The four partners: Mesa Owen, Allie Cunningham, Rachel Allen and Lily Briggs are the investors, founders, operators, irrigators, weeders and problem solvers of Chicory Flower Farms. They pooled their finances and energies with the goal of providing a more natural, local flower source. They hope to prevent the Telluride floral-fond public from buying imported flowers, such as cherry blossoms, that are shipped in from as far away as Japan. Why not opt for local flowers that are more sustainably transported to them from nearby Redvale?
A Growing Business
The business plan came to life in late winter when seed, tuber and bulb planting began and the plants were put out in late spring under agro fabric. “This is an experimental year for us and we want to make sure that we have many varieties of blooms all summer long,” said Mesa, on whose property Chicory Flower Farms flowers.
Everything has been done using elbow grease by this hard-working team. There are six different beds, quite large, all dug by hand, with a drip irrigation system installed by Allie. The irrigation pulls the property’s 5 shares of Gurley ditch water using a pump that sits at the edge of a pond.
Blooming in Redvale
“We are aiming to be organic, but there are a lot of rules to follow to earn that designation,” said Allie. “For example, for soil conditioning. If we were using composted horse manure, we would have to only use manure from horses who are eating organic grass, hay and feed. That was too much to worry about for our first year.” For now they are using diatomaceous earth (dirt enriched with the fossilized remains of marine creatures), mushroom compost and a bit of gypsum. They also have their own compost pile that is building up for use next season. First season, so far, so good!
Chicory Flower Farms is a warm, inviting 32 acres at about 6,500 feet above sea level. It was once known as Paradise Farms, where large amounts of sunflower sprouts were grown, which was a big local employer for this tiny town of 258 people.
Stop and Smell the Flowers
Now in the full summer heat, Chicory Flower Farms keeps these four young women busy. The garden is in its glory with rows of impending dahlias, zinnias, ornamental amaranths with long, flowing flowers, some golden, some red, some pink; Straw Flowers, luscious green Bells of Ireland, Queen Anne’s Lace, Snapdragons, Sweet Peas, Larkspur, cherry, apricot and apple trees and many other species.
Start Up
It is exciting to see a new venture start to bloom on Wrights Mesa, with determined, young women taking the entrepreneurial risk of a new startup business — especially with something so beautiful as flowers that light up any room, and light up everyone’s spirits wherever they are given or displayed.
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