My Journey to Becoming a Cut Flower Farmer

It wasn’t until I moved to New York City that I started dreaming of being a farmer. I would dream of being outside with plants, trees, and animals every summer, but all I had were paved sidewalks and community gardens overrun with city rats. I would watch episodes of the Beekman Boys and dream of living Upstate in an old house, raising goats, and selling soap.

David in his garden. Fall 2023

Several years later, I found myself in Greene County, NY, renovating an 1850s house with my husband. By then I had forgotten about my dreams of country life until friends reminded me that I was actually living the life I had talked about living.

My husband and I started caring for a flock of chickens, and I began growing fruits, vegetables, and flowers in my garden. At the same time, my passion for my current career as the Chief Creative Officer of a clean skincare line had started to fade. I was no longer a part of making and nourishing the things that made people's lives better. My job had me sitting in front of a computer five days a week, in meetings, and sending emails.

Feeling a little lost and looking for something new, I enrolled in a cut flower course offered by Cornell’s Small Farms Program. It was a significant moment for me, realizing that there were people all around me making a living from the beautiful flowers they grew. It was also overwhelming—from pest management to crop rotation, to marketing and selling a perishable product, it felt like too much. That is - until I asked myself, "What’s stopping me from just going for it?" My answer was simply fear—fear of failing, of being judged, or doing it wrong.

I love flowers, creating beautiful things, and bringing joy to the people around me. I’m not going to let fear get in the way of doing what I love. And that was the start of my journey as a cut flower farmer—saying "no more" to fear and embracing beauty.