Growing Happiness, One Flower at a Time

Growing Happiness, One Flower at a Time

What is it like being a farmer florist? Everyone probably thinks we play with flowers all day, run around with bunches of blooms and take those gorgeous pictures to fill up our Instagram feeds. Being a farmer florist is much more than that (although I am guilty of some of the previous activities.)

According to behavioral research study conducted at Rutgers and published on the Society of American Florists, nature provides us with a simple way to improve emotional health – flowers. Did you know, the presence of flowers triggers happy emotions, heightens feelings of life satisfaction and affects social behavior in a positive manner far beyond what is normally believed? I mean, what a more perfect work environment!

Not only is it a benefit for the grower, it is also a benefit to the flower arrangement recipient.

According to the research, "A team of researchers explored the link between flowers and life satisfaction in a 10-month study of participants’ behavioral and emotional responses to receiving flowers. The results show that flowers are a natural and healthful moderator of moods.
  1. Flowers have an immediate impact on happiness. All study participants expressed “true” or “excited” smiles upon receiving flowers, demonstrating extraordinary delight and gratitude. This reaction was universal, occurring in all age groups.
  2. Flowers have a long-term positive effect on moods. Specifically, study participants reported feeling less depressed, anxious and agitated after receiving flowers, and demonstrated a higher sense of enjoyment and life satisfaction.
  3. Flowers make intimate connections. The presence of flowers led to increased contact with family and friends.

“Common sense tells us that flowers make us happy,” said Dr. Haviland-Jones. “Now, science shows that not only do flowers make us happier than we know, they have strong positive effects on our emotional well being.” - https://safnow.org/aboutflowers/quick-links/health-benefits-research/emotional-impact-of-flowers-study/

 

What is a farmer florist?

You are probably familiar with traditional floral shops and what florists create for their everyday customers, weddings, and not to mention those holiday arrangements (like Valentine's Day and Christmas centerpieces.) A farmer florist is a bit different from a traditional florist in the fact that they specialize in growing their own flowers. Many farmer florists offer wedding design services, buckets of flowers to brides, or additional services to show off their home-grown flowers.

Planning, one seed at a time

As a farmer florist, I take pride selecting a wide variety of flowers that we will grow on our farm. Behind the scenes, there are numerous growers we work with to procure seeds for germination. We take into consideration numerous factors when selecting seeds:
  • Color and varieties - what will our customers love the most?
  • Performance as a cut flower - vase life, stem length and sturdiness, etc.
  • Bloom time - when does the flower bloom and for how long?
  • Plant longevity - a mix of annuals and perennials
  • Multiple uses - can we use the flower in multiple ways? After the bloom is finished, does it create a pod or beautiful dried element?

What does this mean for you, our customer?

When we start planning to order our seeds and plugs for the next growing season, we are always thinking of our customers.
  • Growing the flowers that mean the most to you! Whether that is for a wedding or for an arrangement for office, we want to have the coolest flowers on hand.
  • Flowers that last! We want to grow flowers that will stand up to the heat of your wedding, brighten up your reception area for more than a couple days, and bring you happiness way after your event is done.
  • Offering the right flowers at the right time! We want to offer flowers when you want them most. Through timing and succession planting, we plan to grow flowers so they are available when you need them.
  • Cutting down on waste! Staying true to our mission of sustainability, we want to offer a variety of flowers - especially the flowers that come back year after year. When we invest in the right seeds and plants, we minimize the need to have flowers delivered.
  • Sustainable flowers! Using flowers, pods, grasses, branches in multiple ways is great for the environment. Multi-purpose flowers and greenery are eco-friendly.

If you are interested in learning more about our sustainable flower movement, our special varieties, how to order them wholesale for your Wisconsin florist shop, or work with us on your wedding day - we'd love to hear from you. Please fill out our contact form on our homepage.

Looking forward to working with you,

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