If you think being a real life flower farmer means frolicking in the fields in a flowy dress, sipping iced tea, and “playing with flowers” all day… we’re here to set the record straight. In Episode 73 of The Flower Files, we share what it actually looks like to grow, harvest, design, and deliver the blooms you see in weddings, shops, and on your kitchen table — and it’s a whole lot more dirt, sweat, and planning than people imagine.
What We Actually Do All Day
We’re Kenly and Lizzie from Wildly Native Flower Farm, and yes, we are flower farmers. Real ones. The kind who start work at 5:30 in the morning in July because the heat will melt both us and the blooms by noon. The kind who have duct tape wrapped around our pant legs to keep out ticks and chiggers. The kind who sometimes plan wedding color palettes a year and a half in advance so we can grow exactly what a bride has her heart set on.
We’re not just “playing” with flowers — we’re growing them, harvesting them, processing them, designing with them, marketing them, and somehow still finding time to laugh at ourselves in between.
It’s Not a Nine-to-Five
There’s no clock-in, clock-out here. Some days, we work nine to two. Some days, six to noon. Some days, we don’t stop moving until every last bouquet is in the cooler and every wedding order is double-checked. Oh, and we’re not just growing for weddings — we also grow for edibles, farmers’ markets, and our local retail partners.
Between us, we cover everything from seed ordering and crop rotation to floral design, customer emails, and delivery runs. It’s a whole ecosystem that only works because our team works in sync — even if that means scrapping the day’s plan when something urgent pops up.
The Funny (and Slightly Ridiculous) Misconceptions
Here’s the thing — people often don’t get what we do. We’ve been mistaken for grocery store employees, wedding planners, and, in one memorable case, a plumber (yes, really). We’ve also heard “It must be so fun to just play with flowers all day!” more times than we can count.
We smile, nod, and then gently explain that fun doesn’t always look like scrubbing buckets in 98-degree heat, or hauling compost in the rain, or deadheading thousands of zinnias while dodging cicada killers.
Why We Love It Anyway
For all the sweat, dirt, and occasional bug drama, there’s nothing better than seeing the cooler filled to the brim with fresh, local blooms. Or delivering a wedding bouquet and watching the bride tear up. Or knowing we’ve created something beautiful that started as a tiny seed we tucked into the soil months before.
This is more than a job for us — it’s our craft, our livelihood, and, yes, our joy.
So, if you’ve ever dreamed of being a flower farmer, don’t let anyone tell you it’s not a “real” job. We promise you — it’s as real as it gets. Come spend a day with us, and you’ll see.
Ready to Try Flower Farming for Yourself?
If reading this has you dreaming of dirt under your nails, fresh-cut blooms in your arms, and building a business rooted in beauty, we’ve got you covered. We share everything we’ve learned — from crop planning to bouquet design — in our [Wildly Native Flower Farm courses]. They’re designed for anyone who’s ready to take flower farming from “sounds fun” to a real career.
