About Our Current Sourcing
Our “flowers for delivery” business was first conceived to sell our own farm-grown flowers. We grow our own flowers, veggies and herbs here in Larimer County at two locations: our mountain ranch near Red Feather Lakes; and our leased acreage in Loveland. We’ve also partnered with Rootedfarmers.org and local flower farmers including Blooms, Blush Flowers on Vine, Little Hollow and Cherry Farm Flowers. We work with Stevens and Son in Denver (who grow many of their own greenhouse varieties on-site) to provide additional year round flowers typical of the floral industry (lilies, roses, carnations, etc), including imported flowers. We are striving to sell 100% Locally Grown Flowers by 2027, and are members of Slow Flowers and The American Society of Specialty Cut Flower Growers.
Our Motivation for Growing Flowers Locally
In the 1970’s, competition from South America rapidly devastated floriculture production the U.S. since imported flowers were less expensive. The founder of Lady Moon has been growing cut flowers since 2002, and growing for florist production since 2018. She’s joining many growers across the US who are trying to bring back a robust floriculture industry to their local communities. Locally grown flowers are more ecologically sound and are fresher, resulting in longer vase life. Local flower farms also create jobs and strengthen local economies. The USDA and Farm Service Agencies have joined the mission to recruit and train flower farmers for the economic and climate benefits that local sourcing of cut flowers bring to everyone.
Our Mission
Our flower farming mission in Colorado began in 2021 with the purchase of Cassidy Ranch (our homestead). Because of our high elevation, and because we use that land for pasturing our horses, we spent most of 2022 looking for the right piece of land at a lower elevation to begin farming We have been growing flowers, veggies and herbs on the ranch, both in raised beds and using hydroponics in the meanwhile. We finally found a piece of land and established a lease contract in fall of 2022 to begin full-scale production in 2023. We’ll be growing both field and high-tunnel flowers using methods originally established by the Amish. We use the same equipment, modified to be pulled by a tractor instead of horse and plow! Our techniques are especially helpful in organic production because the equipment creates covered 5″ high raised beds. This reduces disease and weed pressure and labor, and ensures perfect drainage for our plants. We’ll be growing bulk lisianthus and snapdragon for wholesale to florists, as well as a vast selection of flowers to support the mountain flower delivery business – which we hope eventually to find a partner for!
Growing for the Future!
In addition, we’re exploring experimental methods of growing flowers that are currently mostly imported. These methods have been developed and published by USDA and Farm Service Agency partners such as University Extension Offices across the U.S. There’s been significant research done to demonstrate financially feasible methods of bringing back major floriculture production to the U.S. We’re starting first with roses, which is a great place to start since Colorado has a long history in rose production.