Producer
Odessa Flower Farm
Contact: Laurie Untereiner
Address: 10376 Victoria Rd Chemainus, BC, V0R1K2
Website: www.odessaflowerfarm.ca
About Us
Odessa Flower Farm is a small scale, high density farm, located near Chemainus, devoted to growing seasonal cottage garden favourite flowers.
“Odessa” is a small town in Saskatchewan where my parents grew up and I spent a part of my childhood. Indeed, farming has been in the family for generations and I feel a strong tie to the fields of crops there and appreciate the hard work farmers do. I have fond memories of picking flowers in my Grandmothers’ gardens and now I am enjoying seeing my Granddaughter take in my garden!
I am also devoting part of the farm to growing flowers for my natural dye projects.
“Odessa” is a small town in Saskatchewan where my parents grew up and I spent a part of my childhood. Indeed, farming has been in the family for generations and I feel a strong tie to the fields of crops there and appreciate the hard work farmers do. I have fond memories of picking flowers in my Grandmothers’ gardens and now I am enjoying seeing my Granddaughter take in my garden!
I am also devoting part of the farm to growing flowers for my natural dye projects.
Practices
I am passionate about nurturing the soil and garden organically. I have been gardening on site for 35 years. Absolutely no pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers have ever been used over the years. The flowers are safe to handle! Supporting good soil health keeps the plants happy and reduces stress, thereby cuts down on pest and disease problems.
The soil’s structure and health are enriched with compost, cover crops, organic fertilizer (such as Gaia) and locally sourced manures. EM, effective microorganisms, are supported. Cultivation is done by hand with the “no till” method, protecting as much of the soil structure as possible. Also, with keeping our precious water source in mind, drip irrigation is used only when necessary. Growing intensely with small spacing and mulching keeps watering needs down to a minimum.
Other than tulips, peonies, dahlias, lilies, and a few perennials that are nurtured year to year, all flowers are grown from non GMO seeds. Bouquets are made from in-season availability of flowers that are picked fresh the evening before and are allowed to hydrate in water with flower food for the day of market. While flowers are always harvested at their prime time for optimal vase life, some are left in the garden for the bees and other beneficial insects to enjoy!
The soil’s structure and health are enriched with compost, cover crops, organic fertilizer (such as Gaia) and locally sourced manures. EM, effective microorganisms, are supported. Cultivation is done by hand with the “no till” method, protecting as much of the soil structure as possible. Also, with keeping our precious water source in mind, drip irrigation is used only when necessary. Growing intensely with small spacing and mulching keeps watering needs down to a minimum.
Other than tulips, peonies, dahlias, lilies, and a few perennials that are nurtured year to year, all flowers are grown from non GMO seeds. Bouquets are made from in-season availability of flowers that are picked fresh the evening before and are allowed to hydrate in water with flower food for the day of market. While flowers are always harvested at their prime time for optimal vase life, some are left in the garden for the bees and other beneficial insects to enjoy!