{"id":149454,"date":"2023-07-07T08:00:33","date_gmt":"2023-07-07T12:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/modernfarmer.com\/?p=149454"},"modified":"2024-07-30T13:07:10","modified_gmt":"2024-07-30T17:07:10","slug":"these-flower-farmers-are-planting-it-forward","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/modernfarmer.com\/2023\/07\/these-flower-farmers-are-planting-it-forward\/","title":{"rendered":"These Flower Farmers Are Planting it Forward"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As Deanna Kitchen worked in her garden in the summer of 2010, cutting an unexpected bounty of late-blooming sweet peas, she realized she had more blooms than she could use. A lot more. So, she decided to share them. She collected the blossoms in mason jars, baby food jars and any other containers she could find. Then, with her children in tow, Kitchen loaded up a little red wagon and distributed them at a long-term care facility. \u201cIn sharing [the flowers], I had actually found a solution to the problem I was facing. It was this opportunity to create connection in our community,\u201d says Kitchen.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_149456\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-149456\" style=\"width: 519px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-149456 size-medium\" src=\"https:&#47;&#x2f;&#x6d;o&#100;&#x65;r&#110;&#x66;&#x61;r&#109;&#x65;r&#46;&#x63;&#x6f;m&#47;&#x77;p&#45;&#x63;&#x6f;&#110;&#116;&#x65;n&#116;&#x2f;&#x75;&#112;&#x6c;&#x6f;a&#100;&#x73;\/&#50;&#x30;&#x32;3&#47;&#x30;6&#47;&#x43;&#x6f;p&#121;&#x2d;o&#102;&#x2d;&#x40;r&#121;&#x6c;e&#97;&#x68;&#x66;&#111;&#x65;&#x68;l&#112;&#x68;o&#116;&#x6f;&#x67;r&#97;&#x70;h&#121;&#x2d;&#x31;-&#53;&#x31;9&#120;&#x33;&#x34;6&#46;&#x6a;p&#103;\" alt=\"\" width=\"519\" height=\"346\" srcset=\"https:&#x2f;&#47;&#109;&#x6f;&#x64;&#101;&#114;&#x6e;&#x66;&#97;&#114;&#x6d;&#x65;&#114;&#46;&#x63;&#x6f;&#109;&#47;&#x77;&#x70;&#45;&#99;&#x6f;&#x6e;&#116;&#101;&#x6e;&#x74;&#47;&#117;&#x70;&#x6c;&#111;&#97;&#x64;&#x73;&#47;&#50;&#x30;&#x32;&#51;&#47;&#x30;&#x36;&#47;&#67;&#x6f;&#x70;&#121;&#45;&#x6f;&#x66;&#45;&#64;&#x72;&#x79;&#108;&#101;&#x61;&#x68;&#102;&#111;&#x65;&#x68;&#108;&#112;&#x68;&#x6f;&#116;&#111;&#x67;&#x72;&#97;&#112;&#x68;&#x79;&#45;&#49;&#x2d;&#x35;&#49;&#57;&#x78;&#x33;&#52;&#54;&#x2e;&#x6a;&#112;&#103; 519w, https:&#47;&#x2f;m&#111;&#x64;&#101;&#x72;n&#102;&#x61;r&#x6d;&#x65;&#114;&#x2e;c&#111;&#x6d;\/&#x77;&#x70;&#45;&#x63;o&#110;&#x74;&#101;&#x6e;t&#47;&#x75;p&#108;&#x6f;&#97;&#x64;s&#47;&#x32;0&#x32;&#x33;&#47;&#x30;6&#47;&#x43;o&#x70;&#x79;&#45;&#x6f;f&#45;&#x40;&#114;&#x79;l&#101;&#x61;h&#x66;&#x6f;&#101;&#x68;l&#112;&#x68;o&#x74;&#x6f;&#103;&#x72;a&#112;&#x68;&#121;&#x2d;1&#45;&#x31;2&#48;&#x30;&#120;&#x38;0&#48;&#x2e;j&#x70;&#x67; 1200w, https:&#47;&#x2f;&#109;&#x6f;d&#x65;r&#110;&#x66;&#97;&#x72;&#109;&#x65;r&#x2e;c&#111;&#x6d;&#47;&#x77;p&#x2d;c&#x6f;&#x6e;&#116;&#x65;&#110;&#x74;\/&#x75;p&#108;&#x6f;&#97;&#x64;&#115;&#x2f;2&#x30;2&#51;&#x2f;&#48;&#x36;\/&#x43;o&#x70;&#x79;&#45;&#x6f;&#102;&#x2d;&#64;&#x72;y&#108;&#x65;&#97;&#x68;&#102;&#x6f;e&#x68;l&#112;&#x68;&#111;&#x74;o&#x67;r&#x61;&#x70;&#104;&#x79;&#45;&#x31;-&#x37;6&#56;&#x78;&#53;&#x31;&#50;&#x2e;j&#x70;g 768w, https:\/\/mo&#100;&#101;&#114;&#110;&#102;&#x61;&#x72;&#x6d;&#x65;&#x72;&#x2e;&#x63;om\/w&#112;&#45;&#99;&#111;&#110;&#x74;&#x65;&#x6e;&#x74;&#x2f;&#x75;&#x70;&#x6c;oads&#47;&#50;&#48;&#50;&#51;&#x2f;&#x30;&#x36;&#x2f;&#x43;&#x6f;&#x70;&#x79;-of-&#64;&#114;&#121;&#108;&#101;&#x61;&#x68;&#x66;&#x6f;&#x65;&#x68;&#x6c;phot&#111;&#103;&#114;&#97;&#112;&#x68;&#x79;&#x2d;&#x31;&#x2d;&#x31;&#x35;&#x33;6x10&#50;&#52;&#46;&#106;&#112;&#x67; 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1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 519px) 100vw, 519px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-149456\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photography by Ryleah Foehl Photos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After having her second child and making the difficult decision to leave her career as a teacher, Kitchen felt isolated in her new role as a stay-at-home mom. \u201cI was in a big season of life transition and feeling really alone,\u201d explains Kitchen. \u201cI took up gardening because it was a place of rest during that season.