CAMDEN, Ohio – Sarah Seals, of Farmhouse Blooms, loves seeing people out in her fields picking flowers. So, she invited the ladies from the St. Stephen Family of Parishes (five Catholic parishes in the Hamilton area) to an evening of picking flowers. No charge. Despite earlier on-and-off showers, the sun shone and they came.

“There was an ad in the church bulletin that said you could pick beautiful flowers, as many as you want, for free,” said Kathy Meers, her arms full of blooms. “I talked to Sarah earlier today because it was pouring down rain. It’s been wonderful.”

Seals has pick-your-own flower fields. She also sells wholesale. In addition, brides or anyone can pick up pre-cut buckets of flowers and make their own arrangements. She sells to wedding designers and florists. The business went in this direction kind of by accident, she said.

“I bought a bunch of seeds the fall before COVID hit,” she explained. “I intended to sell at farmers markets. That spring, the seedlings were all growing, so I planted everything, and then all the farmers markets closed. I kept at it and thought I would open for you-pick for friends and family if nobody else.

“It just kind of exploded right here. It was a kind of magical summer. Now we have birthday parties, we have groups that come out in the evenings, it has been a place where people kind of meet, and pick.”

Seals originally opened the you-pick operation with set hours. Then she talked with someone from Germany who said in that country, there are roadside flower stands where there will be a field of flowers and a shed with jars and clippers. People stop and pick. It’s the honor system.

“I can do that,” she said. “So, at the times that I’m not out there, it is open for self-serve you-pick, and it’s been fun. People just stop and pick, and it has turned into a neat little community.”

After COVID, when people got back to their regular routines, Seals saw a shift in the flower market. Lots of people still came and picked flowers, but she noticed an increase in winery events and festivals.

“It is fun to provide flowers for people at those events,” Seals said. “So, I built a flower trailer. I take that into Oxford, to the Preble County Pork Festival, and local wineries. It is like a build-your-own bouquet in there.”

That trailer became her mobile flower shop. She uses it for drying flowers, for minimum waste in the garden, and the dried flowers extend her season into the fall and holiday craft fairs.

Seals sees the flowers as a way to connect people to the farm. She didn’t grow up on a farm, but married into a farming family. There is a disconnect between generational farms and people who grow up outside the farming community, she said.

“A you-pick is a great way to immerse people in this farming experience,” she said. “To get them out here and to help them not feel so disconnected from the farms. The flowers are just a part of a family farm.”

Seals’ husband, Ray, raises corn and soybeans with his dad, David Seals, and uncle, Bill Seals. Sarah and Ray have about 200 acres of hay that they sell to the horse industry in Florida, Kentucky, and locally. Plus, they have freezer beef and hogs.

Each spring, she starts about 15 thousand seeds. While there are some perennials, most are annuals, about 100 varieties. The flowers are raised chemical-free. Seals does not use pesticides, as evidenced by the many butterflies flitting around. She has no special training in what she does, but likes the challenge of figuring things out on her own.

So that Sunday, when Chase Carrillo approached with his mother, Christine, to pick flowers, Seals explained to Chase to pick long stems so the flowers show up in the vase and to pull off any leaves that would be in the water because they will get “yucky.” Then she handed them a pair of trimmers, a jar, and off they went.

So why does she do this for free?

“I just love it when everybody is out here picking,” she said. “It makes my heart happy. I grew the flowers to be picked. It is my joy.”

For information, go to farmhousebloomsupick.com.