Pine Creek Flowers

The Value of Locally and Sustainably Grown Flowers

On the drive to Pine Creek Flowers, I was delighted by the bright orange poppies, yellow daffodils, and blooming almond trees dotting the landscape. I envisioned that I would be greeted at the flower farm with fields full of beautiful blooms. I was wrong! There was minimal color, only neat rows of green mounds. Where were all the flowers?

Emma Harris– who owns Pine Creek Flowers with her husband Craig, explained, “If you see color, that means I’m too late harvesting.” Like any working farm, the goal is to produce the best product for the customer. Flowers are harvested just before they bloom, so the customer gets the benefit of their beauty.

In 2016 Pine Creek Flowers expanded from a patch of family land to a two-acre plot on the outskirts of Chico, CA. Following in the steps of the slow food movement, they developed a farm that brings fresh, local flowers with a long vase life to the community without impacting the fragile ecosystem where they grow. Pine Creek is the only local farm that concentrates solely on flowers. The slow flower movement is about reconnecting consumers with American grown flowers. The value of sustainably grown flowers is in the vibrant colors, freshness, and longevity of the blooms.

Although Pine Creek is not certified as organic, Emma and Craig do not use pesticides or other harsh chemicals and they plant, weed and harvest by hand. The flowers are planted tightly together in dense uniform rows allowing for more efficient watering and fertilizer distribution and less weeding. It is a labor of love for Emma, who grew up in upstate New York and migrated to Chico after college to work as an intern on an organic farm. Just like the plants she was tending, she grew roots and fell in love with the area. For her, farming is a real confidence booster. “It’s hard work, every day, but it’s so gratifying when you see your end product,” she says.

The farm requires year-round attention, and Emma and Craig are always getting ready for the next season. Long-lasting flowers need great soil. Pine Creek uses cover crops and other organic methods to build up the soil, including treating the flowers to home-brewed compost tea, worm castings, and guano. All their flowers start from high-quality seeds. A long propagation tunnel on the farm serves as a micro greenhouse. The tunnel, created from curved pipe and opaque plastic, warms the soil, and thousands of seed starters sprout within for the next season of plantings.

“We grow high quality, unique cut flowers,” says Emma. One beautiful, locally unique example is the beautiful lisianthus, a soft rose-like flower, usually found in warmer climates. It is very temperamental and can take up to a year to mature into blooming-sized plants. Another flower that always grabs the attention of folks at the market is celosia, a fuzzy coral-shaped bloom in bright oranges, reds, and purples. With its small bell-shaped purple flower, cerinthe is another plant not native to the area but grown for its leaves that last long after the bloom.

Along with the lilies, snapdragons, scented geraniums, and more, Pine Creek also grows decorative foliage for their bouquets. A variety of eucalyptus trees provide beautiful blue-green color and varied shaped leaves and ornamental grasses and dusty miller silvery-gray foliage.

“Flowers make you smile, whether to celebrate a special occasion or to help brighten someone’s bad day. That’s what made me want to grow them. Seeing the expression on people’s faces as they come to our stand at the farmers market. It’s the candy of the market,” says Emma, “a special treat that’s calorie-free!”

Dominique loves being able to sell Pine Creek Flowers as a clerk at S & S Produce & Natural Foods in Chico. It’s part of their important mission to offer fresh & local. Photo by Kristina Moreno.

In response to COVID-19, the certainty of the farmer’s market is a bit up in the air. Currently, Chico’s Certified Famers Market is still open on Saturdays. However, the Thursday Night Market is on hold. Pine Creek Flowers is responding by opening a pop-up farm stand. Every Thursday, weather permitting, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., you can stop by 2506 Oak Way in Chico to pick up a beautiful bouquet. You can also find Pine Creek flowers at New Earth Market, S&S Organic Produce and Natural Foods, and Chico Natural Foods Co-Op, or online. Pine Creek is a member of Community Supported Agriculture, and with a monthly subscription, you can receive a fresh bouquet delivered to your door every week.

Soon the rows of peonies will be ready for harvest. According to Emma, they are the quintessential Mother’s Day flower. They are big, fluffy, fragrant flowers that come in a variety of colors. Support a local farm and pick up a bouquet for the mother in your life.