Heidi’s Hope Boxes were introduced in the fall of 2022. They were sold by Power Planter, a company owned by Greg Niewold, a dear friend of mine. Each Heidi’s Hope Box contained a pink Power Planter auger, 10 pink tulips bulbs from Abbott-Ipco, “Probably Benign,” a book by Leslie Ferris Yerger about the story of her Metastatic Breast Cancer diagnosis, and important information from My Density Matters explaining how breast density affects the effectiveness of mammograms and explaining how and why you should know your breast density. Proceeds from each box went directly to My Density Matters.
We had planned to have dozens of tulips in this area among several new trees. We postponed the tree planting to 2023. We lost many of the tulips to squirrels who dug up the bulbs and left many tiny holes in the ground. We also lost many tulips due to the two large trees in this area.
These 2 black walnut trees are nearly 150 years old. Black walnut tree roots produce juglone, a toxic substance released when the roots of other juglone-sensitive species come in contact with walnut roots. This fall, I will choose a plot farther away from these trees for the Heidi’s Hope tulips!
HOPE is a word I choose to emphasize in life. When I was first diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer in July 2019 it had already spread to my bones, liver and adrenal gland. Since then it has also spread to my brain. Dave and I used a Power Planter auger that fall to plant dozens of fall bulbs because I had HOPE that I would be around in the spring of 2020 to see them bloom. Now we plant more bulbs on our farm each fall to renew that HOPE.
I want to see your Heidi’s Hope tulips! Please post them on social media and tag me, Power Planter, and My Density Matters. Let’s spread some hope around in a world that needs it.
I am not in control. 