Flower Farms in Indiana Welcome Visitors for Hands-On Activities
In partnership with: Indiana State Department of Agriculture
Indiana may be known as a row-crop state, but recently, local producers are expanding their offerings to include beautiful bouquets of fresh flowers – straight from the field to your home.
Dollie’s Farm
At Dollie’s Farm in Franklin, Indiana, Tricia Wilson started growing lavender to better use her family’s land and help teach the younger generations about working with the soil. She and her husband of 42 years, Tim, have diligently worked to grow the flower aspects, starting with lavender.
“We wanted to use our land in a way that was more than watching corn and soybeans leave the farm,” Wilson says. “We researched and settled on lavender for so many reasons.”
Those reasons include their love of lavender in teas and other drinks, the supplemental income it could provide since it grew well in the plant hardiness zone, and the opportunity to teach the next generation about agriculture, including their own grandchildren. As their lavender business bloomed, Dollie’s evolved to include more flowers and began inviting consumers to the farm.
“I’ve always had a love for flowers,” Wilson says. “We decided to add flower fields and open the farm for families and guests to experience the beauty of a flower farm while taking home a small bundle of that beauty. We have so many stories of the joy this farm has brought to those who come to get flowers and leave with great memories.”
Dollie’s is a prime agritourism destination for consumers, offering U-pick flowers, school tours and field trips, flower design classes, a line of lavender skin care products, and even goat yoga.
“The chance to teach children about floriculture is amazing. Many of our events include a tour of the farm, sharing what we’ve learned and helping them establish a garden of their own,” Wilson says. “It’s an amazing opportunity to broaden people’s knowledge of farming – that it’s more than just corn and soybeans.”
Because of their efforts, Dollie’s Farm was awarded the 2021 Lieutenant Governor’s Hoosier Hospitality Award, which recognizes businesses that go above and beyond to represent Indiana to visitors.
See more: CREP Helps Indiana Farmers Protect the State’s Soil and Waterways
Fishers Flower Farm
Located in Fishers, Indiana, Fishers Flower Farm is an operation run by mother-daughter duo Mackenzie Baker-Robinson and Kayti Robinson. Founded in 2020, Mackenzie says she was ready for a career change. That, coupled with her parents’ new 8-acre property, presented the perfect opportunity to create a suburban flower farm.
“I now operate Fishers Flower Farm full time, alongside my mom, who’s also a full-time hairstylist,” Mackenzie says. “Though it’s small, our farm requires quite a bit of labor, and the whole family continues to make this dream a reality.”
Fishers Flower Farm is unique in that most of its blooms are grown in giant raised beds. Mackenzie says it’s easier to maintain the soil health and keep pesky critters out. They primarily grow annuals including specialty zinnias, cosmos, amaranth, strawflower and more.
“We take the timeless classics but give them a little whimsy and flair with gorgeous, unique colors and shapes,” she says.
Similar to Dollie’s, Fishers Flower Farm also offers workshops and hopes to expand to U-pick as they become more experienced growers. They recently built a barn called the Flower Sanctuary, which can hold up to 32 visitors for workshops.
“Everyone has a connection to flowers,” Mackenzie says. “Maybe your parents’ or grandparents’ garden, a special flower that was a loved one’s favorite or even the flowers from your wedding. I love being able to teach and mingle with our awesome community while still enjoying nature and creativity at the same time.”
Wilson echoes that statement and says seeing visitors enjoy the farm is one of the best parts.
“So often we hear, ‘I don’t know where to start. It’s all so beautiful,’” she says.
See more: Solful Gardens Offers Community a New Source for Fresh Produce