Apis

If you can just let things be, you're sometimes rewarded with unexpected surprises.

I didn't weedeat around the tree in the front lawn - we have chokecherries and currants there now. Same with the utilities pole.

We don't spray our driveway. Asters popped up.

We didn't prune or shear or remove leaves. Our favorite plants have reseeded themselves.

And there are mantid eggs sacs EVERYWHERE.

Yes, there's some cheatgrass to burn. Now it's time to clip back the old perennial stems. There will always be work to do, but this approach moves with nature. And when you respect her, she will show up with gifts.

Plus, who wants to be out here breathing in chemicals each weekend?

The beginning of each season feels a little magical to me. In spring, we have dewy mornings instead of frost, a golden hour where the light starts slightly shifting, and the first spring flowers.

Those extra branch-y, extra flowery magnolias are my favorite. They're so vibrant and elegant, and what I look forward to most each spring. There's one right out the window of my dentist office, and I time my teeth cleaning each spring when I think it's going to be in bloom 😂

The magnolia candle was also the first design I had the idea for. I had to make sure to include little beetles 🪲🐞🪳

Last fall, we scrounged up the last bit of our gardening energy to put in one final planting - native perennials, herbs, a ton of bulbs, and some trial snapdragons. The tulips have been up for weeks (flowers soon!) and now the perennials are starting to wake up.

We moved a lot of our cut herb production into the raised beds by the house, which means it's a lot easier for me to harvest a bit for dinner. The vegetables will move back to the garden beds with deeper soil this summer. And the flowers go anywhere I can fit them in.

(PS - don't forget to get your flower punchcards or subscription. We'll be swimming in flowers before you know it)

My family has been farming in Idaho for four generations. Mint, dairy, angus, hay.... and honeybees and gladiolus.

Last week, my dad gifted me a few of my great grandpa's farming receipts. He used to deliver honey around the valley, and my dad would ride along with him.

Now I've found my own niche in Idaho's agricultural scene - it's a lot more small-scale and value-added, but it's still following in my family's footsteps.

It took me a minute to realize I was entering my tenth year of apis this year.

Apis started on the Boise Bench, out of my tiny garden and tiny house - drying and squirreling away herbs and making batches of just 12 lip balms at a time because high quality oils are EXPENSIVE. (And I was very broke).

At the time, I didn't really have a plan. I just liked making natural skincare for me and figured I might as well start a business. Which is how most stuff in my life happens.

Honestly, I feel like I've put a lot more energy into the farm of late, and apis has been steadily humming along in the background. Since she's been a little ignored, and with double digits coming up in April, I'd like to put a little bit more intention here. We're shifting a few things in our life this year so we can be more mindful of our time and energy and our impact.

I'm so lucky that so many of you have brought apis into your daily routines. Each time you gush to me about your favorite product (9 times out of 10, it's the facial serum), just know how much you make my day.

So here's a thank you for being along on this whim of a business adventure, and here's to twenty more years.

What drew me to herbalism ten years ago was the magic and creativity of it. Crafting something that could be as unique and wonderful, and trying something new with your next batch.

Building a steady brand has meant creating steady products - which is wonderful to be able to bring wholesome, beneficial products to so many people. But this year, I want to bring a little whimsy back into my practice.

I'll be crafting a few new, small batch items each season for the farm subscription box. Any extras will be available online or at the while they last - but the surest way to snag them is to get on the list for the from-the-farm subscription box.

Bring back a little surprise and joy to yourself 🩷

(Feat. here: lavender+rose clay goat milk soap and cottonwood bud salve - which both smell divine)

You might remember our snacking subscription from a few years back.... well, we're bringing an updated version back to life.

Our from the farm seasonal subscription box is a quarterly surprise of seasonally collected and curated items. It's a beloved snapshot of unique, handcrafted goods and speaks to our love of sharing favorite finds and sweet gifts with friends.

✨️What's new:
It includes a wider variety of art and goods, including specialty herbal preparations from

Shipping only! There's no bread and cheese this time, so it can travel anywhere

🩷What's the same:
Seasonally- focused

Small-batch treats from the farm (like specialty jams and seasoning salts!)

Collaboration and support for small businesses in our region

Our new water bottles are in stock and available at the Boise Flower & Garden Show! It features milkweed and milkweed beetles on a gorgeous cactus green.

Each water bottle also comes with a monarch butterfly sticker designed by , milkweed seeds harvested from the microfarm, and an informative insert.

There's no need to rush your spring clean-up just yet. After these few sunny days, we're back down to cooler temps and light showers. Leaving your leaves and stems will give the beneficial insects some still-needed shelter. After all, it's still March.

Go take a walk or something instead to enjoy this nice weather. 🌤

We're restocking garden balm just in time for long days in the garden. Whether your hands are dry from being in the soil or scraped up from pruning, this will fix you right up.

This salve is full of my favorite garden herbs - thyme, yarrow, comfrey, and chamomile - plus a dose of nourishing pumpkin seed oil. It's a rich, herby scent that soaks right into your skin.

Garden balm will be available at the Boise Flower & Garden Show next weekend, and of course, at the first in April!

Can't wait? Order it online, or pick up locally: