Growing fresh-cut flowers can be a beautiful way to utilize your farm ground. However, like any new business, it’s important to set yourself up for success. A few key points to work through before tilling your first flowerbed:
Why Do You Want to Raise Cut Flowers? Do you want to offer year-round blooms to florists? Do you enjoy making bouquets yourself and could see yourself selling at farmers markets, farm stands or through a subscription service? Do you plan on working with weddings or helping to set up live arrangements for events?
Markets: Once you have identified what your goals are, you can decide what market you would like to focus on. Some key points for each market are listed below:
Florists: Require year-round supply of blooms at a higher volume, can take a wide range of different types of flowers, offers consistent pay, will just need stems. There are a limited number of florists who purchase local blooms and they usually purchase stems at wholesale prices.
Wedding and Events: These clients will need more arrangements during peak seasons (May-June and Sept-Oct.), may involve delivery and specific color schemes/flower types, will require you to make bouquets and arrangements (possibly set-up), and may need additional staff to get the event completed in short time frame. May take time to develop relationships within the industry and to develop a solid client base.
Retail Bouquet and Stem Sales: Farmers markets and/or subscription programs provide an opportunity to use blooms on hand, but will require you to make the bouquets ahead of time. Volume could be inconsistent, and you will need blooms that last the full market season.
Demographics: Location is important when you are trying to finalize what goods and/or services you will be able to provide. If you are in a metropolitan area, or close to it, it will be easier to access your market and get your product to the end user. However, if you are located further from your customer base, you may have to adjust what products and services you can offer and still be profitable.
While these are some key questions to consider before starting your flower farm, there are many more details that will need to be worked through to help ensure success. Please contact KCARD at 859-550-3972 or send us an email at kcard@kcard.info.