Ever wonder where those grocery store flowers actually come from? Most of us never think twice about it—until we meet someone like Ashley Vail, who turned a pandemic chicken hobby into a thriving half-acre specialty cut flower farm in Kansas. From planting nearly 2,000 peonies to surviving 110 mph winds, Ashley's journey proves that flower farming is way more intense (and way more rewarding) than you'd think.

HIGHLIGHTS

• A McPherson antique store's viral TikTok ad featuring Sarah McLachlin's iconic ASPCA song—but for abandoned antiques

• How Ashley went from zero gardening experience to farming thousands of flowers on half an acre

• The difference between annuals and perennials, and why Ashley's back is grateful for the peony pivot

• Why Kansas weather is the biggest challenge for flower farmers (spoiler: it's not just the tornadoes)

• The surprising number of flower farmers across Kansas—probably one in your county

• How Bobcat let Ashley test drive a tractor for a week, knowing she'd never give it back

• Why Ashley prefers being the grower over being the florist (wedding pressure is real)

• The "reluctant farmer husband" phenomenon and how military training prepared Matt for flower farming

• Victory Gardens during WWII: Kansas grew 17 million quarts of canned food in 1943 alone

• Container gardening tips and when to plant: potatoes on St. Patrick's Day, tomatoes on Mother's Day, peppers by Memorial Day

CHAPTERS

[0:00] Local TikTok Find: McPherson Antique Store Ad That Cracked Us Up
[1:02] Why the Ad Works: Sound Effects, Song Choice & Instant Nostalgia
[1:53] Welcome to Ask A Kansan + Meet Today's Guest (Vail Family Farms)
[2:53] Getting Set Up: Ashley Joins the Conversation
[3:22] What Is a Specialty Cut Flower Farm? Size, Scale & What They Grow
[4:41] Annuals vs Perennials: The Peony Pivot (and Saving Your Back)
[5:58] How It Started: Pandemic Chickens to Full-On Flower Farming
[7:40] Year One Reality Check: No Tunnels, No Tractor, Just Prairie Ground
[10:22] Extending the Season: High Tunnels, Grants & Kansas Wind Survival
[12:39] Selling the Blooms: Subscriptions, Farmers Markets & U-Pick Events
[15:35] Bouquets & Weddings: Design Pressure vs Being the Grower
[17:10] From Nursing to Farm Life: Making the Jump + Family Behind the Business
[19:18] 'Reluctant Flower Farmer': Matt's Role and the Support System
[19:60] Reluctant Farmer Husband: Military Life Meets Flower Farming
[21:25] How Many Flower Farmers Are in Kansas? Finding Local Growers
[22:14] The Biggest Challenge: Kansas Weather, Wind & Growing Zones
[23:51] Support Networks & The Insurance Gap for Specialty Crops
[26:23] Next 5 Years: Peony Expansion + Spring Crop Strategy
[27:42] Building the Farm Brand on Social Media (and Keeping It Real)
[29:32] Scaling Advice: Home Garden Tips vs Farming Thousands of Plants
[30:44] Where to Find Vail Family Farm + Wrap-Up of the Interview
[31:40] Post-Interview Chat: Farm Visits, Book Clubs & Photo Sessions
[32:27] Theme Segment: Victory Gardens—History, Kansas Stats & Why It Matters
[36:19] Planting Calendar & Container Gardening: Potatoes to Peppers
[39:31] Final Thoughts: Gardening Trends + Subscribe, Newsletter & Merch

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Vail Family Farm
Instagram: @vailfamilyfarm
Facebook: Vail Family Farm

Learn more about Victory Gardens: https://kgi.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16884coll1/id/2183

https://www.farmprogress.com/farm-life/victory-gardens-were-growing-all-across-kansas-during-wwii

Learn more about the podcast at askakansan.com!

This show is part of the ICT Podcast Network, for more information, visit ictpod.net