The Roanoker May/June 2023 - 125

...if there's one thing that most of these farmers seem to have in common,
it's an ability to look at challenging landscapes and see possibility...
arrange flowers for local weddings. Others
offer agritourism, with smaller locations like
Stump's centering on you-pick opportunities,
and larger properties, like the now-famous sunflower
fields at Beaver Dam Farm in Buchanan,
throwing huge annual festivals at bloom time.
In fact, according to Candace Monaghan, who
runs the Beaver Dam festival on her family's
farm, the event attracts about 20,000 visitors
annually, allowing vendors to achieve some
$365,000 in sales last year - a benefit to the
local economy.
" Some of the vendors walk away in five days
making $20,000, " Monaghan says. " That's huge
for a small business! "
But if there's one thing that most of these
farmers seem to have in common, it's an ability
to look at challenging landscapes and see
possibility, with many reclaiming farmland that
would otherwise be unprofitable or unused.
And then there's Little Otter Flower Farm
in Bedford, run by Jennifer Kohn and her son,
owner Max Lagasse, who has autism. Kohn is
quick to admit that others once saw a limited
future for her son - perhaps some part-time
work, or even life in an institutional setting.
But she saw the chance to help him build a
family business.
" The expectations for folks like Max, I think,
are too low, " Kohn says. " Our message is, look
what folks with autism can do! "
After founding the farm in 2020, Kohn
quickly moved many job duties over to Lagasse.
In addition to being the primary flower farmer,
he now takes care of the books, sells bouquets
at the farmer's market, delivers his favorite
" Random Acts of Kindness " throughout the
community, and collects and analyzes farm
observations to help improve the business and
the soil.
But perhaps his favorite part is creating
lush, loose arrangements, which he's dubbed
with a special moniker: " Riots of Color, " he
says. " I like using more than five colors in them
and more than five types of flowers ... They're
gorgeous! "
And while farming is physical, dirty work,
each bouquet is a testament to the practice of
looking at a muddy patch of ground and seeing
- with a little time and care - what could
one day be a field of flowers ... and a thriving
business, too.
To find out more about the local co-op mentioned
in this story, go to blueridgeflowerexchange.com. I
Max Lagasse, head flower farmer at Little Otter Flower Farm,
practices no-till regenerative farming methods to improve the
soil at his Bedford-based family farm.
Laura Stump of Lark & Sky loves offering visitors fragrant,
hard-to-find blooms: " I try to have things that people don't
often see in the grocery store, " she says.
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Give your stems a fresh clip. Even if your bouquet was
recently harvested, you should still give the stems a second
shearing, says Candace Monaghan of Beaver Dam Farm. This
is also a great time to strip off greenery that would otherwise sit
below the waterline, causing bacteria growth. " When we make
bouquets, we'll take most of the leaves off the stem, " she says.
Think in odd numbers. Especially when it comes to your
focal flowers - big, bold blooms like peonies or dahlias - it's best
to work in threes and fives, says Thornton: " Often your eye is
able to focus when you have that asymmetry. "
Don't forget your greenery. While it's easy to overlook
the leafy supporting actors of your bouquet, Lark & Sky's Laura
Stump recommends being generous with the green stuff: " A
third of your bouquet should probably be greenery, " she says. " It
makes your flowers pop! "
TheRoanoker.com
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Change your water regularly... and add a little
homemade sanitizer, if you like. One of the most important tricks
to a lasting bouquet, advises Thornton, is to change the water
often. Many flower fans also whip up a homemade solution to
keep the water clear, she says, with recipes that might include
lemon juice, bleach, sugar, or other components. " It's very
Googleable, " she says.
Finally, take a deep breath and enjoy!
While arranging flowers can sometimes feel intimidating,
perhaps the cardinal rule is simply to create something you love.
" While there are lots of principals and there are rules, " Stump
says, " I think just about anybody can pick flowers and put them
together in a way that makes them happy and beautifies their
home. You can't mess it up! "
May/June 2023 125
COURTESY OF LAURA STUMP / COURTESY OF LITTLE OTTER
http://www.blueridgeflowerexchange.com http://www.TheRoanoker.com
The Roanoker May/June 2023

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