After sharing the first few Root2Rise Journal entries, it feels only fitting to begin moving from the “why” behind Root2Rise into the living, growing, hands-in-the-soil rhythm of what is happening now.

The past few weeks have been full in the very best way.

With my Root2Rise hat on, I have been hardening off seedlings, opening the farm stand of garden starts over Mother’s Day weekend, harvesting and processing rhubarb, restocking Lavender Magnesium Cream, researching and beginning the R&D process for bug repellent candles and sprays, and slowly opening each section of the garden for the season ahead.

It has been a season of tending.

Tending seedlings.
Tending soil.
Tending recipes.
Tending product ideas.
Tending the spaces that nourish both our home and Root2Rise Creations.

The Farm Stand Opens

2026 Garden Starts - Just the beginnning

Mother’s Day weekend marked the opening of the farm stand for garden starts, which felt like such a sweet seasonal milestone.

There is something special about watching seeds become seedlings, then watching those seedlings leave the greenhouse or growing shelves to find their way into someone else’s garden.

Each plant start carries a little bit of hope with it.

Hope for fresh tomatoes on a summer table.
Hope for flowers that brighten a walkway.
Hope for herbs tucked near the kitchen door.
Hope for someone else to experience the joy of growing something with their own hands.

Hardening off seedlings is a slow and careful process. It is not glamorous, but it is necessary. Little by little, the plants are introduced to wind, sun, temperature shifts, and the real world outside of their protected growing space.

Honestly, it feels a little like life.

Growth often happens in the protected places first, but eventually we have to be strengthened for the season ahead.

Rhubarb Season

Rhubarb has also made its way into the kitchen, and that always feels like a sign that the growing season has truly begun.

This year’s harvest has been processed into pie filling and jam — the kind of simple, old-fashioned kitchen work that fills the house with the smell of something familiar and comforting.

Rhubarb is one of those plants that reminds me how beautiful tart and sweet can be together.

It is bold. It is bright. It asks for balance. And when cared for well, it becomes something wonderful.

That is one of the things I love most about seasonal living. The garden teaches us through flavor, texture, timing, and patience.

Restocking Customer Favorites

In the middle of garden work, I have also been restocking Lavender Magnesium Cream — one of the most-loved Root2Rise staples.

This is one of those products that continues to remind me why small-batch making matters. Every batch is prepared with care, intention, and attention to what people are reaching for in real life.

Root2Rise has always been rooted in practical care. Products are not created simply to sit pretty on a shelf. They are made to be used, shared, gifted, and woven into everyday routines.

A little comfort at the end of the day.
A little support for tired muscles.
A little ritual before rest.

That is the kind of making I love.

Bug Repellent Research & Development

Another behind-the-scenes project has been researching and beginning the R&D process for bug repellent candles and sprays.

This has been a rabbit hole in the best way.

I have been exploring essential oils, wax options, kid-conscious and pet-conscious considerations, scent throw, outdoor use, and what it means to create something that is both beautiful and functional.

This is still in the research and development stage, but it has been exciting to begin imagining a Root2Rise seasonal line that supports time outside — garden evenings, porch sitting, lake days, backyard gatherings, and all the summer moments we want to enjoy with a few less mosquitoes.

As always, I am taking my time with this one.

Research first.
Test batches next.
Honest feedback after that.

Opening the Gardens

Opening Each Section - Prepping - Planting

The garden itself has been opening section by section.

Some areas simply needed weeding. Others needed soil prep. Some were ready to receive plants. Some needed a little more patience.

Cold crops have been growing and harvesting, including kale, bok choy, iceberg lettuce, buttercrunch lettuce, romaine, collards, snap peas, shell peas, and more.

There is something deeply satisfying about harvesting food while also planting for the next season. The garden always seems to hold more than one timeline at once.

Some things are ready now.
Some things are recovering.
Some things are just beginning.
Some things are still waiting for their moment.

Since Mother’s Day, summer crops have been making their way into the ground.

The Sugar Baby watermelons and cantaloupe are hanging in there. The tomatoes are recovering from a small frost. The peppers, however, are thriving and seem quite pleased with themselves.

Calendula and zinnias are settling into their new garden space, and I cannot wait to see the color and pollinator activity they bring as the season unfolds.

And then there are the loofahs.

They had a bit of a sassing moment.

But after some heating pads, constant light, encouragement, and maybe a little negotiation, we worked it out. Now they are patiently awaiting their move to the long tunnel, where I think they are going to be very happy. Full sun, room to sprawl, room to climb — I have a feeling they are going to love it there.

Volunteers in the Garden

The volunteer sunflowers also made quite the appearance this year.

And by “appearance,” I mean there were a lot.

I thinned many of them, but some were so strong and determined that I simply could not bring myself to pull them.

They wanted that spot.

And honestly, who am I to argue with nature’s beauty?

There is something wonderful about volunteer plants. They remind me that not everything beautiful is planned. Some things return, reseed, surprise us, and grow right where they are.

Sometimes the garden has its own ideas.

Berries, Sweetness & Small Wins

The raspberry bushes are in their second year, and 9 out of 12 survived. For both them and me, that feels like a win.

The strawberry beds are flourishing, and I harvested the first strawberries last night and again this morning.

What a sweet treat.

There are few things better than eating the first strawberries of the season — warm from the garden, bright red, sweet, and simple.

Those tiny harvests feel like little love notes from the soil.

The Root2Rise Rhythm

This season has reminded me again that Root2Rise is not just about finished products.

It is about process.

It is about what grows before it becomes an ingredient, a story, a recipe, a product, a gift, or a seasonal offering.

It is seedlings hardening off in the sun.
It is rhubarb bubbling into jam.
It is magnesium cream being restocked.
It is researching natural bug repellent options with care.
It is tomatoes recovering, peppers thriving, loofahs being dramatic, and strawberries offering their first sweetness.

It is the rhythm of rooting down and rising up.

And I am so grateful to share pieces of that rhythm with you.

As the season continues, I will keep sharing more from the garden, the kitchen, the making table, and the heart behind Root2Rise Creations.

Thank you for being here as this story grows.

What’s Growing at Root2Rise: Garden Starts, Rhubarb, Strawberries & Summer Dreams