We’re the Church Family

While so often we are asked how and why flower farming, we really don’t have a short answer. While we both grew up in agriculture, more so on the livestock side, flower farming was certainly not something that came naturally to either of us. Andy and I married in May of 2015 and soon after planted our roots on an acreage in Lakefield, Minnesota. We had a couple babies, worked full time jobs, myself as a banker and Andy an engineer, but something was always tugging at my heart. Often times I felt myself just going through the motions, wishing I was doing something more fulfilling, yearning to be outdoors and simplify our lives.

When the pandemic hit in 2020, our priorities changed and the most important things in life rose to the top, that being our faith, family, health, happiness, and quality of life. We spent many nights and weekends in the spring, summer, and fall outside working in the pumpkin patch, enjoying nature and loving every bit of the togetherness. We even decided on a whim to plant a few flowers. I had no idea what I was doing but after one summer with flowers, we knew we wanted to expand in some way. Thus came the idea for a flower farm. In late 2021 we picked out thousands of seeds, set our intentions, researched our evenings away, and prayed A LOT. Hoping the idea God put on our hearts was truly the path He wanted us to take. In early 2022 we started thousands of seeds in our basement, and soon after were elated to find out we were expecting! God’s plans suddenly became crystal clear. From there I took the leap of faith and stepped away from the 9-5, turning on full time Mom/ Flower Farmer mode. My dream of slowing down and spending time with the kids was coming to fruition.

Just two days after resigning, we were devastated to find out we had lost another pregnancy. I was truly left feeling so empty and hopeless. The spring and parts of summer felt like a bit of a blur as we navigated the loss of our pregnancy and the rollercoaster of starting a business. I spent my days in the Meadow reflecting, soaking up the sunshine, nurturing plants, picking flowers, doing life with the kids, and slowly beginning to understand my purpose again. In our first season of business, we have built relationships with people in the community, hosted events on our farm, and allowed people a space to escape and enjoy the flowers. This has been something that brings me so much joy and fulfillment. In trusting God’s plan, it is now so evident why he put our family on this path. I can say without a shadow of doubt, there is no better place to heal and center yourself than in nature and among the flowers. Not a day goes by that I don’t thank God for this opportunity to spread love and happiness throughout my community, all while growing and flourishing as a wife and mother.

Connecting you with nature and drawing you closer
to the person you want to be.

Nobody has it easy in this life. We are all searching for something more or something less, something to make our days a little lighter, or something to allow the burden to escape us even if just for a moment.

Being with nature and surrounding ourselves with God’s creation can help us do just that.

Nature is simple, grounding, wholesome, and pure. It always has been and always will be.

MEET HILARY

The one with the wild ideas and often times poorly planned execution, that’s me! Sometimes I wonder how I truly ended up as a flower farmer and let’s just say it wasn’t necessarily in my DNA. While I grew up on a hobby farm in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota raising livestock and showing cattle and horses, I literally had never even planted a flower seed until the ripe age of 30. My focus for the first 18 years of life was livestock and sports. When preparing for college, I felt such a pull towards what was comfortable, that being animals. I obtained a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science and Agricultural Business from North Dakota State University and worked in the agriculture industry for a few years upon graduation but never felt totally fulfilled. From there, an opportunity in banking opened up and it was the perfect fit. I was able to build relationships within the agriculture community, work with numbers, strategize, and lead a team. Then babies and Covid hit and like many people, our priorities changed. Next thing ya know, I’m researching whether a green thumb is something you’re born with or if it can be developed. In what felt like the blink of an eye, I am flower farming and momming full speed ahead, and life is just sweet as can be!

 

A little about the farm…

  • Fun Fact 1

    The land which now serves as Meadow Forge Flower Farm was once a thriving cattle barn and feedlot, supporting a family and helping feed a community. This barn was caught up in a storm in the mid 1980’s and tore down. In the spring of 2022, we removed the final pieces of the feedlot and began preparations for the Meadow.

  • Fun Fact 2

    After the devastating storm, this land served as an alfalfa field, harvested and stored to feed livestock throughout the winter. The land surrounding the meadow is still alfalfa, and attracts thousands of butterflies throughout the summer.

  • Fun Fact 3

    Meadow Forge is home to 10,000 annual plants! Some growing to a height of just 24 inches and others over 7 feet tall! These rows of flowers bring over a dozen kinds of wildlife to the property each spring and summer.