Want to Be a Flower Farmer? Advice From the Pros (Part 2)
Think you might have a green thumb? Guess what: You don't have to have one to start growing your own luscious blooms!
Almond Leaf Studios
Are you ready to learn how to become a flower farmer? We know the magic is already in you, and it often just takes the support from a community of cheerleaders and some additional learning to get your flower farming plans—no matter what scale you're farming on or what sort of land-limitations you have—started off on the right foot.
Here in Part 2 of this article, we've compiled survey responses from our flower farming, farmer-florist, and micro-farming Team Flower Members!
They've provided you with actionable words of wisdom they've earned through their work with flowers. In this article, flower growers will dive into:
How working with flowers can be good for you
The ways a floral career can be difficult
The most surprising things about working in the floral industry
And more!
Check out So You Want to Be a Flower Farmer: Advice From Real-Life Farmer Pros (Part 1) to learn about what led these farmers to grow their own flowers, how you can know if working with flowers is a good fit for you, and the unique benefits a floral career offers.
Ready? Let's jump right in and hear from the flower pros!
Why has working in flowers been good for you?
It gets me up in the morning; when I know I am going to harvest and arrange materials, I'm excited and jump out of bed. — Jane Brelvi, Farmer and Florist Designer, @janeasoarus
It is corny, but flowers make me happy. Even when the work is hard—when I am over-tired, sweaty, and achy—a beautiful bucket of blooms makes it all better. — Janis Harris, Farmer at Harris Flower Farm, @harrisflowerfarm
Working in flowers brings me peace and a sense of purpose. I take pride in providing a service and a product that is unique and beautiful. I do my best thinking in the garden and get both intrinsic and extrinsic satisfaction every time I look up from a flower bed. — Jalisca Thomason, Floral Designer and Micro-Farmer at Rustic Roots Floral Design, @rusticrootsfloraldesign
When it comes down to it, working with flowers has been perfect for our family. We are so passionate about it. We love it (well, most of it—I don't enjoy the cold, rainy fall clean-up days), and it is the type of upbringing we want for our children. It has fit our lifestyle perfectly, and we can't imagine doing anything else because we are so incredibly happy as flower farmers. — Martha Lojewski, Farmer at Alaska Peony Cooperative, @alaskapeonycooperative
I used to suffer from insomnia. During the height of the growing season, I collapse into bed and sleep like a rock. That's just a tangible example of how being a flower farmer has provided me with a health benefit. Emotionally and spiritually, I feel like I am using my time and talents for a worthy career that gives to others. — Kaley Deffinbaugh, Farmer at Long Table Farms, @longtablefarms
Almond Leaf Studios
How has working in flowers been difficult?
Local flora has not been very much explored or developed, so I have to do everything from scratch. This has turned me into a farmer-florist, and I'm loving it! (But it's hard.) — Maria Gomez, Farmer-Florist and Forager at Juno CR, @juno.cr
Going from an income based on hours clocked to an income that I need to generate [has been difficult]. I have had to be innovative and creative with the way we get the public to buy our flowers. The support from our community (and beyond) has been so humbling. Farming isn't a 9-to-5 job. I like a challenge, and I am emotional about flowers. I love hearing the stories of how our flower impacted the lives of our customers. — Janis Harris, Farmer at Harris Flower Farm, @harrisflowerfarm
We are not long-time family farmers. My husband is a forester, so he had a lot of background knowledge, but not all of it transferred well from trees to flowers. Soil nutrition, controlling pests, and water management was an easy transition. I came from the marketing and business side of things, so the business aspect was mostly transferrable for me. In the early stages, we struggled with finding varieties that thrive in our climate and were desirable. Time management continues to be a struggle as we grow our production. Lack of reliable help is a challenge for most farmers in my area. But many of our struggles have been trying to learn how to work with the curve balls that Mother Nature throws. Combining the fickle nature of weather with the firm demands of weddings is most challenging. I do not want a florist or bride not to have the peonies I promised, but if date predictions are off by a few days because of a shift in weather, it could mean a bride will forever remember that she didn't have peonies on her special day. These challenges are difficult but not impossible to overcome. — Martha Lojewski, Farmer at Alaska Peony Cooperative, @alaskapeonycooperative
[It's challenging] to try to educate the customer about local flowers versus imports. Pricing our blooms is also challenging. — Ashlea McFadden, Farmer at Yellow House Flower Farm, @ashleaelizabethmcfadden
My time is split between being a mom and being a farmer. There is a lot of healthy overlap, but there is also a tension that can feel frustrating. One day, I can feel like I'm not spending enough time completely focused on my child. The very next day, I can see tasks waiting to be completed in the garden that are time-sensitive. Both matter! My child more so, therefore by default, the farm sometimes sees my shadow leaving earlier in the day than I'd like. — Kaley Deffinbaugh, Farmer at Long Table Farms, @longtablefarms
The deadlines have been the most difficult part. I feel that, working with fresh flowers and mostly homegrown flowers too, the deadlines to have fresh flowers to an event are the most stressful. Once I have finished an event, I am relieved to be out from under that dark-deadline cloud and so proud with the achievements I have made! — Lisel Vonhoff, Farmer-Florist at Belle Bouquets, @bellebouquets
Almond Leaf Studios
In working with flowers, what have you been most surprised by?
That people are willing to pay what I'm asking! — Maria Gomez, Farmer-Florist and Forager at Juno CR, @juno.cr
How much the public and also people in the flower industry don't know about how, when, and where flowers grow. I love teaching people about flower seasons and colour varieties. It is so awesome when a customer realizes the short season for a certain flower and they savour it in the moment knowing that it could be a year again before they smell that lilac bloom or those daffodils. Being in tune with the seasons. — Janis Harris, Farmer at Harris Flower Farm, @harrisflowerfarm
I am always surprised by new trends, new materials, new techniques, and new mechanics. But overall, I am most surprised by how fast I fall in love with a bloom that I grow and how quickly flowers have been anthropomorphized into our entire family. — Jalisca Thomason, Floral Designer and Micro-Farmer at Rustic Roots Floral Design, @rusticrootsfloraldesign
Everyone is so wonderful to work with! Farmers are so willing to share and help. Florists are so fun and pleasant. Brides are brimming with joy and ideas. Flowers are beautiful and joyful, so everyone is just happy all the time. Even in the tough parts of flower farming, I can reach out to someone else for support and encouragement or suggestions on how to make a task easier because everyone in this business helps each other out! It feels like a giant community of people eager to help each cog in this huge flower wheel keep rolling and growing day by day! — Martha Lojewski, Farmer at Alaska Peony Cooperative, @alaskapeonycooperative
How much enjoyment you get when you find a crop in flower when the night before the blooms weren't open. — Ashlea McFadden, Farmer at Yellow House Flower Farm, @ashleaelizabethmcfadden
How genuinely thankful people are for quality, locally sourced flowers. My farmers market customers gush over fresh Bells of Ireland. They giggled when the first wave of dahlias showed up. I thought people might like them, but they love them enough to smash their faces into their bouquet right after buying it—that still gets me every time! — Kaley Deffinbaugh, Farmer at Long Table Farms, @longtablefarms
Almond Leaf Studios
We love our Team Flower Community Members and are grateful for the wisdom they shared for this article.
Curious about the the Team Flower Community? It is a place where we can gather together, build relationships, ask questions, and grow and learn in a kind group of flower fans of all experience levels. Check it out to learn more!
