The Fraser Valley is home to many farms, one of which is a small-scale family-run flower farm. The micro-farm is tucked behind Amanda McAllister's family home and every summer, she invites flower enthusiasts to join her for flower workshops. This is my second year attending the Flower Experience at Five Acres Farm and it is safe to say that this is now an annual end-of-summer/fall tradition for me.
The farm specializes in dahlia varieties. There are rows and rows of dahlias, from small round heads to large dinner plate varieties. So many shades of pinks and oranges! Aside from dahlias, Amanda grows other cut flowers too like cosmos, zinnias, lisianthus, sweet peas, and snapdragons. She is currently working on establishing a field of peonies. I did not know it can take nearly three years for a peony plant to establish its roots which are vital for healthy large peony blooms. Next year might finally be the year that the peonies will be ready!
The flower fields themselves are so cute too. Amanda has crisscrossed string lights overhead and tucked white picnic benches between the flower rows. I thought I would be trudging through muddy fields, but Amanda lays down some type of farming sheet so I was able to wear white Stan Smiths without having to worry about making them dirty.
The workshop is not the typical flower workshop that you would attend where there are buckets of flowers and an instructor walks you through creating an arrangement. At Five Acres Flower Farms, Amanda gives attendees a quick tour and then arms everyone with shears to snip flowers directly from the fields. You can pick as many flowers as your heart desires and arrange them in the vase provided. So I would call it more of a flower farm experience and less of an educational workshop which I am not opposed to!
I know Vancouver is known for its fresh air, but valley air just hits different. Maybe it has to do with the field full of flowers or there being no noise and sound pollution, but whatever it is, I will take the few hours of clean valley air. Once the sunsets, the dark blue sky comes alive with stars making me wish I could sleep under the stars amongst the rows of dahlias.
Originally Amanda began growing flowers to spend time with her children. She wanted her children to feel more connected to nature by getting muddy together and learning to care for the plants. It was never her intention to turn Five Acres Flower Farm into a business, but over the years, the space evolved. The transition from a family project into a flower business happened organically - no pun intended!
I did not get a picture of my finished arrangement. I crammed so many dahlias, cosmos, lisianthius, zinnias and greens into that vase. There was hardly any room for water with all those stems. Atleast I was not the only flower greedy one in the field. You would think we were competing to see who could fit the greater number of dahlia stems in their vase.
Something new that Amanda has just starting offering at the Five Acres Flower Farm are classes on growing impressive flower gardens. I am eyeing the Dahlia School as I have not had much success with growing them at home.
Five Acres Flower Farms is hosting a few more Flower Workshops throughout October. Tickets are still available for purchase for select days. It is a cute date night idea too!
BYES
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