https://youtu.be/Aa6Q2fWCG1g?si=AuRMPGoLwVJ-ZE_v Long before I met the women of La Flor Farm, I met their gorgeous flowers. For the past three years, mom Michele and daughter Chantelle have supplied customers (like me) who shop at the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market with a breathtakingly beautiful selection of the highest quality flowers – from tulips in time for Valentine’s Day to spring perennials, summer annuals, and (of course) unique dahlias. When I met Chantelle in person and learned that her family flower compound is located just 12 miles from where I live, I had to visit these Slow Flowers members. La Flor is now in its fourth season, and while Michele and Chantelle are the primary operators, there’s help from Michele’s mother (grammy) and Chantelle’s young adult children, making this a four-generation flower farm. Join me on a video tour and insightful conversation from my recent visit. You’ll be inspired! Chantelle Korcek and Michelle Jensen of La Flor Farm It’s dahlia season a La Flor Farm, where the fields are exploding with more than 4,000 plants, as well as annuals, foliages, and perennials. The landscape was once used by neighbors to graze their horses, but once Chantelle Korcek convinced her mother Michele Jensen to convert the acreage into flowers, things changed considerably. All in the family at La Flor Farm! Left photo: four generations with Doris Beck (Grammy), Michele Jensen, Chantelle Korcek and daugher Ava Korcek; Right photo: Michelle and David Jensen, Doris Beck, Chantelle Korcek and her two children, Ava and Griffin Korcek As they explain, the idea for La Flor Farm grew slowly. For many years Michele shared her garden flowers for weddings, tea parties, birthdays, and baby showers. Chantelle’s yard was overflowing with hydrangeas and dahlias and she was looking for space to expand her garden. Every spring and summer the women collected new dahlias, peonies, hydrangeas, and more flower seeds, nurturing the blooms to share with family and friends. Late in the summer of 2021, the women visited a local dahlia farm, took a million pictures, oohed and aahed, talked the whole way home about what they loved and what they might try on their dream farm. They realized it was time. Time to take the leap of faith. Time to give this baby business a name. Time to place all the orders and make connections. It felt scary to dream that they could turn their love of all things flowers into a fully realized floral enterprise based in Auburn, Washington, southeast of downtown Seattle, but they have done just that. Now in their fourth growing season, Chantelle and Michele take pride in growing high-quality, English garden style, seasonal flowers - harvested at their peak of freshness. They tell customers that La Flor Farm is part of the Slow Flowers movement; their blooms are hand-snipped at the last possible moment to meet florists’ perfect timing. By using appropriate post-harvest care methods that avoid dangerous chemicals, clients are assured of receiving top quality, safe to breathe and handle blooms. I know you’ll enjoy my visit, filmed last week on an overcast day when the dahlia bloom color was at its most vivid. We start with a walking tour of La Flor Farm, and that’s followed by a sit-down with Michele and Chantelle. Find and follow La Flor Farm on Instagram. Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 700 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.