A peek inside our task management systems (SFFF53)
If you're in the thick of flower farming—whether you’re a seasoned grower juggling dozens of wholesale orders or a new farmer trying to figure out what to do next week—one thing becomes clear fast: there’s a lot to keep track of. From planting schedules to bouquet deliveries, customer emails to soil tests, the list never really ends.
And let’s be honest… sometimes the “system” is just a bunch of sticky notes and a prayer. Been there. But having a good task management setup? It can be the thing that keeps you from crying in the high tunnel come June.
From Chaos to Clarity: How My Task Management System Evolved
Early on, my “system” was just a clipboard and a lot of hope. And while there’s nothing wrong with pen and paper, once we added CSA subscriptions, on-farm events, and a growing team, things started slipping through the cracks. I needed something I could update quickly, view at a glance, and share with others without handing over my whole brain.
That’s where digital tools came in. I now use Asana to map out everything from seed starting dates to podcast production timelines. It’s flexible, visual, and plays nice with how my brain works. Over time, I built out templates for recurring farm tasks, added automations where I could, and stopped relying on memory to keep the whole business running.
Adapting Your System for Your Flower Farm
One of my favorite things about the flower farming world is that every business looks different. Some of us grow on half an acre; others are farming in raised beds on city lots. Some are solo operations with a baby on the hip, and some are managing a full team. So it makes sense that how we manage our time and tasks should be just as personal.
The most important thing? Choose a system that works with your brain, not against it. If a paper planner helps you feel calm and in control, use that. If you're someone who forgets the list unless it's stuck to your forehead (hi, it’s me), then a digital tool like Asana, ClickUp, or Trello might be a better fit. I use Asana because I can organize tasks by season, project, and deadline—and I love being able to drag and drop tasks around when the weather doesn’t cooperate (which, let’s be real, is often).
Don’t be afraid to experiment. You might start out with something super simple—like a recurring checklist for your weekly harvests—and build from there. The goal isn’t to make a “perfect” plan you’ll follow without fail. The goal is to make your life easier when things get busy. Because they will.
Also, look at what parts of your farm need more structure. Maybe your fieldwork is dialed in, but marketing tasks always fall through the cracks. Maybe the opposite. Wherever the overwhelm lives—that’s where a better system can help.
What Gets Tracked, Gets Done (Usually)
Let’s just say it loud: You are not going to get it all done. Not every task. Not every week. Not even with the best system in the world. And that’s okay.
What I’ve learned is that tracking things—writing them down, assigning them a time or place—helps you move through your season with more clarity and a lot less panic. Even if you’re not checking every box, you’re keeping your priorities visible. And that means you can make smarter decisions when time or energy runs short. You’re not just reacting; you’re adjusting.
For me, that looks like reviewing my week every Monday morning. I shift what needs to move, delete what’s no longer relevant (because YES, it’s okay to delete tasks!), and make peace with the fact that the farm is a living, breathing thing. Things change. The system’s job is to bend with you, not break you.
It also gives me a paper trail. When I start spiraling—like, what am I even doing with my time?!—I can look back and see the work I’ve done. The seeds I started, the weddings we booked, the podcast we launched. That’s powerful. Because when you’re your own boss, accountability looks different. And sometimes, you need your to-do list to remind you: you’re doing a whole lot more than you think.
Want a Peek at My Setup?
If you want to take a closer look at how I set up my actual task boards and workflows, I made you something special.
Grab my Asana Tour for flower farmers—it’s a walk-through of the real behind-the-scenes setup I use to manage our farm, podcast, and education content.
