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Owning a flower farm has been a dream come true for Julie Harrison, a lifelong resident and small business owner in West Suffield, Conn.
The farm, recently named Willow View Farm, is a 36-acre property located at 1321 Sheldon Street in West Suffield, known to be the oldest home on record in Suffield. It was purchased by the Harrison family in 2008 and recently became a PYO (pick your own) flower farm.
“Immediately after we bought the farm, I knew I wanted to grow flowers” said Harrison, a graduate of The University of Connecticut with a degree in horticulture and landscape design.
“I started by growing a few flower varieties, making arrangements and putting them on a small table at the roadside” she said. “They sold out almost immediately”.
Within a matter of months Harrison recognized the potential for her farm and business to expand. She and her husband renovated part of their barn to become what’s now a retail space and workroom.
As Harrison gained popularity for her home-grown arrangements, she said she wanted to reach a broader audience. “I contacted the producer for the show Better Connecticut (on WFSB) and pitched the idea that I could teach people about gardening.”
Her pitch was accepted. “They called me in for an interview and the producer and I clicked,” Harrison recalled. “I did the show for six years and was known as the weekly ‘Gardening Buddy’”.
She covered topics from how to plant a tree properly to how to grow vegetables in containers on a patio. “I really wanted to show people that gardening can be accessible to anyone. You don’t have to have a large farm to grow beautiful flowers,” she said.
Harrison continues to grow her flowers and her business. She now offers services such as full floral design for weddings and workshops in addition to her retail boutique and PYO flower field, which also hosts yoga classes.
Harrison and her daughters also post up at the Suffield Farmers Market on Saturday mornings (2 High Street, Suffield) where they host a PYO flower bar. “You can pick your own stems and we will help you design your own arrangement. It has been very popular” Harrison said.
Of her two daughters (Elle, 10 and Anna, 4), it’s Elle who shows the greatest interest in Mom’s business. “She goes with me to the farmers market and makes arrangements on the spot for customers,” Harrison said. “It’s very clear she has a passion for flowers and floral design even at her young age and everyone just loves it.”
Back at the farm, Harrison said she doesn’t have a count on how many flower varieties she has in her PYO field. “There are so many. There are over 1,000 dahlias blooming right now, planted in color order,” she said in late August.
Cosmos, celosia, sunflowers, snap dragons, zinnia’s, cleome, ageratum, mahogany splendor, lemon balm, sage and basil are just a few more plants to name.
Harrison also said she maintains a private garden where she grows “exceptional flowers” for herself or to be used in custom arrangements. Every so often she will put some of these “exceptional beauties” in the shop for customers to purchase.
“Some of the very fancy dahlias (referred to as dinner plates) can grow up to 8” in diameter. They are all so beautiful but my favorite is a dahlia called ‘Peaches n’ Cream,’” Harrison said.
“Another huge part of our farm is that we grow using organic methods. It's easy to grow flowers with pesticides and commercial fertilizers. It takes a lot more effort to grow the way we do, but It's better for our environment and us. That's why I do it,” she said.
Harrison said she has big plans for the business and property in the future. Growing more flowers is always on her list as well as potentially renovating an old garage into an airbnb.
The property is open from late April to Christmas Eve. In the early spring she sells daffodils, then Easter arrangements and tulips. The PYO field begins in late June and goes strong until first frost. In the late fall Harrison makes holiday arrangements. Her retail store is open until Christmas Eve.