\u201d She lived on a one-acre homestead in a small town about halfway between Seattle and Bellingham, Washington, and dedicated herself to caring for her land.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ten years later, Kitchen officially launched the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.growingkindnessproject.org\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Growing Kindness Project<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a nonprofit organization with a mission to empower, educate and encourage individuals to cultivate connections in their communities by growing and giving flowers. She moved from the one-acre homestead to a 10-acre farm along the Puget Sound in 2016 and began growing an extensive selection of specialty cut flowers, at one point cultivating as many as 1,000 dahlia plants alone. She documented her journey of growing flowers and giving them away on social media with the hashtag Growing Kindness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_149458\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-149458\" style=\"width: 231px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-149458\" src=\"https:&#x2f;\/&#x6d;&#111;&#x64;&#101;r&#x6e;f&#x61;&#114;&#x6d;&#101;r&#x2e;&#99;&#x6f;&#109;\/&#x77;p&#x2d;&#99;&#x6f;&#110;t&#x65;n&#x74;&#47;&#x75;&#x70;l&#x6f;&#97;&#x64;&#115;\/&#x32;0&#x32;&#51;&#x2f;&#48;6&#x2f;&#67;&#x6f;&#112;&#x79;&#x2d;o&#x66;&#45;&#x40;&#114;y&#x6c;e&#x61;&#102;&#x6f;&#101;h&#x6c;&#112;&#x68;&#111;t&#x6f;g&#x72;&#97;&#x70;&#104;y&#x2d;2&#x33;&#49;&#x78;&#x33;4&#x36;&#46;&#x6a;&#112;g\" alt=\"\" width=\"231\" height=\"346\" srcset=\"https:&#x2f;&#x2f;&#x6d;&#x6f;&#100;&#101;&#114;&#110;far&#x6d;&#x65;&#x72;&#x2e;&#x63;&#111;&#109;&#47;wp-&#x63;&#x6f;&#x6e;&#x74;&#x65;&#110;&#116;&#47;upl&#x6f;&#x61;&#x64;&#x73;&#x2f;&#50;&#48;&#50;3\/0&#x36;&#x2f;&#x43;&#x6f;&#x70;&#121;&#45;&#111;f-&#64;&#x72;&#x79;&#x6c;&#x65;&#x61;&#102;&#111;&#101;hlp&#x68;&#x6f;&#x74;&#x6f;&#x67;&#114;&#97;&#112;&#104;y-&#x32;&#x33;&#x31;&#x78;&#x33;&#52;&#54;&#46;&#106;pg 231w, https:&#x2f;&#x2f;&#x6d;&#x6f;&#100;&#101;rnf&#x61;&#x72;&#x6d;&#x65;&#114;&#46;com&#x2f;&#x77;&#x70;&#x2d;&#99;&#111;&#110;te&#x6e;&#x74;&#x2f;&#x75;&#112;&#108;&#111;ad&#x73;&#x2f;&#x32;&#x30;&#50;&#51;&#47;06&#x2f;&#x43;&#x6f;&#x70;&#121;&#45;&#111;f-&#x40;&#x72;&#x79;&#x6c;&#101;&#97;&#102;oe&#x68;&#x6c;&#x70;&#x68;&#111;&#116;&#111;gr&#x61;&#x70;&#x68;&#x79;&#45;&#54;&#56;3x&#x31;&#x30;&#x32;&#x34;&#46;&#106;&#112;g 683w, https:&#47;&#x2f;&#109;&#x6f;&#100;&#x65;&#114;&#x6e;f&#x61;r&#x6d;e&#x72;&#46;&#99;&#x6f;&#109;&#x2f;&#119;&#x70;&#45;&#x63;&#111;&#x6e;t&#x65;n&#x74;\/&#x75;p&#108;&#x6f;&#97;&#x64;&#115;&#x2f;&#50;&#x30;&#50;&#x33;\/&#x30;6&#x2f;C&#x6f;p&#121;&#x2d;&#111;&#x66;&#45;&#x40;&#114;&#x79;&#108;&#x65;a&#x66;o&#x65;h&#108;p&#104;&#x6f;&#116;&#x6f;&#103;&#x72;&#97;&#x70;&#104;&#x79;-&#x37;6&#x38;x&#49;1&#53;&#x32;&#46;&#x6a;&#112;&#x67; 768w, https:&#47;&#x2f;m&#x6f;&#x64;&#101;&#x72;n&#102;&#x61;&#114;&#x6d;e&#114;&#x2e;c&#x6f;m&#47;&#x77;p&#x2d;&#x63;&#111;&#x6e;t&#101;&#x6e;&#116;&#x2f;u&#112;&#x6c;&#111;&#x61;d&#115;&#x2f;2&#x30;&#x32;&#51;&#x2f;0&#54;&#x2f;&#67;&#x6f;p&#121;&#x2d;&#111;&#x66;-&#64;&#x72;y&#x6c;e&#97;&#x66;o&#x65;&#x68;&#108;&#x70;h&#111;&#x74;&#111;&#x67;r&#97;&#x70;&#104;&#x79;-&#49;&#x30;2&#x34;&#x78;&#49;&#x35;3&#54;&#x2e;&#106;&#x70;g 