You can see more of our detailed answers here on this blog post-->
What’s something you think people would be surprised to know about growing flowers? Or, what’s something you’d want people to know? Iowa is a fantastic place to grow seasonal cut flowers. Our rich soils and eager consumer base makes it the perfect enterprise, especially for young farmers, folks starting out on a smaller land base, or anyone looking to diversify a pre-existing farm business. Beyond the wonderful market opportunities that exist for cut-flowers, we would want people to know that they are a labor intensive enterprise and take thoughtful planning and business skills to make production and distribution possible. Since the climate doesn't allow for year round growing and sales of flowers, we also produce chicken, turkey, duck, pork, and beef that we sell directly to consumers. The diversification gives us the resilience and ability to run a thriving, year round business.
What’s your favorite flower (and why!)? It's hard for us to choose a favorite flower but we would have to go with Pro-Cut Sunflowers, they are bred specifically for cut flower production and are absolutely gorgeous, don't wilt easily, and have an extremely long vase life. Since we primarily grow flowers for the CSA model (versus florists, weddings etc), we like to focus on bright colors and cheerful bouquets that will surely bring a smile to our customer's faces. We also love the perennials that do well here, especially peonies which make excellent cut flowers in the late spring and early summer time.
Is there anything special people should look for when they buy flowers? We think that knowing your farmer is always a fantastic place to start. Purchasing local, seasonal flowers means supporting our regional economies and getting blooms that were grown directly by someone you know. The saying that when you buy local, you are directly supporting someone's dreams and livelihood couldn't be more true!
What are the benefits of buying from a local flower farm? The vast majority (80%) of flowers on the market are imported. What that says to us is there's 1) immense opportunity for local production and 2) a responsibility that we have as producers to make sure getting the word out about what we're doing so more people find out about us and 3) and that providing flowers in ways that are accessible to our local communities is critical. For us that accessibility often looks like delivering bouquets directly to local nursing homes, offices, businesses, and even other farmers who may find it challenging or impossible to access local goods at a farmers market or pick-up location. Additionally purchasing local flowers generally means the consumer gets a much fresher and higher quality product.
What should people expect if they’re contacting you directly, as opposed to a florist to order flowers? When people purchase flowers from us they should expect that they may be different than what they get at the grocery store or even a floral shop. We grow flowers that thrive in our Iowa climate including sunflowers, zinnias, snapgrasons, and all types of gorgeous greenery.
Are you offering any deals at this time? We are currently accepting sign ups for our Spring and Summer Flower CSA, which are weekly bouquet subscriptions. This model allows folks in our community to support us by signing up before the growing season begins and then receiving fresh flowers throughout the duration of the growing season. You can learn more on our website: www.overthemoonfarmandflowers.com
