First Sprouts from the Field at Flaming Acres
- Debra Flaming
- Jun 6
- 2 min read
June 6, 2026
This morning brought one of my favorite moments of the entire growing season.
As Dion and I walked through the dahlia field, checking rows and watching for signs of life, we spotted it—a tiny green sprout pushing its way through the soil.
The first sprout of 2026...Ali Oop!
To most people, it might look like nothing more than a few leaves emerging from a mound of dirt. But to a flower farmer, that little sprout represents weeks of work, months of preparation, and a season full of hope beginning to unfold.
Since planting, we have watered, monitored the weather, checked irrigation lines, and waited. And waited.
The field has looked much the same each day—rows of freshly planted soil stretching across the farm with little visible evidence that anything was happening beneath the surface.
Yet beneath that soil, growth has been quietly taking place all along.
Roots have been forming.
Eyes have been awakening.
Life has been preparing to emerge.
And today, we received our first visible reminder.
Growing dahlias requires a great deal of faith. Every spring, flower growers place tubers into the ground and trust the process. We cannot see what is happening beneath the soil. We cannot rush the timing. We simply provide what is needed and wait for growth to appear.
Perhaps that is why gardening teaches so many lessons about life.
Some of the most important growth happens where no one can see it.
Faith grows quietly.
Character grows quietly.
Healing grows quietly.
Dreams grow quietly.
Long before there is evidence above the surface, important work is often taking place below it.
As I looked at that tiny green sprout this morning, I couldn't help but think about how often God works the same way in our lives. We may feel as though nothing is happening. We may wonder if our efforts matter. Yet beneath the surface, growth is taking place in ways we cannot yet see.
Today, one little dahlia sprout reminded me that waiting is not the same as standing still.
The season has begun.
Soon more sprouts will appear. The rows will turn green. Buds will form. Flowers will bloom.
But today belongs to that first brave little sprout pushing through the soil and announcing that summer is on its way.
And for flower farmers, that's a beautiful sight indeed.
A Thought for the Day
"Faith is believing that something beautiful is growing, even when all you can see is the soil."
Keep the faith!
Debra Flaming