1024w, https:\/&#47;&#109;&#x6f;&#x64;&#x65;rn&#102;&#97;&#x72;&#x6d;&#x65;r&#46;&#99;&#111;&#x6d;&#x2f;&#x77;p&#45;&#99;&#x6f;&#x6e;&#x74;en&#116;&#47;&#x75;&#x70;&#x6c;o&#97;&#100;&#115;&#x2f;&#x32;&#x30;2&#51;&#47;&#x30;&#x36;&#x2f;Co&#112;&#121;&#x2d;&#x6f;&#x66;-&#64;&#114;&#121;&#x6c;&#x65;&#x61;f&#111;&#101;&#x68;&#x6c;&#x70;ho&#116;&#111;&#x67;&#x72;&#x61;p&#104;&#121;&#45;&#x31;&#x33;&#x36;5&#120;&#50;&#x30;&#x34;&#x38;&#46;j&#112;&#103; 1365w, https:&#47;&#x2f;&#109;&#x6f;&#100;&#x65;r&#x6e;f&#x61;r&#109;&#x65;&#114;&#x2e;&#99;&#x6f;&#109;&#x2f;w&#x70;-&#x63;o&#110;&#x74;&#101;&#x6e;&#116;&#x2f;&#117;&#x70;l&#x6f;a&#x64;s&#47;&#x32;&#48;&#x32;&#51;&#x2f;0&#x36;\/&#x43;o&#112;&#x79;&#45;&#x6f;&#102;&#x2d;&#64;&#x72;y&#x6c;e&#x61;f&#111;&#x65;&#104;&#x6c;&#112;&#x68;&#111;&#x74;o&#x67;r&#x61;p&#104;&#x79;&#45;&#x36;&#54;&#x37;&#120;&#x31;0&#x30;0&#x2e;j&#112;&#x67; 667w, https:&#x2f;&#x2f;&#x6d;&#x6f;&#100;&#101;&#114;nf&#x61;&#x72;&#x6d;&#x65;&#x72;&#46;&#99;&#111;m\/&#x77;&#x70;&#x2d;&#x63;&#x6f;&#110;&#116;&#101;nt&#x2f;&#x75;&#x70;&#x6c;&#x6f;&#97;&#100;&#115;\/2&#x30;&#x32;&#x33;&#x2f;&#x30;&#54;&#47;&#67;op&#x79;&#x2d;&#x6f;&#x66;&#x2d;&#64;&#114;&#121;le&#x61;&#x66;&#x6f;&#x65;&#x68;&#108;&#112;&#104;ot&#x6f;&#x67;&#x72;&#x61;&#x70;&#104;&#121;&#45;sc&#x61;&#x6c;&#x65;&#x64;&#x2e;&#106;&#112;&#103; 854w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 231px) 100vw, 231px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-149458\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Deanna Kitchen launched the Growing Kindness project from her home garden. Photography by Ryleah Foehl Photos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cA tremendous amount of joy for me was not so much growing and selling flowers but connecting with people through flowers,\u201d says Kitchen. \u201c[Our farm] could only reach so far, but if we could invite other people to be a part of what we were doing and help equip them to have what they needed to do it, then we could multiply exponentially throughout communities beyond ours.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Growing Kindness Project has flourished, and it is now 2,000 members strong, with people from all over the world growing flowers and donating them to folks in need of a boost. With her time focused on keeping the nonprofit running, Kitchen has scaled back her farming efforts, currently growing about 500 dahlia plants on only a fraction of an acre. Under the name <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/twigandvinefarm.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Twig + Vine<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, she sells dahlia tubers, designs floral arrangements for events and hosts workshops. Kitchen donates the majority of her flowers to local food banks and long-term care facilities, giving an average of 500 arrangements per season.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_149460\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-149460\" style=\"width: 277px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-149460\" src=\"https:\/\/modernfarmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/FCF-7-277x346.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"277\" height=\"346\" srcset=\"https:\/\/modernfarmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/FCF-7-277x346.jpg 277w, https:\/\/modernfarmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/FCF-7-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/modernfarmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/FCF-7-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/modernfarmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/FCF-7-1229x1536.jpg 1229w, https:\/\/modernfarmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/FCF-7-800x1000.jpg 800w, https:\/\/modernfarmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/FCF-7.