Locally Grown Cut Flowers

Bloom Fresh, Bloom Local

by Joy Craig

Local flower growers can provide cut blooms that are really fresh, and they're kinder to the earth too.

One of the great joys of spring is the return of flowers—wildflowers, early perennials, and bulbs, all pushing up through the newly thawed earth and fulfilling the promise of renewal. In the garden, on the roadways, and in our homes, flowers renew us with color, fragrance, and freshness. As awareness grows of ways to live more sustainably, buying locally grown flowers is one more step toward greening our lives and a wonderful addition to Iowa’s “buy fresh buy local” campaign.

Why should you buy locally grown flowers? Is there that much difference between what you buy in stores and what’s available from local growers? Yes, and here’s why.

1. They are fresh. Imported flowers, once harvested, often take 5 to 7 days to reach the retailer. When you choose to buy locally grown cut flowers, they are delivered the same day they are picked. It’s hard to get fresher flowers than that!

2. They are beautiful. Local flowers are redefining the beauty of flowers as fresh and wholesome. Each flower has its own unique beauty and fragrance. Often you can find unusual types that aren’t available through your florist!

3. They benefit local bee, insect, and wildlife habitat. A healthy garden contains a diversity of plants that become habitat for bees, insects, and birds. All of these creatures contribute to the network of sustainable gardens and soil.

4. They reduce travel costs and pollution. It’s becoming common knowledge how far our food has to travel from farm to plate. Buying local flowers reduces transportation and energy costs.

5. They encourage you to live seasonally. When you buy locally grown flowers, you get a sense of what is growing in your community and when—like visually eating in season. In spring we wait for the first bulbs to bloom, in summer for the sunflowers and zinnia, and in fall for the dahlias.

6. They keep money circulating locally. A small economic orbit gives more power to local economies by keeping the money in circulation right at home. Buying local flowers also helps support local farming communities and organizations.

7. They’re grown sustainably. It’s reassuring to know that you don’t have to buy chemically grown flowers.

8. You can choose your own bouquet. When you buy local, you can visit the farm, see the flowers growing, and get exactly what you want. Brides across the nation are choosing to buy local flowers for their weddings!

Local Flower Growers

• Aurora Farm Flowers. (641) 919-4588, 2309 Kale Blvd. Fairfield. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Biodynamic seedlings, cut flowers, cut-flower CSA, fresh culinary herbs, wild crafted greens, custom made bouquets, edible flowers. May-October.

• Kathy’s Pumpkin Patch. (319) 470-1558. 1977 Highway #2, Donnelson. www.kathyspumpkinpatch.com. Weekly website updates begin June 1. Cut flowers June-August and hardy mums September-October.

• Bloom & Bark. (319) 293-6168, Keosauqua.
Cut flowers.

• Kristy Ostrander. (641) 652-3288, Eldon.
Flowers, plants, herbs.

• Lengacher’s Greenhouse, 22583 Heather Ave., Keosauqua.
Bedding plants, hanging baskets, perennials, hardy mums in fall.

• Pickle Creek Herbal. (319) 694-3054, Fairfield.
Flower seedlings.

• Rolling Prairie Acres. (641) 622-1221, Sigourney.
Seedlings and cut seasonal flowers.

• Simone’s Plain and Simple. (319) 631-0146, Wellman. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Cut flowers from the garden and prairie, custom bouquets, many fragrant flowers, cut-flower CSA.

• AnnaBeth’s Garden. (319) 477-6191, Garrison.
Cut flowers.

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