of last season’s stock, and making room for the 2025 Spring arrivals. (Otherwise referred to as preparing the flower farm for seeding and planting.) Weeding, raking, mulching, hügeling, and general muddy wackiness. A few weeks from now, you’ll get to enjoy the colorful results of the hard work happening now. We can’t wait to see all of our friends this season. In the meantime, I better put down my camera and pick up the other rake!

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That’s a wrap, Vermilion!

We’d like to thanks the hundreds of friends, customers, vendors, and supporters of our bloomin’ business for a tremendously successful 9-week run at the Vermilion Market-in the-Park. Of course we’ll be back next summer…Lord willing. Although we contended with quite an array of dynamic weather conditions, the denizens of the market blessed us in every way. Shout out to Karen and Richard Kime!

We now return to our regularly-scheduled September-thru-October run at the Oberlin Farmers’ Market…already in progress!

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Of Course It’s Snowing…

…it’s March. And, why not? We’ve just lived through the wettest and windiest Winter in quite some time, here in North Central Ohio. Warm enough, also, to bring those daffs and tulips right out for a peek. Then…the 2nd substantial snowfall of the season. We were so happy with our our new hoops…and so were the 4 inches of snow the other day. Not to worry, this is just the preseason.

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Home For The Holidays

“For unto us a child is born…”

As we reflect on the many blessings of 2025, we praise the faithfulness of our Lord and His gifts of faith, family, friends, and beautiful flowers. We are humbly grateful for the blessing of the wonderful partners and customers who have come alongside us this year.

Kay’s Boukays wishes you and yours a blessed Christmas and an amazing Holiday Season. See you next year…Lord willing!