At Red Twig Farms in New Albany , Ohio , old - fashioned farming has fit the Instagram age .
But it did n’t start out that direction at this Certified American Grown flower farm . In 2010 , the McCullough category opened the farm as a place to grow willow and dogwood ramification for the family ’s landscaping business . But that was a one - season crop and there was unused land area .
The next year , the folk added paeony , which were a blistering commodity at that time . When the peonies were mature in 2014 , the category sold to florists and wholesalers as well as at local granger market . But the peony did n’t come well at farmers markets where the warm temperature make them to open up and rendered any remnant inventory unsellable .
That ’s when the family decided to create a farm store on its attribute and seek to get people to come to the peonies rather than take peonies to the the great unwashed . That way , the flower could be kept in a control surroundings at optimal temperature .
The absent part of the equation was how to get people to the farm . That ’s where social media come in . And it was the 2d generation of the McCullough mob running the farm – son Josh and his married woman Lindsey – who spearheaded the push . Lindsey treat the farm ’s marketing while Josh attends to the maturate operation .
The farm kicked off the opening of its farm store in 2016 with an case to mark the opening of peony season . Lindsey , who has a degree in selling and e - commerce , took to Facebook to elevate the event . That first twelvemonth , 168 people came out .
“ We just kept marketing it through social media , ” Lindsey said . “ Josh did a couple articles topically and Midwest Living ( magazine ) found us through Instagram and they need to be a part of it . In 2017 , that season untier we had more than 1,400 adult come through . And it all come through social media . ”
The effect has remain to grow . More than 2,000 people attended in 2018 .
“ We ’ve started advertising for what we ’re call Peony Fest 2019 for the opening Clarence Day and we ’re go up 14,000 multitude concerned , ” she said . “ We ’re obviously going to have to make it a couple - day event . ”
The time of year opener was just the first of the farm ’s successes that got an assist through social media .
In March , the farm commence a subscription service where people could sign up for weekly obstetrical delivery of peonies during the time of year for two to five weeks . The goal , Lindsey say , was to get bloom to customers in nearby Columbus who had expressed via Facebook messages that they desire peonies but did n’t have time to get to the farm . The service of process take up with a destination of 50 customers ; the farm had to check taking new client after 94 people signed up .
The farm ’s VIP Peony Harvest Experience has also been a hit . The event , limited to 40 masses , take participants into the field of study that are usually closed to the world , and Josh explain the In and outs of grow paeony . Those on the tour are then allowed to harvest two XII peony themselves . The first year the effect sold out in two minute .
“ They do everything we do and they have a blast doing it , ” Lindsey said .
Social media also has played in recruiting workers . When the farm needed staff for its farm store , the word when out via Facebook . It was customer who responded and were ultimately hired . For Lindsey , who better to deal the farm ’s product than glad customers .
As much as modern marketing method acting have playact a part in its success , one of the farm ’s goals is to prompt people of the rude rhythm method of birth control of agricultural life .
Red Twig Farm posted an example of their pride in the programme on their Instagram pageboy .
“ We just want to keep train everybody and bring back some husbandry that people might have leave or are just so busy doing social sensitive that you draw a blank what it ’s wish to be out there , ” Lindsey aver . “ We want to show people the other side of cut flowers . Yes , it ’s the pretty depiction on Instagram but there ’s also a lot of hard work that goes into it and prospicient minute . There ’s tryout and error in everything you do . Just because it work this year does n’t intend it ’s run to grow next year . We want to showcase that , the real side to it . ”
The farm , which has grow from glean 8,000 peonies in 2015 to 30,000 in 2018 , aims to continue expanding its offering . The goal is to build up the subscription serve with unexampled flower , which would allow the Robert William Service to manoeuvre in March and April in addition to the peony season in June . Narcissus pseudonarcissus , tulips and genus Ranunculus are among the possibilities . blossom will be plant this fall for early spring harvest .
Source : American Grown prime
