Kathy Dudley, owner of The Bloomery Boutique in Butler, Pa., has found a new niche to grow her floral business: CSA bouquets.
On her family farm, she grows dozens of types of cut flowers, from aster to zinnias (“literally, everything from A to Z,” she said). For eight weeks in the spring, and 20 weeks in the summer (starting late May), Dudley sells the flowers in loose bouquets through CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) subscription services.
CSA has been around a long time as a means for people to get local produce. But, in recent years, it has “really taken off, spreading to meats, cheeses, flowers, etc.,” Dudley said. “There’s a big demographic of consumers who like knowing their products were produced nearby.”
Customers pay a set price up front ($85 in the spring, $215 in the summer), which gets them a fresh supply of flowers every week.
“It’s always a surprise what they’ll get,” which adds to the fun, Dudley said. Bouquets are sized to fill a mason jar.
Consumers aren’t the only ones wild for Dudley’s farm fresh bouquets: She also has a number of florist clients. “They, too, have those customers who want local flowers,” she said. “Our bouquets are easy cash and carry products they can sell.”
Flower farmers, who are listed by location with the Association of Cut Flower Growers, “definitely want to sell directly to florists,” Dudley said. “They’ve traditionally sold their product through farmers’ markets, but that really isn’t the most profitable method,” she said. “They’d rather spend more time on the farm than standing around trying to sell their flowers every week.”
To find a farm near you, click here.
On her family farm, she grows dozens of types of cut flowers, from aster to zinnias (“literally, everything from A to Z,” she said). For eight weeks in the spring, and 20 weeks in the summer (starting late May), Dudley sells the flowers in loose bouquets through CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) subscription services.
CSA has been around a long time as a means for people to get local produce. But, in recent years, it has “really taken off, spreading to meats, cheeses, flowers, etc.,” Dudley said. “There’s a big demographic of consumers who like knowing their products were produced nearby.”
Customers pay a set price up front ($85 in the spring, $215 in the summer), which gets them a fresh supply of flowers every week.
“It’s always a surprise what they’ll get,” which adds to the fun, Dudley said. Bouquets are sized to fill a mason jar.
Consumers aren’t the only ones wild for Dudley’s farm fresh bouquets: She also has a number of florist clients. “They, too, have those customers who want local flowers,” she said. “Our bouquets are easy cash and carry products they can sell.”
Flower farmers, who are listed by location with the Association of Cut Flower Growers, “definitely want to sell directly to florists,” Dudley said. “They’ve traditionally sold their product through farmers’ markets, but that really isn’t the most profitable method,” she said. “They’d rather spend more time on the farm than standing around trying to sell their flowers every week.”
To find a farm near you, click here.