Guest Blog Post: Gib's Farm

What's better than beautiful floral arrangements perfect for your big day? Answer: when those flowers are grown locally by a sustainable farm.

I'd like to introduce my friends at Gib's Farm. They grow their flowers and greens without chemicals and preservatives and still manage to provide seasonal options all year around. For that, they definitely get an A+ from me on being a vendor I love!

Gib's Farm was kind enough to guest blog, so check them out below and on their website and Facebook page.

Tell us a bit about Gib's Farm. Where are you located? What do you grow on the farm?

Gib’s Farm is a small scale, biodiverse, four-season sustainable farm located near Knoebels Amusement Park in Catawissa, PA. We offer produce and flower CSAs (community supported agriculture). We sell cut flowers, edible blossoms, herbs, produce, and select starter plants at the Ferry Street Growers’ Market on Saturdays from May through October in Danville, PA. Also, we provide full service wedding florals, flowers by the bucket for do-it-yourselfers, and floral arrangements for any occasion.

Additionally, we cut flowers and herbs, as well as delicious, nutritionally rich fruit and vegetables. Companion planting, cover crops, crop rotation, compost, and biological controls for pests and disease help us to achieve optimum production in minimal space. With two high tunnels, we grow many crops year round. The goals of biodiversity, lively soil, natural resource conservation, and permaculture inform our efforts. While we are not Organically Certified, we adhere to organic farming principles.

​What makes you different from other local florists?

Gib’s Farm does not have a flower shop, and we have no e-commerce services such as Telefloral or FTD. We grow nearly all the flowers and greens used in our arrangements without chemicals or preservatives. If a customer asks for floral material we do not grow, we order it from local supplier Dillon Floral Corporation. We often purchase from Dave's Flowers in Catawissa, a top-notch local grower who sells mainly to florists; and Roots Flower Farm in Carlisle, PA, a grower/florist hybrid operation much larger than ours.

You're enrolled in the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program. What does that mean for your farm?

Wildlife Habitat is a conservation plan offered to farmers and property owners by the Natural Resource Conservation Service. Its objective is the establishment of native grassland as a long term conservation cover crop. The warm season grasses and wildflowers in the mix protect soil and water resources, create high quality wildlife food and habitat, and provide organic mulch for our cash crops. Every year we see more and more birds, bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects, as well as toads, turtles and snakes – all of which contribute to a healthy ecosystem and better crops.

You're ​a year-round operation. How are you able to grow such beautiful flowers, even during Pennsylvania’s winter?

Our winter production is limited to cold hardy herbs, salad, and cooking greens grown in our hoop houses or high tunnels. It isn’t possible to grow flowers throughout the PA winter without heat, supplemental light, and ventilation, i.e., a climate controlled greenhouse.

What florals would you recommend to brides for a winter wedding?

If a bride wants local flowers, cutflower kale, calendula, lisianthus, snapdragon, Asiatic lilies, and some succulents can be grown with the extra protection of spun poly row cover in an unheated tunnel or cold frame. However, their vibrant colors and sizes will be diminished. Greenery is 2017’s Pantone color of the year, so artful assortments of greens are becoming a popular alternative to all floral arrangements.

How can a bride work with you for her wedding?​

A bride may phone, text, or email us to initiate contact. She will then receive a wedding floral checklist and price list. We ask what colors and kinds of flowers and styles inspire her, and to see pictures. It's helpful for the bride to have a floral budget she's comfortable with. A meeting is scheduled, and then we send a proposal and estimate – which can be revised before we enter into a contract.

Contact Gib’s Farm:
gibsfarm@gmail.com
570-486- 3006
https://gibsfarm.com/about/

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