A large “cutting garden” is a bright and colorful oasis in the Ararat area.
Johnson Creek Farms sells wholesale cut flowers to florists from Roanoke to Winston-Salem, N.C.
Mike Easter is growing approximately eight acres of sunflowers, dahlias, gladioli, cosmos, asters and many other flowers in the Willis Gap community.
This is his first year of growing only flowers. In the past he has also grown vegetables—corn, potatoes and green beans—to sell. He grew up on the family farm, helping his parents grow vegetables to sell.
Easter also sells honey from the bees that pollinate the flowers. The flowers that are too mature to sell are left for the bees. He also plants buckwheat and wildflowers for the bees and butterflies.
He continues to plant flowers every three weeks, and, weather permitting, will be cutting them until late fall.
The flowers are only available locally at Silks, Ribbons and Roses in Woolwine, and at the Willis Gap Community Center from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. The farm is not open for tours.
Easter donates and delivers the flowers that don’t sell to nursing homes in Mount Airy, N.C., for the residents to enjoy.
For information, call 336-710-2799.
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