Growing Kindness for Generations

Some people plant flowers. Others plant seeds that grow far beyond the garden.

Today, I want to honor Deanna and the immeasurable ripple her service to the Growing Kindness Project has had on my family, my farm, and our community.

When I was beginning my journey as a cut flower grower, Growing Kindness gave me something I desired: resources, encouragement, and a community that believed flowers could be about so much more than beauty.

Deanna Kitchen

The Growing Kindness Project helped equip me to become a more confident and successful grower. Still, perhaps even more importantly, she helped me see the mission of my own farm within the context of my immediate community.

Her example showed me that what we grow can become something much bigger than ourselves. Deanna’s impact on our family reaches even deeper.

The early days of Growing Kinness

From the very beginning, she welcomed our daughter Haven. Her spirit of hospitality, her love for children, and her call to education left an impression on Haven when she was just 8 years old. Over the years, Deanna has consistently connected with, encouraged, and empowered her to find simple and creative ways to show up for her community.

Teaching girlfriends how to Grow Kindness

For nearly nine years, Haven has grown alongside me on our farm, under my wing at farmers markets, events, and community projects. She has watched flowers move from seed to harvest and then into the hands of someone who needs a little beauty, encouragement, or joy.

And she hasn’t kept that spirit to herself.

Pure Joy to freely give

Growing Kindness with Friends

Growing up with Growing Kindness

Over the years, Haven has invited her own friends to join her in growing kindness. She has brought friends alongside her for projects and found ways to make giving something they could experience together. She has even included her friends at the annual Holiday Cheer Campaign, showing them that kindness can be simple, creative, and something we can choose to practice together.

And now, at 17, I’m beginning to see the beautiful ways this mission has become hers.

Recently, Haven and I listened to the Growing Kindness Project Podcast together, hosted by Deanna. We listened to her speak vulnerably about this season of transition and her need to step back, rest, and recover so she can continue showing up for herself, her family, and the mission she has poured so much of herself into.

We could hear the vulnerability in her words.

And we could hear the invitation to pause.

It prompted some beautiful self-reflection for both of us.

How do we create healthy boundaries in our own lives?

How do we remember that it isn’t sustainable to keep giving from an empty bucket?

How do we remember that caring for ourselves isn’t selfish?

I know Haven was listening with open ears.

Sometimes little ears hear things differently when they aren’t coming from their own mom, but from a friend, a mentor, someone they admire.

So this harvest became a small way for Haven to give back.

She gathered the flowers herself, walked the rows of our field, prepared the blooms, designed the arrangements, loaded the car, drove them into town, and hand-delivered mason jar bouquets to the staff lounge at our local high school.

Harvesting in honor of Deanna

I imagine that as she walked those rows gathering flowers, Deanna was on her heart.

Haven chose to give these bouquets to the high school administrators and staff as a simple reminder that kindness doesn’t have to be complicated. Sometimes it looks like a handful of flowers, thoughtfully gathered and given freely.

Building Deanna's Bouquets

I wasn’t there for the delivery, so I couldn’t capture the moment when Haven handed them over. But I can imagine the delight those flowers brought, and I can imagine Deanna smiling at the thought of another young person finding a simple way to grow kindness in her own community.

Deanna, thank you.

Thank you for serving so selflessly.

Thank you for welcoming our daughter.

Thank you for equipping growers like me.

Thank you for helping us see that what we grow can become something much bigger than ourselves.

The seeds you have planted have traveled farther than you may ever know.

A farm. A community. A daughter. Her friends. A generation.

That is the ripple effect of Growing Kindness.

And perhaps this season is a reminder that the hands that spend so much time pouring into others sometimes need permission to rest, too.

So, friend, fill your bucket.

Rest without guilt.

Receive the same kindness you have so generously given.

And when you’re ready…

The flowers will be waiting. Ready to welcome you back, one bloom at a time.

If you haven’t listened yet, I encourage you to spend some time with Deanna on the Growing Kindness™ Podcast. It’s a beautiful collection of honest conversations about generosity, connection, community, and the ways kindness can take root through flowers.

Growing Kindness Podcast

🎧 Listen on the Growing Kindness Project website or find Growing Kindness™: Stories of kindness, generosity, and community that inspire hope on Apple Podcasts.

If you feel led to financially support this non-profit, your consideration is greatly appreciated. Visitwww.growingkindnessproject.org

Thank you and keep Flourishing, Kari