As the leaves begin to change colors, the air gets cooler and summer comes to a close, I have been reminiscing on all the fun I had helping my mom grow her flower farming business this year. 

My mother, father and I spent the majority of the spring and summer of this year digging up patches of land, growing hundreds of plants by seed and taking the painstaking time to nourish those plants so they can be harvested and sold. Flower farming is no joke.

As someone who’s witnessed a small taste of what growing and selling locally grown flowers is like, I have developed a stronger appreciation for local growers as well as an understanding of the importance of buying local.

When you buy locally grown flowers, you will get more time with your flowers compared to when purchased from the grocery store or flower shop. 

Flowers purchased from stores often have a short shelf life because they are cut too early and shipped to stores from places around the world. Whereas flowers purchased from local growers can last up to two weeks since they are harvested at the right time and their only travel time is into your hands.

Flowers grown locally will also contain larger varieties of flowers. Many bouquets from stores only contain up to three flower varieties and they charge upwards of 20 dollars for it. For the same price from a local grower, you could get around eight different types of flowers in one bouquet.

An added benefit to buying from local flower farmers is the second-hand help you’re providing to the bee, insect and wildlife populations of your area. By buying from local growers you support their business, which in turn stimulates their growth and expansion. 

This means more flowers for the bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other flower-loving wildlife. 

Buying from local flower farmers is much like buying locally grown foods. It supports the local economy and can become a form of activism by standing against harsh chemicals and pesticides. It can also help diminish carbon emissions by preventing the transport of flowers from across the world to your area.

Having a bouquet of fresh flowers is enough to brighten anyone’s home. They can provide a glimmer of joy, a pop of color and their sweet smells to your home for the short time you might have with them. 

This time of year might be tricky to find fresh flowers from local growers. But once flowers are in season again, there are many places where you can buy flowers from local growers in the Eau Claire area, such as the downtown Eau Claire farmers market, Avalon Floral or Hive and Hollow.

So, next time you are looking to buy some flowers to brighten up your home, think of your local flower farmers first.

Smith can be reached at [email protected].