by Jo Barnes | photo by Kathryn Alvarez Photography –
Just like carrots, cucumbers, or corn, flowers are a farm crop grown on the Peninsula. But just as these crops nourish the body, the power of flowers can nourish the heart.
Bordered by old forest and tucked away behind Elk Lake is Spangelo Flower Farm, owned by Cindy Spangelo and Shawn Hamilton. This tranquil site is a farm where flowers are grown with meticulous care and appreciated by countless members of the Peninsula community.
“I do this because I love it,” shares Cindy. “People are touched by flowers. They make you happy and can brighten up what is otherwise a sad day.”
Each season the five-acre farm on Odyssey Lane produces a glorious array of blooms. Springtime features flowers like anemones, sweet peas, hellebores, tulips and peonies followed up by roses, hydrangeas, astrantia and dahlias in the summertime. Come fall, the beautiful flowers, seed heads and grasses, all in their dried form, are harvested and artistically put into attractive bundles and wreaths for sale. Flowers are sold regularly through seasonal subscriptions in which clients receive a collection of flowers once a week for four weeks. Cut flowers are sold at the onsite farm stand which is open seven days a week from April to October.
The farm began in 1997 when Cindy and Shawn bought the five-acre property and moved there with their one-year-old son. Cindy was a policy consultant at the time and wanted to spend more time with her little one. She planted lavender and sold the blooms to Thrifty Foods. Subsequently, on advice from local wholesalers, Cindy decided to move away from lavender and to grow a variety of flowers to sell to local businesses. With the arrival of Covid, Cindy reassessed her farm operation and changed her focus to sell directly to customers.
“When Covid hit, I poured my heart and soul into the farm, doubled the production area, and discovered a new love of farming,” she says. “I transitioned from wholesale to direct sale to customers. I never saw the person before and now I get to talk to people and get direct feedback. It’s really great!”
As well as cut flowers, Cindy has discovered a passion for dried flowers and makes festive holiday wreaths. In her studio, the world of flowers is literally turned upside down. Bundles of flowers hang from the ceiling, each stem up top with its dry blooms reaching to the floor. Scents like rose, lavender, hydrangea or thyme fill the air, and the dried textures and muted colours give visitors feelings of peace and even nostalgia.
Cindy is rediscovering the rewards that come from working the land and communicating with people directly. In addition to growing and marketing flowers, she also maintains a regular customer newsletter.
“I stay in touch with over 150 customers,” she comments. “In my newsletter, I like to write something of interest and usually include a book review or a recipe.”
Like any farming activity, growing flowers at Spangelo Flower Farm requires long hours, commitment and hard work, all of which are accomplished through family teamwork. “My husband does the irrigation and tractor work. My son also helps with the heavy work and does a lot of the planting. I do the horticultural planning, harvesting and marketing,” relates Cindy.
Cindy trained as a Master Gardener and has extensive horticultural training. During the pandemic, she added to that base of knowledge by researching and learning about farming management and sustainable practices. “Our approach includes no-till methods, composting, mulching and avoiding chemicals, pesticides and insecticides. We are big on pollinators. Many of the perennials we grow are good for pollination,” says Cindy.
As well as the importance of proper spacing between plants and avoiding overharvesting, maintaining healthy soil is an important factor in growing healthy flowers. “There is always lots to learn. My husband is a fisheries biologist and he helps with the soil sampling. He can identify what’s going on there,” notes Cindy.
Cindy’s passion for farming is rooted in her upbringing on a farm in Northern Alberta. “Growing up, it was an absolute joy riding around on the combine harvester and tractor and riding horses. During my teens, I was a member of the 4H Club. It was this time when the strong feelings of farming and community woke up for me.”
Growing flowers, creating floral wreaths and bundles, and keeping up personal communications all takes patience, time and attention to detail, but Cindy’s determination and dedication are founded in a desire to bring joy and beauty to others.
“I lived most of my adult life in my head. The farm is teaching me to work and grow from my heart,” she shares.
At Spangelo Flower Farm, the care and commitment result not only in beautiful blooms on the stand, in a bouquet, or in a box, but also the happiness that they let bloom in the heart.
www.spangeloflowerfarm.com
