Ten Years of Farmer Bailey
Anniversary Farmer Feature: Strawflower Farm
By Felicia D'Ambrosio
Strawflower Farm is the fertile domain of Linda Clark, who grows flowers and berries on four acres in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania. Linda has been a Farmer Bailey customer since 2018, when she first began growing cut flowers.
"I’m out here weeding, planting, planning, weeding again (seriously, the weeds have zero chill), staking, sweating, or getting rained on," writes Linda. "Then someone makes a bouquet or fills up a bucket for an event and I’m like… Wait. I grew those? Cue me staring at the flowers like a proud parent of children going out into the world. Flower farming is hard, messy, magical work—and I’m totally hooked."
Cut-your-own flowers, berry picking, and on-farm events and workshops form the core of Linda's business. "We love sharing our beautiful farm with others," she writes, "and especially enjoy the happiness and joy our flowers bring to our guests."
Since Strawflower Farm is only one hour's drive from Farmer Bailey's greenhouse partner Gro 'n Sell in Chalfont, PA, Linda saves on shipping by picking up her plug orders. Scroll down for a photo of her ingenious solution to fitting twice as many trays in her vehicle: reusable bread crates!
These shallow, durable plastic crates are designed for delivering loaves to grocers, but function handily as plug tray shelving when turned upside-down. "Sometimes I see bread crates (sometimes called bread trays) on Facebook marketplace," Linda shared. "However, mine were here when I bought the farm!"
Strawflower Farm visitors are invited to choose and cut their own flowers and design their own bouquet (with a little help from Linda, if desired). Just in case guests need some fauna with their flora, Strawflower's resident menagerie welcome new friends: meet angora goats, friendly chickens, alpacas, a cat, and one curious pet turkey, Jack.
Follow Strawflower Farm on Instagram, and if you're local, check out their calendar of events!
When did you begin buying plants from Farmer Bailey?
I started buying plugs from Farmer Bailey in April 2018. I was just starting my farm and wanted to start with a strong beginning, by knowing there were actual plants that would grow for me. Since then, I have learned to grow many of my plants from seed, but I still depend quite a bit on Farmer Bailey's plugs.
What flowers did you start with, and have you pivoted?
I started with Lisianthus and continued to add plants, according to what I learned from Farmer Bailey's information, and other recommendations along the way.
How has Farmer Bailey supported your business? What are the advantages of plugs?
The advantages of knowing I can order healthy plants, and that they will be ready to go into the ground, has made me a reliable flower farmer. His online talks are great and I loved and was so inspired by the tour of Gro 'n Sell, along with the flower contest and the wonderful abundant samples.
What do you consider your area of expertise, or greatest area of growth?
My area of expertise is to grow my flowers as a very large beautiful garden with room like areas where guests can come to relax, admire, enjoy and cut their own flower bouquets.
What are your challenges? Can we help you turn them into wins?
My challenge is sometimes not getting all of my plugs into the ground quickly enough.
What is your best advice for new flower farmers? What would you have wanted to know in your first year of flower farming?
I felt like I had very much support in my first year of flower farming by local farmers, who were so helpful in getting me started. There is one thing I didn't know that first year, which was how great high tunnels are.
I really didn't have any thoughts on high tunnels until my third year, when I bought a farm that already had high tunnels on the property. Now I feel extremely lucky to have them.
How many years have you been flower farming?
Starting my ninth year.
What is your typical business model? Has this changed over the years?
I have done farmers markets, wholesale florists, flower deliveries, and cut your own flowers. What fits for my life best is cut your own flowers, and hosting workshops and events at my farm.
How do you spend your non-farming time? What brings you great joy?
When I'm not farming, I am playing with my grandchildren, alpacas, angora goats, pet turkey, cat, and all of my dog visitors who stay with me when their parents are away.
Tell us about yourself!
I retired from my full-time, off-farm job in 2025. Last year I didn't hire any help. I wanted to see if since I was home full-time if I could do it all myself. By August I could not do it all myself and we got pretty weedy around here, but the customers kept coming, and kept going home with tons of flowers. This year I have help one day a week. I'm very happy about that decision.
Is there anything else you'd like to say that we did not ask?
Thanks to Felicia and Farmer Bailey for this opportunity to put my thoughts down on paper, and to those reading this–please come visit Strawflower Farm.
