https://youtu.be/lDLejfwkT5U

Today's episode has been a long time coming. I first met Rita and Mike Williams, owners of WilMor Farms Flowers based in Metter, Georgia, when the Lowcountry Flower Growers invited me to speak at their Southern Flowers Symposium in August 2018.

WilMor Farms Flowers' cheerful logo (left) is the graphic reflection of the vivid bouquets grown and produced there.

The conference took place in Charleston, South Carolina, and Rita and Mike arrived by motorcycle -- a more than 150-mile trip that impressed me and let me know they were the cool kids.

Theirs is a family-owned agricultural enterprise, rooted deep in history. WilMor Farms is based on land that has been on Rita's side for nine generations. You'll hear more about that in our conversation, as well as how what started as a "hobby farm" has grown into a diversified, viable and sustainable operation.

Day in and day out, WilMor Farms tags @Slowflowerssociety on social media, ensuring that we stop and check out the beautiful flowers that they grow and sell. It gives me a good sense about what they're doing -- and I always feel connected to these longtime Slow Flowers Members!

Rita with her favorite Rudbeckia triloba (left) and Rita with Josie, one of their four children, featured in a Whole Foods Market poster (right).

Launched in 2015, WilMor Farms takes its name from Mike's surname -- Williams -- and Rita's maiden name -- Morgan. With four children, this is truly a multigenerational project that you'll find inspiring. We recorded this conversation in mid-August and I loved seeing rows of all the delicious blooms on our virtual tour, as well as some of the farming techniques and efficiencies they have developed through trial and error.

The WilMor Farms Flowers display at Whole Foods Market in Savannah, Georgia

Follow WilMor Farms Flowers: on Instagram and on FacebookResources discussed:Compostable Plastic Mulch SheetingDeer Busters FencingCoolBot Refrigeration System

This week's Slow Flowers News

This coming weekend, you're invited to join me as I share the story of Slow Flowers and our Mission at the FREESIA Summit, a Virtual 3-Day Conference taking place September 23-24, 2022. FREESIA stands for Florists Recognizing Environmental & Eco-Sustainable Ideas & Applications. Hosted by Hitomi Gilliam AIFD and Gregor Lersch, the first FREESIA Summit will cover presentations from industry leaders on sustainability in floristry. I'll be presenting a new lecture called "Walking the Talk: Putting your sustainability values into practice."

And I'm excited that  Slow Flowers members Susan McLeary and Holly Chapple are also part of the speaker lineup, present design demonstrations and lectures, along with an international slate of designers -- 15 hours of live presentations in all. The Standard Registration is $99 and Full Registration, which includes a bonus session with Gregor Lersch, is $129.

Click here to register for FREESIA Summit

Sponsor Thanks

This show is brought to you by Slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 850 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, Farmgirl Flowers. Farmgirl Flowers delivers iconic burlap-wrapped bouquets and lush, abundant arrangements to customers across the U.S., supporting U.S. flower farms by purchasing more than $10 million dollars of U.S.-grown fresh and seasonal flowers and foliage annually. Discover more at farmgirlflowers.com.

Thank you to Longfield Gardens, which provides home gardeners with high quality flower bulbs and perennials. Their online store offers plants for every region and every season, from tulips and daffodils to dahlias, caladiums and amaryllis. Check out the full catalog at Longfield Gardens at longfield-gardens.com.