No Hoop House, No Problem: Starting a Flower Farm with a Shovel, Some Dirt, and a Deep Need for Chaos

Embracing the Blooming Chaos

Starting a flower farm without a hoop house, greenhouse, or significant budget might seem daunting. Yet, with a shovel, some dirt, and an unwavering passion, it’s entirely possible. This journey isn’t just about cultivating flowers; it’s about embracing the chaos, continuous learning, and finding beauty in the mess.

My first flower stand sunflower bunch with my first gladiola bloom!

You just have to start. The best way to acheive a goal is to START!

Definitely got some side-eye & scrutiny from people when they saw me scraping away the scorched earth with hand tools only (hopefully you have more privacy than I do in your garden space). It took some time and also some brutally honest conversations, but many a side-eye turned into respect and even some gold stars (my ideal currency).

The best way to overcome doubt and fear is to just start. I don’t know about you, but when it comes to fight, flight or freeze, I was born part-possum because I freeze for a long time before the other 2 kick in. Flower farming has helped me to be more of a fighter and to break the freeze. Go for it! It will be hard and the progress may be slow, but progress is progress.

How Much Space Do You Actually Need?

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need vast acres to start a flower farm. Even a modest backyard or a few raised beds can yield a bountiful harvest. For instance, a 1/8-acre plot can produce an impressive amount of blooms, especially when you discover succession planting and choosing high-yield varieties like zinnias and sunflowers.

Succession planting as a one-woman show is kind of a natural conclusion. One can only plant so many seeds in a day or over a week. So what you get is a succession of flowers blooming row by row, week by week. It helps with harvesting too because if everything I planted in a season happened at once (think big farming fields that are planted commercially and need to be harvested fast…how? I can’t do that on my own?!), so much would go to waste. This keeps the harvesting, arranging and selling at a manageable clip. Everything goes quicker (naturally) after you hone your skills or add some machines into the mix, but your experience and knowledge allow increased efficiency. This is progress and growth at its finest. And each day there are new mistakes to make and new worries and new victories.

I could talk about flowers and farming all day long. It’s real annoying to my friends, I think. Too bad. So sad. This is exciting stuff.

What Defines a “Real” Farm in Pennsylvania?

In Pennsylvania, if you’re cultivating crops with the intent to sell, you’re considered a farmer. Registering your business, obtaining an EIN, and filing a Schedule F can further legitimize your operation. Embrace the title of “farmer,” even if your workspace doubles as a classroom or your garage stores both tools and teaching materials.

This is a weird space. You can sell products that you grow and harvest on your property (for now) without any sort of license in PA. From what I have read, you do need license to sell anything with roots (think tomato plant seedlings). Do I think anyone is knocking down your door to punish you because you list seedlings for sale on Facebook Marketplace? No. I just thought a clarification would be prudent.

Now cut flowers. Those you can sell! You have to keep track of money coming in and PA sales tax will be paid each year as we know. I have read (note how I am being cautious here? I do not know everything and you may have read differently. Who am I? I’m always figuring things out.) that to be a farm in PA, you need to commit to & consistently sell $2,000 worth of goods to have farm status. There is a bit about acreage, but that is not a requirement, but I believe can get you in the door as far as declaring a farm. There are obviously legal & political reasons for all of the rules & regulations that have been established. I am working with my reality right now which is…I set that $2,000 goal my first year and it served me well. My goals just grew from there.

Navigating the Growing & Selling Season Without a Greenhouse

So without a greenhouse here in PA and the majority of my work time dedicated to my teaching job (until school’s out for summer!), I don’t have a money-making season start until end of May at the EARLIEST! And this season, any cool weather annuals that I planted out have been unhappy because it has been unseasonably warm (so far). This does mean that I planted summer annual seeds much earlier and will have (hopefully) and earlier first harvest of sunflowers, marigolds & zinnias. Farming is not for the faint of heart. You have to roll with the punches and gifts of Mother Nature.

This is basically what it looks like for me as a small-scale flower farmer:

Early Spring: Begin seed starting indoors using grow lights or sunny windowsills.

Spring to Frost: Engage in planting, harvesting, and selling. This period requires dedication, often balancing early morning harvests with evening bouquet preparations.

Winter: Focus on planning, reflecting, and preparing for the next season. It’s an ideal time for ordering seeds, organizing tools, and strategizing marketing efforts.

Balancing farming with a teaching job means maximizing weekends, holidays, and any available free time. It’s a challenging yet rewarding endeavor that keeps you constantly engaged. There is so much beauty in the chaos. Morning coffee goes well with weeding and photographing flower progress (and sometimes some harvesting), sunrise sun exposure is good for your body & mind and digging in dirt also has mental health benefits (look it up!). I do have dirt-stained hands (and feet) which is a fantastic way to impress middle school students…or maybe it can just start some awkward conversations.

Why Embark on This Journey?

Flower farming offers more than just blooms; it provides mental clarity, a sense of purpose, and an avenue for continuous learning. It’s a testament to resilience, creativity, and the joy of nurturing life from the soil up. Making something out of dirt is thrilling. My mind is always rifling through a million thoughts (not always sunshine & lollipops). Planting seeds, pulling weeds and the repetitive practice of transplanting seedlings is like pushing the mute button on my mind and the pause button on the hustle & bustle of our current culture.

Plus, it’s a delightful excuse for a perpetually messy house. Because some of us would die to be able to keep things tidy. It just doesn’t work. Sorry. Kinda sorry. Kinda not.

Final Thoughts: Cultivating Beauty Amidst the Chaos

You don’t need elaborate structures or lots of money to start a flower farm. With determination, creativity, and a love for flowers, you can cultivate beauty, embrace the chaos, and find fulfillment in every petal. Prioritize your goals. Do you want to make a certain amount of money? Do you want a roadside stand? Do you want to do farmer’s markets (this has crossed my mind, but terrifies me!)? Do you want to sell to florists? (Also in the think about it, but in like a suspenseful, horror flick kind of way. Someone push me through the door!)

I won’t judge. I just want you to have excitement, joy and passion on your side. That side dish of stubborn will come in handy too. Just start. Go for it. There really is not much stopping you (other than you).

“How to become a flower farmer in PA:

1) Plant enough sunflowers to embarrass the neighbors. 2) Swap sleep for sunrise watering. bonus: you’ll look exactly as tired and ancient as these blooms are bright.”