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 277px) 100vw, 277px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-149460\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Flower donations ready to go. Photography courtesy of Fern Creek Florals.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meanwhile, the Growing Kindness Project members give away untold numbers of flowers each year. The organization is open to all, regardless of experience level or yield. It doesn\u2019t matter if you can donate one stem or 1,000 stems. Some members are planting seeds for the first time, while others are working farmers, donating portions of their flower crops. \u201cIf you\u2019re a flower-based business, it doesn\u2019t mean you stop selling flowers and give everything away,\u201d says Kitchen. \u201cMake donating to your community an intentional part of what you do in whatever volume makes sense.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In its online community, the organization provides education and resources for new floriculturists and experienced flower farmers. Interested folks can learn how to plan a garden, set up irrigation systems and grow flowers. There are also resources on how to design floral arrangements and ways to donate flowers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once the flowers are ready for gifting, it\u2019s up to the growers to identify the recipients. Some members take their cut flowers to women\u2019s shelters, refugee families and, in the case of Fern Creek Florals, inpatient families at a children\u2019s hospital.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_149461\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-149461\" style=\"width: 277px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-149461\" src=\"https:\/\/modernfarmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/FCF-6-277x346.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"277\" height=\"346\" srcset=\"https:\/\/modernfarmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/FCF-6-277x346.jpg 277w, https:\/\/modernfarmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/FCF-6-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/modernfarmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/FCF-6-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/modernfarmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/FCF-6-1229x1536.jpg 1229w, https:\/\/modernfarmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/FCF-6-800x1000.jpg 800w, https:\/\/modernfarmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/FCF-6.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 277px) 100vw, 277px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-149461\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photography courtesy of Fern Creek Florals.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jen Koym started <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/ferncreekflorals\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fern Creek Florals<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a cut flower farm and donation garden in Charlottesville, Virginia, during the pandemic, as a way to bring some joy to her family. Replacing a 400-square-foot vegetable garden, Koym grew a number of varieties, from sweet peas and stock, lisianthus and poppies to dahlias and roses. When the farm filled with blooms, she decided to share in her bounty, donating a handful of bouquets during its first growing season in 2020. By 2022, Fern Creek Florals cultivated about 2,800 square feet and gave away around 280 arrangements.