The Farmer’s Daughter Flowers
By Ashley Cameron
Among the flowers...where we most often find ourselves. Surrounded by close friends, monarch butterflies, and magic. When the concept for “The Farmer’s Daughter Flowers” was born, we knew what we wanted to put out into the world and how we wanted to do it: ethically, with sustainability, and respect to Mother Earth. And thus began the journey that birthed an eclectic, botanically inspired gift shop and full service flower shop with its own boutique flower farm.
The business is family run with friends abound contributing, just as the flower farm is. The use of a weed barrier fabric allows the flowers, show-stopping dahlias, cupcake cosmos, sunflowers, fox glove and many many more, to grow as Mother Nature designed: without pesticides and herbicides. It may take a little more time and prep work to grow this way, but it really is worth it to not put chemicals out there that aren’t necessary and in the long run aren’t good for anyone. We grow slow flowers and we love it! Also, without the use of these harsh chemicals we allow the environment in our fields to be as organic as Mother Nature designed herself, attracting all kinds of gorgeous visitors to promote this lovely ecosystem. Among them we find garter snakes, sleepy bumble bees and energetic monarch butterflies!!! So many monarch butterflies in fact that our flower fields are now a recognized “Monarch Waystation!” You can encourage all the same kinds of lovely visitors and grow flowers in a sustainable and ethical way too!
Here’s what you need to start:
- seeds or starters from growers who share these ethical standards
- a plot of dirt that you don’t mind working over a few times to prep it for your pretty little babies
- weed barrier fabric
- gardening tools
- a group of lovely friends to plant with (a little wine doesn’t hurt this party either!)
- and a desire to put magical beauty out there into the world!
Another way we intentionally make sustainable and ethical choices for ourselves and the Earth is in our own purchases and the products we bring to our shop: each and every product is one we have a personal love affair with! We have taken the time to make ourselves aware of how products are produced, if they are fair trade, and the impact on the makers and the environment they are produced in. From the beginning of our journey we have made an effort to ensure that a large portion of our products are produced ethically and sustainably for Mother Earth and we are working hard every day to up that number!
We find there is a movement, among small business especially, to be aware of how the products we purchase to sell to consumers are sourced, made, and the impact they have on the area they are coming from. We partner with companies and makers who hold the same values we do and in turn make it easier for the customer to make those choices and support the actual makers and creators as well! There may be a higher cost associated with products that are fair trade, directly support the makers and their community and have less of an impact on Mother Earth, but trust us, just as with slow flowers, you will find that you get what you pay for. There is quality in something that is not big box and not manufactured by a machine or done the “quick” way and in heavy mass quantity. Just as with our Nena and Co bag, these pieces become ones we will keep forever!!! Focusing on items that have an heirloom feel, high quality material, and can be passed to friends or loved ones that are produced in an ethical manner is a way the consumer can can become an “ethical buyer!”
All our love,
The Farmer’s Daughter Flowers
