About
We are a small flower farm and florist design studio specializing in an array of exquisite, breathtaking blooms fresh from Mother Earth. We delight in providing lush flowers for ceremonies, weddings, events, homes, and businesses. Our farm hosts U-pick and Workshops in the gardens to awaken a deeper relationship with Flowers, Ourselves and the Earth.
Our flowers nestle along Bear Creek in Ashland, Oregon where we are dedicated to sustainable agriculture, feeding pollinators and insects, loving the land and community.
~Flowers nourish the Soul.~
Our Story
My love of flowers began in childhood, with my mom’s arrangements filling every room of the house and for community events. She collected them from our backyard and neighbor’s, tuning me into the abundance and beauty of nature and community. My favorite childhood memories were playing barefoot in the summer amidst apple trees and bees and making daisy necklaces with friends in the open grassy yards and parks of the Pacific Northwest. Coming home to bountiful, healthy family meals with garden fresh produce, rose petals in salads, and my boisterous family around the table also brought great joy and comfort.
In my 20’s, my dedication to the environment, community, healthy food, and meaningful life work, led me to work in fresh food access starting farmers markets area in under-served neighborhoods in Los Angeles. I loved talking with the farmers about the land they cultivated and listening to cultural stories around crops they grew. I admired their earthiness and independent spirits. Several years later, after many travels around the world in Central America and Asia studying culture and agro-ecology and starting a MA in Leadership, Learning and Ecology, it was natural to drop out of the program and start an organic vegetable farming in Portland (sigh of relief as it felt like I arrived at my long sought after life purpose). I longed to live an integrated life in harmony with nature, serving people and the planet. Farming has brought so much to my life, as I attune to the seasons and cycles, witnessing and participating in growth and gifts of plants is truly magic. It brings me joy and gratitude to work with nature, and I am dedicated to growing healthy soil, feeding pollinators and insects and sharing this connection with other people.
My first farm venture was turning over multiple lawns for my CSA (community-supported agriculture) business (Backyard Bounty) in Portland, Oregon 2007. Many lawns consolidated into one special piece of land where we grew vegetables for 5 years (Rising Stone Farm). In 2014, flowers popped out at me, they seemed to say “grow more of me” and I happily took the call. The farm took a new name Waterleaf, as flowers began to share the stage with the veggies, not only being grown for pollintators, pest control and disease prevention but also for cut flower production.
A few years ago, Waterleaf Farm moved to Ashland, Oregon and lay fallow. After a few years deepening my relationship with myself and nature in the woods outside Ashland, making wreaths and herbal medicines from wild and garden plants, I am delighted to have found a new precious piece of land to focus on flower cultivation. My goal is to bring beauty to your lives and uplift your spirits by sharing the earth’s abundance through flowers. Beauty nourishes our soul and is a powerful way to show our gratitude and give back to the Earth.
Our Approach
Our intention is to farm with nature, working alongside her, growing flowers from the roots (well-nourished soil) up
~We practice a combination of permaculture, biodynamic, and bio-intensive techniques to cultivate healthy plants; maintaining a holistic perspective of the larger organism of the farm and the earth
~Build healthy soils through cover cropping, composting, natural fertilizers, and mulching.
~Share the abundance.
We see all life as sacred, and our intention is to listen to the plants and earth and respect their lives and what they can teach us.
I look forward to connecting with you and sharing in the delight, healing, and wisdom of the Flower Beings!
VOLUNTEERING/WORKTRADE -Year Round 2024
Would you like to be around high vibrational flower energy? Interested in learning how to garden or small-scale farm? Looking for community? We love helping hands! Please inquire if you’d like to come out once or regularly.
We are easy to access on the North side of Ashland. Leave the farm with a bouquet of flowers and a happy body and heart, fed by being in nature.
APPRENTICESHIP FLOWER FARMING & PLANT SPIRIT CONNECTION (UNPAID) 2024
April- November -(6 weeks minimum)
Unique Opportunity for Learning how to Small Scale Flower Farm and Deepening in Relationship with the Plants
Waterleaf Farm is part of a 20 acre land conservancy called Eagle Mill Farm, diverse in cultivation and wild areas. We love community and open the farm to a flower U- Pick, events and workshops.
In the growing season, the farm is a buzz with natural and human community life and also one can immerse themself in the gardens in silence.
Currently, there are 6 farmers and a handful of gardeners. The farmer's run small farm businesses including cultivation of veggies, medicinal herbs (@wildgardenmedicinals), cactuses (www.galactic-cactus.com), seeds (hardyseeds.com), 40 year old vineyard, and Waterleaf Flowers.
Description of Work Offered
1. Flower Farm Operation—
Required: At least 80% of the hours will be learning through Fieldwork, including Bed Prep, Planting, Weeding/Trellising, Harvesting, and Sorting.
Potential: Floral Design, bouquet making, and flower deliveries, and hosting U- pick; depending on your interests and what you’d like to know more about.
2. Deepening in Relationship with the Flowers—
*Learn how to attune to the spirit of the Flowers and be a co-creative relationship with the plants.
-Join Seasonal Workshops, Flower Essence Workshops, Experiential Flower Tours at no cost. 1- 2 available p/month
-Plant spirit meditations with the living flowers and herbs (2 x p/wk 20 min)
-One-on-One Flower Essence Making 1 p/month (3 hrs)
-Receive flower healing and essence session (not required).
Expectation and Exchange
*12-20 hrs p/wk (opportunity for more work if needed with Waterleaf Farm or other farmers' projects)-depending on housing, etc.
*6 weeks minimum
*Staple foods provided (you can specify dietary preferences)
*Farm fresh veggies and cut flowers (for your own creative play, enjoyment and to experiment with your own floral designing.)
*Opportunity to participate in all of the workshops
Accommodations-
April through June, apprentice 6 week available anytime April through November
Rustic camping with an outdoor kitchen, solar shower or on demand shower, and a compost toilet. There is no power in the living area. Power is available a 2 minute walk from camping area next to Waterleaf Flowers fields.
Transportation-
The farm is 2.5 miles from Downtown Ashland. This is a 6 minute drive, or a 10-12 minute bike ride mostly on bike/pedestrian path or 15 minute bus ride. The bus comes every 20 minutes most days and it takes 10 minutes to walk to the bus stop from the farm.
There may also be times when you can get a ride from someone else who is leaving the farm. May-October there are several vehicles going to town many times a day.
Jackson Wellsprings healing spring waters are across the Street.
INTERESTED IN APPRENTICE POSITION?
Call and let's chat! Or send an email expressing what you are hoping to gain from the apprentice position. Also include a resume or description of work or experiences related to the position or otherwise to waterleaffarm@gmail.com. Thank you! Look forward to seeing if you are a fit.