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"mceTemp\"><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Koym learned about the Growing Kindness Project after she had already implemented its mission. She immediately joined as an ambassador, a role that involves championing the organization and encouraging people to join in. \u201cOne of the nice things about gardening is that it\u2019s so easy to share. There\u2019s an abundance, so you can collect seeds and bulbs and corms and tubers and pass them on. It\u2019s another wonderful way of spreading kindness,\u201d says Koym. \u201cThere are so many ways to sow it forward.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to operating Fern Creek Florals, Koym runs LilyPads Housing, a non-profit organization that helps locate temporary housing for the families of pediatric patients at the hospital where she also donates flowers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_149462\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-149462\" style=\"width: 195px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-149462 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/modernfarmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/FCF-5-195x346.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"195\" height=\"346\" srcset=\"https:\/\/modernfarmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/FCF-5-195x346.jpg 195w, https:\/\/modernfarmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/FCF-5-576x1024.jpg 576w, https:\/\/modernfarmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/FCF-5-768x1366.jpg 768w, https:\/\/modernfarmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/FCF-5-864x1536.jpg 864w, https:\/\/modernfarmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/FCF-5-562x1000.jpg 562w, https:\/\/modernfarmer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/FCF-5.jpg 720w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 195px) 100vw, 195px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-149462\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photography courtesy of Fern Creek Florals.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sarah Adams recalls moving into a LilyPads apartment last year while her baby awaited a heart transplant. She received a welcome bouquet from Fern Creek Florals upon her arrival and many arrangements after that. \u201cIt was a very dark and scary time, so having gorgeous fresh flowers in the apartment was a bright spot.\u00a0The thought behind them was even more special,\u201d says Adams, who spent nearly a year with her child in hospital. \u201cI would frequently see a cart with the most beautiful floral arrangements you can imagine.\u00a0Without fail, they were always a delivery from Fern Creek Florals.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s stories like those of Koym and Adams that keep Kitchen energized to continue the work of the Growing Kindness Project. She wants more people to take part in the joy of this community and in the cultivation of flowers. To that end, she has started developing programs for sponsorships and grants and expanding educational resources to remove economic and educational barriers to access. \u201cIf you have a little bit of dirt and a big heart, you have what it takes to grow kindness in your community,\u201d says Kitchen. \u201cWhat you have is enough. Who you are is enough. Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can. It really does have the opportunity to make a huge impact.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As Deanna Kitchen worked in her garden in the summer of 2010, cutting an unexpected bounty of late-blooming sweet peas, she realized she had more blooms than she could use. A lot more. So, she decided to share them. 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