We’re approaching that turning point where the garden begins to change. The dahlias are still putting on a show, the china asters are ready to pop, and our heirloom chrysanthemums are still waiting for their moment, but seed heads are forming and the nights are getting chilly. The flowers feel extra special because we know the frost is coming.
And while we love the bounty and vibrant colours of summer, we’ve also been eagerly anticipating the cooler weather and pumpkin spice everything. It’s time to gather.
This fall, we’re changing things up a bit. It’s been a really difficult growing year. This is our third year and each year we have gone into it anticipating the “normal” and the weather has surprised us every year. But, as a small farm we are able to pivot and adapt.
So, this year you’ll find us at several local markets around Thunder Bay with armfuls of fresh seasonal flowers (as long as they last), dried bouquets and arrangements preserved and dried from our garden and gathered from the best of our northern seasons. And a new addition this year is small-batch homestead baking. We’ll be doing a soft launch at a small event on Sept 11 with our main launch at the Goods & Co Harvest Festival on September 13.
Come — Gather With Us!
Here’s a list of locations where you can find us out in the community. As we confirm more events, we’ll add to this list so continue to check back.
September 11 — Worship Under The Stars
A soft-launch for Bloomstead Bakes, this is a small market and fundraiser for Round Lake Bible Camp featuring food vendors, a silent auction, and live music located at Lakehead Baptist Church.
September 13 — Goods & Co. Good Harvest Market
We’ll kick off the fall market season at the Harvest Market with fresh flowers, dried florals, seasonal arrangements and homestead baking. It’s a celebration of the things we grow, make and preserve and we’d love for you to be part of it.
October 3–4 — Creekside Fall Market
We’re hoping the frost will hold off and we’ll have fresh blooms for this market. But, we’ll be bringing the best of our northern fall season either way to Creekside Nursery’s fall craft market! Expect dried flowers, autumn textures and arrangements designed to bring a little of the garden indoors as we head toward winter. And, of course, something good to eat.
October 13–14 — Thunder Bay Medieval Faire
In medieval towns, flowers and herbs would have been some of the most common goods sold in country market stalls. Flowers and botanicals bundled simply for decoration, nostalgia, beauty, and scent. We’re hoping to capture a little of that old-world romance at the Medieval Faire, with garden-grown flowers, dried botanicals and a few extra-special offerings for our fellow romantasy readers—because every good medieval market deserves a little magic between the pages.
Date TBD — Urban Abbey Christmas Market
This is the market that launched our love of events and dried florals last year, so expect us to return this year with more variety and a line of homegoods that will bring the beauty of the North into your home for those frosty months!
Christmas Markets — coming soon
We’re still finalizing our Christmas market dates, but we’re already gathering and creating. Think dried flowers, winter arrangements, natural textures, thoughtful gifts and a little Bloomstead goodness for the holiday season. We’ll announce those dates as soon as they’re confirmed.
For the ones who notice the little things
We know you’re the one who notices the unusual stem tucked into a bouquet and more — wants to know what it’s called. You love to bring home the little thing that makes the kitchen table feel different, that’s maybe a bit quirky, or just speaks to you. We happily wander through a market for an hour just to see what’s there.
If that sounds like you, come find us this fall. Hopefully something makes you stop for a minute and think, Oh, I love this. We’ll be the ones with the flowers. Come say hello.
Lisa and Jenna
The Bloomstead
Where the North blooms.