https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXTA76tCFPE
Last week I took a short ferry ride from the mainland - from Tacoma's Pt. Defiance - to Vashon Island, Washington, a beautiful, evergreen place with deep agricultural roots and people who love both living among nature and having relatively quick access to the urban settings of Seattle and Tacoma. I actually look at Vashon Island everyday from my upstairs office window -- across Puget Sound to the west. I don't get there often enough, but before summer came to an end, I wanted to schedule an afternoon visiting two Vashon Island-based Slow Flowers members on their flower farms.
Alyssa O'Sullvan of Sweet Alyssum Farm on Vashon Island, Washington (c) Rylea Foehl @familieswhofarm
And so, today you'll enjoy Vashon Island Flowers, Part One, my visit to meet Alyssa O'Sullivan of Sweet Alyssum Farm, and next week, I'll introduce you to island flower grower Halee Dams of Marmol Farms during Part Two.
Alyssa in the sunflower field (c) Rylea Foehl, @familieswhofarm
Meeting them and enjoying a glorious change of scenery, not to mention personal field tours, inspiring conversations and 2 ferry rides, was just the thing I needed to re-center my mind and remind me about why I care so much about nurturing and supporting the Slow Flowers Movement and its members through content like you'll enjoy today.
Recent floral bouquets from Sweet Alyssum Farm
Alyssa is the owner and founder of Sweet Alyssum Farm, which grows specialty cut flowers to nurture creativity within the local floral community on Vashon Island and beyond. Her focus on sustainability nurtures the earth, animals and people these flowers touch along the way.
U-Pick flowers at Sweet Alyssum Farm
As a small, creatively-run farm, Sweet Alyssum shares flowers through several outlet, including:
Market bouquets at local farmers markets flowers for weddings and eventsbouquets for several local food CSAsand special order arrangements
A prolific harvest at Sweet Alyssum Farm
I know you'll enjoy our conversation as Alyssa describes the many ways she and her partner are creating multiple income channels to sustain their livelihoods on their beautiful property.
Here is a link to Alyssa's essay "Why Flowers," which she wrote last year for Slow Flowers Journal online
Imagine!! Camping at Sweet Alyssum Farm
Thank you so much for joining us today. Did you catch the details about on-farm camping at Sweet Alyssum Farm? Right now, for $35/night, two guests can settle into a spot there on Vashon Island. Alyssa books campers through a website called Hipcamp.com. I checked out her listing, which sounds just like the farm looks: Sweet Alyssum is located on 12 acres of sloping fields set against a tall, forested backdrop, and only a 5 minute walk from restaurants, shopping, bars and groceries. Level campsites are spaced around the property, each with a fire pit and picnic table. There is a communal central deck for campers' use, with a water spigot, power outlet and sink, plus a propane stove and some cooking utensils. While the working farm fields are not open to campers, the flowers serve as a terrific backdrop. And, there's always the You-Pick flower patch and farm stand at the entrance of the property, open for shopping, picture-taking and flower-picking seasonally.
Tempted? Click here to book your camping trip soon!
Meet Rebecca Raymond, EMC, of Rebecca Raymond Floral (left) and
Gina Thresher, AIFD, EMC, of From the Ground Up Floral (right)
Please join us this Friday, September 10th, when we resume our monthly Virtual Slow Flowers Member Meet-Ups, after a summer vacation. The time is 9 am Pacific/Noon Eastern, as we welcome Rebecca Raymond, EMC, of Rebecca Raymond Floral and Gina Thresher, AIFD, EMC, of From the Ground Up Floral who will share tips for planning and executing a successful Styled Shoot! They will give attendees an inside peek at their new webinar,