Meet Fable Flower Farm
Suffolk, VA
My coworker and I visited Fable Flower Farm on May 23 to celebrate springtime flowers. The best time to see flowers bloom in Virginia is between April and mid-June. Meredith and Lauren led us through the garden and greenhouse before allowing us free rein to smell the flowers and ask questions about their growing process. *Fable Flower Farm is not a vendor at the Suffolk Farmers’ Market, but does participate in the yearly Tea Tasting and Spring Plant Sale.
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Tell me a fun fact about yourself or your business.
Siouxsie Sioux is named after the lead singer of the ‘80s band “Siouxsie and the Banshees.” She lives a very posh farm life. (See left for Siouxsie the cat) How long have you been in business? I’ve been a farmer for fourteen years but made the switch from growing organic vegetables to raising flowers four years ago. Lauren has been with Fable Flower for two years. Describe an average day for you. We’re definitely not the “glam” flower farmers you see on Instagram. We start work early this time of year to beat the heat. We harvest all usable blooms first thing. After that we weed, water, fertilize, stake and net plants, sow seeds, plant plugs in the field for summer successions, turn rows and prep for replanting, pinch plants for bushier, taller yields, and wash lots and lots of buckets. What is your pollination process? We rely on bees and butterflies to pollinate our fields. The flowers are planted annually so they know to come back. When did you decide to become a flower farmer? How did you get started or inspired? I wanted to try something new. Flower farming is more of a year-round job than vegetable farming. I’m able to rotate crops more frequently than I could with vegetables. Raising flowers allows me to mix beauty and creativity with the grittiness of farming. I chose the name “Fable Flower Farm” because fables are inanimate life teaching us a moral. Our moral on the farm is respecting and loving nature. What is your favorite plant/flower you raise? I can’t choose a favorite child! They’re all special in their own ways. If I was forced to choose, I would say campanula. Lauren likes strawflowers and basket flowers. What kinds of products do you have, by season? Are products available year-round? We plant in the fall and maintain the fields during the winter. In the off-seasons we sell dried florals and offer workshops on how to create your own dry floral. Larkspurs, snapdragons, bachelor buttons, dianthus, love-in-a-mist, and agrostemma are some of the flowers available in the spring. During the summertime we have: lisianthus, strawflower, ornamental grasses, zinnias, starflower scabiosa, sunflowers, and more. All of our flowers are grown organically without harsh chemicals or pesticides. Where are your products sold? We offer CSA (Community-Supported Agriculture) subscriptions to customers in the Hampton Roads area. Our flowers are also available at a few local businesses like the Nansemond Brewing Station, Refined Relics, MoMac Brewing Company in Portsmouth, and Blanca Café in Norfolk. We offer flowers and arrangements for weddings and events. What times of the year are the busiest for you? We’re busiest between April and August. Mother’s Day is one of the biggest holidays for us. You have several places where people can pick up flowers. Where are they? We deliver to CSA subscribers in Suffolk as a freebie to fellow Suffolkians. Subscribers in Norfolk can pick up their flowers at The Veil Brewing Company while those in Chesapeake can stop by Lady Marmalade Bakery. What’s next for you? Seasonal produce or catches or shift in product availability? New store? Expansion (including online)? We hope to expand our retail operation and offer more workshops throughout the year. Our next goal to is to increase our shipping capability to be more national (i.e. we could ship flowers to other states). We will be adding seeds and dried flowers online eventually. On a local scale, we are looking to expand our subscription services to Virginia Beach. Lastly, we’re hoping to have one of our friends paint a mural over our equipment storage box and brighten up the farm a bit. Do you permit people to visit your farm? When? We are not open to the public – please contact us to make an appointment if you want to visit. We occasionally have “open-shop days” around mid-June to sell extra flowers. Those are announced on our social media pages. How can potential customers reach you? Fable Flower Farm is active on Facebook and Instagram; Lauren handles our social media and marketing. Customers can call us at 757-537-1071 or email us at fableflowerfarm@gmail.com. You can also visit our website fableflower.com. Why Suffolk? I’ve been a Suffolkian all my life! In fact, I was one of the creators of the Suffolk Earth and Arts Festival. I want to raise awareness and promote Suffolk’s cultural uniqueness. |
Meet Park’s Bonsai Farm & Nursery
8184 S Quay Rd (Look for the sign!), Suffolk, VA 23437
We went back to a plant farm this week – but with a twist! Park’s Bonsai Farm and Nursery is a Korean-American owned tree farm in the western section of Suffolk. They are one of five (to this researcher’s knowledge) bonsai farms in the whole state of Virginia. Mrs. Park gave us a brief overview of the types of plants they raise, plus basic bonsai care.
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Tell me a fun fact about yourself or your business.
Both of our children are doctors. One is a psychiatrist and the other is a dentist. Although they are not interested in farming, I am very proud of them both. How long have you been in business? We’ve been operating for over 30 years. Describe an average day for you. My husband and I share labor; he has a full-time job outside of this. I water the plants once a day except on rainy days and fertilize the bonsais every so often. I also take care of the house and our egg-laying chickens. When did you decide to become a farmer? How did you get started or inspired? My husband has always been interested in horticulture. Our nursery caters to people all over Virginia since bonsai trees are exotic plants. There are less than ten bonsai growers in the state, so we are very well known to bonsai and plant enthusiasts! What kinds of products do you have, by season? Are products available year-round? We have: bonsai trees of all ages, lemon trees, orange trees, palm trees, pine trees, both male and female gingko trees, maple trees, ornamental peppers, and more! They are available year-round however, the bonsai do not like the cold. I like to grow melons in the summertime. Bonsai trees are our main product; we grow the others as specialty items and for our own landscaping projects. What are the challenges, if any, in growing exotic plants in Virginia? Bonsai trees are temperature and moisture sensitive. They must be watered by misting every two to three days without fail. When temperatures get below 50°F, the plants must be brought inside. The pruning and trimming of leaves and roots ought to be done regularly. Bonsai trees grow slowly – it takes at least twenty years for one plant to become mature. Due to the slow growth, bonsais have to be repotted less frequently, once every several years. Where are your products sold? We sell our trees direct to customer. We’ve never wholesaled our plants. The margin for bonsai is poor, especially considering how much time and care we put into them. What’s next for you? We offer different plants at different times. In the summer, we try to produce melons for customers to buy. My personal objectives are landscaping our property with trees we’ve grown and tending to my vegetable garden. I grow cucumbers, melons, and squash for our personal use. Do you permit people to visit your farm? When? We’re open daily from 9am to 4pm, calling ahead is preferred. We sell direct to customer on the farm and also offer tutorials on bonsai pruning and general care. We have a website: http://parksbonsai.com/ where people can see some of the plants we’ve raised. Our Google listing is up to date and Google Maps will help you find us. Call ahead to 757-657-9804 or email trees@parksbonsai.com to visit us. |