Most flower farmers might agree that when you choose this vocation, you start out thinking you are the only one in your area doing it. But then due to the mindset, lifestyle, and mostly social media circles, you discover a much bigger and growing field of like-minded folks.
As you find each other, the adrenaline rush sets in knowing domestic flower farming is on the rise. Domestic flower farming took a hit over the past couple of decades. But growers across the nation are reclaiming the knowledge to produce flowers in a mass scale and earning the right to compete in the marketplace with determination, experience, quality, and grit.
During my four-year journey, I have been blessed with creating two circles of flower farming networks to do just that. The first was seeded back in 2021 as we came off the pandemic and folks were actively realigning their lives. Through social media, one connection led to another and soon, Flower Farmers in the 618 came together, creating a local network of growers, dreamers, and business owners.
This group has expanded into 18+ farms who meet frequently throughout the year to support one another in education, marketing, and commaraderie and has helped me become both a better farmer and mentor. Each farm owner comes to the table with their own unique experiences, marketing channels and goals. But when challenges arise, we rally and encourage one another to press on.
The other connection that grew from the ground up has truly guided me into being a better business owner. During the last two seasons, I partnered with two local farms to sell wholesale to Illinois and Missouri florists. While maintaining my core customer base, our farms diligently set out to align on a business model and processes that allow us to produce, work and sell more collectively.
We have identified ways of working that honor each other’s contributions, target new market opportunities, and isolate the pain points that might keep us from expanding. As we prepare for 2024, we are excited to know we are one step closer to removing that last barrier and becoming a flower farming collective (more to come on that later).
We are truly stronger together!
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