Peony season is coming!
Originally grown in the US as an ornamental plant in the 1800s, peonies later became a popular commercial crop. One of the largest peony-growing regions in the country was the Willamette Valley in Oregon. However, by the 1970s, competition from imported flowers and a stagnating economy led many peony farmers to go out of business. Today, there are still a few dozen peony farms in the US, with farmers demonstrating remarkable resilience in the face of these challenges.
A newer example is the Mesker’s family-owned flower farm in the Willamette Valley, Oregon Flowers (
https://oregonflowers.com). I have had a chance to visit their farm once and was truly amazing by the level of technology and sustainability in their operation. Starting out and focusing primarily on tulips and lilies, Oregon Flower’s has adapted and diversified their business to sell fresh-cut peonies, utilizing their “Dutch touch” to produce some of the finest peonies in the USA.
The Mesker’s success is a testament to the enduring appeal of the peony flower and the hardworking spirit of American farmers. As the peonies start to roll in this May, let's remember all the entrepreneurial growers who take on the risk to bring us these big, beautiful blooms!
#PeonySeason #FlowerFarming #Entrepreneurship #AmericanFarmers #Sustainability #SmallBusiness #OregonFlowers #LocalFarms #FlowerIndustry #FreshCutFlowers
Filed in Not posted in category