smallfarmnation.com Joining me today is Niki Irving the flower farmer and florist behind flourish flower farm in Asheville. Niki's farm grows specialty an heirloom cut flowers using sustainable and natural practices and Nikki also creates seasonally inspired floral designs for weddings and special events. In this episode, you'll learn... - How Niki started Flourish Flower Farm with no farming background. - The capital and equipment needed to start a flower farm. - "Surprise" expenses Niki encountered in running a flower farm. - Niki's tips for storytelling and marketing on Instagram and social media. - Selling and arranging flowers for the wedding market. - Why Niki doesn't like the CSA model and why she sells to retailers - The importance of soil testing in starting a farm. - When/how to harvest and and store fresh cut flowers. - How Niki used a CoolBot to set-up refrigeration for her flower farm. - The shelf-life of cut flowers and when to harvest. - Why Niki chose flower farming even though she apprenticed on a vegetable farm. - The research and business planning Niki did prior to starting her farm business. - Why Niki thinks you should quit your job if you want to farm, and how she found the courage to do so. - How and why Niki started with leased land instead of purchasing land. - Whether you should grow flowers on flat land or sloped land. - How Niki chooses which flowers to plant and what are her most profitable crops. - Dealing "organically" with Japanese Beetles, deer, turkey and other pests. - Niki's best flower arrangement tips. - Don't forget to check out the smallfarmnationacademy.com whenever you're ready to GET GROWING!