-EST. 2017-

THE BEGINNING

     When I was little my mom would carefully tend her roses along the side of the house. I remember very clearly the excitement we had when a little bud would form on each plant, as well as the beautiful scent that would follow. My favorite part is when she would cut a few, and wrap them in a damp paper towel to keep them hydrated, followed by a layer of aluminum foil to keep the thorns from poking my little fingers. Then she would send me off to school to give them to my teachers. The smiles were instant and contagious. Flowers connect us to others, and to God’s creation. It is hard to ignore the residual effects of them. Roses have always been my mom’s favorite, but I am typically drawn to the multi colored fields of wildflowers in the country side, and the array of tulips that pop up in the spring. The more variety of color presented and interesting detail the better…plus if there are no thorns, fantastic!

     Tim grew up on the farm, and having his hands in the dirt is his happy place. If he is able to do this, and connect with people somehow, that is his perfect combination. I am now convinced he can grow anything, build anything, or fix anything. He has seen more of the world than most, and while traveling through Asia, he had his first inspiration to grow flowers on the farm. I still remember receiving the text and thinking I could hardly wait until he returned to dream more about this with him. Our professional paths had taken us indoors. He worked full time doing international project management for a Christian nonprofit, and I drafted sewing patterns and designed clothing. We often daydreamed about working outside. Somehow combining his green thumb, and my love for color and design, we managed to turn that daydream into a reality.

     We have both been inspired by our travels, and living in East Africa. We were able to see and purchase flowers for sale in their natural habitat, before the size was stunted and the scent was diminished by packaging and shipping. Bringing that awe-inspiring feeling of a freshly cut bouquet back to the mid-west, for others to experience, is a goal that motivates us daily. The fact that we get to do all of this on the homestead, which was founded in the 1800s by Tim’s Swiss German ancestors, is the icing on the cake. According to Tim’s Grandpa, our children will be the 7th generation to grow up on this farm.  We hope to create something here that will carry on the legacy.

     We both have many plans for Homeplace Fields, and where it might go in the future. For now, we are excited about these beginnings, and the opportunities it may bring about for connecting us with others in our community. There is a growing movement in the U.S. toward locally grown flowers, and we are proud to be a small part of that movement!