The drive to The Flower Field in Piqua is a beautiful one, filled with lush, green farmland stretched as far as the eye can see. As you near the farm, glistening golden sunflower petals greet you with a gentle wave in the breeze, giving you a warm welcome that’s echoed by Deanna Garber and her family.

Deanna’s love for growing flowers sprouted at a young age as she tended gardens with her family. Fast forward to today, The Flower Field is in full bloom, growing a variety of beautiful flowers including those marvelous sunflowers.

Although we see a bounty of sunflowers now, Deanna’s husband Regan explains that the prep begins long before. This year, they began sowing seeds in early April and continue to do so every 7-10 days as the season progresses, careful to plant different varieties depending on the time of year for the best crop and to avoid disease. They’ve also taken the step to have their field irrigated ensuring the blooms are hydrated during any dry spells.

Each morning around 7 a.m., Deanna walks the field, her kids eagerly in tow, clipping sunflowers whose petals have only just started to open. The flowers are placed in buckets of water and taken to the “old corn crib” just a few paces away where they’re placed in their cooler, soon to be sorted, bunched, and bundled before being delivered to our stores. During the peak of sunflower season, harvests happen two times a day, once in the morning and once in the evening, careful to avoid the heat of the day to ensure a longer vase life.

We’re proud to know Deanna and are thankful for the flowers she and her family provide.