Focusing on local, helps the global outlook.

Did you know 80% of flowers found at florists, grocery stores, gas stations, etc. are imported from other countries? Often there are chemicals used in the growing process, then once cut, they are shipped without water, to their destination often a week later. Often to pass inspection for entry to the US, they are sprayed for pests as well.

All the while these flowers must be kept refrigerated. The transport footprint is large, to say the least. This in addition to all of the packaging needed to get these flowers from point A to B in a reasonable condition.

If you want to know more, I suggest reading “The flower Confidential” by Amy Stuart, an eye opening look into the cut flower industry since the 1960’s to today.

But there is good news! The number of cut flower farms in the United States is growing rapidly in the last few years. You can recieve local fresh, seasonal flowers that are full of scent (many are bred for transport, not the wonderful flower qualities we would love to enjoy) and grown with care. All we need to do is make it known local flowers growers are here, and WHY we should support them.

We are part of a community. Support local businesses, like hard working farmers and entrepreneurs, and you can bet we will keep putting back into our community.

If anyone knows how important your local network is, it is a small, local businesses. Next time you make a local purchase, make sure to take a look at the pride that is put into each and every item, transaction, or in our case, bloom. There is something to be said for someone who will work every hour of everyday to make sure they deliver the best each and every time.

I can tell you it takes a certain kind of person to run a small business, especially a farm. There is an excitement for what is to come, an optimism that gets you through each and every hurdle, and hope and patience to get you to the next season.

From Gather Farm, you will recieve flowers that were cut the day before, or even the day you recieve them. They will last a week or more in the vase. You get to enjoy varieties and colors you would never get shipped in, because they wouldn’t make the trip. Flowers never leave water and are delivered in a vase or bucket that is dropped off or handed directly to the consumer or florist. That bucket will be washed and reused again (and again!). The only waste wil be your paper wrap, and that can be recycled or added to your compost.

Choosing local flowers, grown in tune with the seasons is the natural choice, and one that does not cost us the earth.

Gather Farm operates as sustainably as possible. We choose to regeneratively build the organic matter in our soil each and every season, in ways that can support future generations.

Our general farm practices are based on permaculture. That means we use as little inputs from off farm as we can. We have sheep and chickens that create nutrient rich compost. The sheep are a hair breed that can thrive on eating grasses, they are rotated through our pasture and woods to keep invasive species in check, and allow native plants to flourish. Our chickens dig and turn the compost, and pick pests from the field beds (once the plants are big enough!)

We make our own compost teas and use natural fertilizers. I have never sprayed my flowers for pests, I grow them knowing I will loose some to insects and do my best to succession plant so I have fresh blooms I can count on.

We have so many pollinators, bees and butterflies that frequent the farm, and I am adding new native plants each year. We have a hillside that is a dedicated to native prairie plants, and I grow “starter pollinator garden” plants that are for sale each spring.

As I add employees, and my kids help out with the farm, I hope to help grow and build knowledge that can continue on for generations.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (UK) calculated that if growing practices remain unchanged, we only have 60 growing seasons left. Now, this is a big statement, and there are a lot of variables and arguments to be made on how accurate it is, but it really leaves an impact. And it makes the point, we need to do better, to do what the earth needs, to regenerate and build our soil, so we leave what we have been given better, not worse than we received it. And I hope that I may even be here in another 60 growing seasons to see how we have done.