Val Schirmer
Three Toads Farms
A little Kentucky bourbon is most likely the force behind every great big, totally far-fetched idea. That’s what happened in 1997 when Val Schirmer made a pact with a family friend and newly retired firefighter Charlie Hendricks to start a tiny business growing flowers. But not just any flowers. The pair had the crazy notion they wanted to grow the kind of flowers that could literally stop people in their tracks.
Over a few bourbon-infused toasts that summer evening on the Schirmer’s country porch, Three Toads Farm — which Martha Stewart Weddings calls one of the top 10 farmer-florists in the country — was born and the pair learned through trial and error over the next several years to grow the biggest, boldest Oriental lilies that most people have ever seen.
The Toads (Val, Charlie Hendricks, Elizabeth Hendricks Atkins) photo: Melanie Mauer
And that’s the basis for everything the farm does: big, bold, using the largest bulbs commercially available. That applies to the holiday and spring bulbs they force, along with dahlias, peonies, and more.
Today Three Toads Farm is part of the local flower renaissance taking place around the world, growing uncommon and heirloom flowers, teaching on-the-farm workshops and Flower Schools, and — thanks to Hendricks’ daughter Elizabeth who first interned as a Toad when she was 11 — creating exquisite fresh-from-the-garden floral design for select weddings and events.
Val also serves as the Southeast regional director of the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers and has just published her first online course from The Gardeners Workshop for home gardeners and commercial growers, “Forcing Glorious Blooms for the Holidays & Beyond.”
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All of the amaryllis pictured above are Peruvian bulbs that I started out in 6” green plastic growers pots, which is what I do with all of the Peruvian bulbs. I put them on heat and under lights in the basement, moving them to the cooler to hold when they get to the big bud “soon to bloom” stage. I pull them out as needed and pot them up into their final containers. Val
Show Notes
People really do care about great flowers. Present your flowers well and make them look their very best.
Cut stems longer and sell them for more. It’s all about the drama of the flower. A lesson learned by Val to maximize profit.
Start bulbs in a cooler place first to mimic them waking up from winter. They need a lot of light.
Amaryllis Bulbs from the souther hemisphere will force quicker than north hemisphere.
When buying bulbs make sure to buy the biggest you can, it always makes a difference in the quality of flower you produce.
ASCFG is a great resource for growing information but more importantly a great resource to build connections with other growers.
Val mentioned a special for $50 off a membership for your first Year to the ASCFG. Contact your the regional director via email and request more information.
Visit their website ASCFG.org
