Farmstead Florals brings self-serve flowers to the Square

Published 10:30 am Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Oxonians walking through the courtyard at the Oxford Square North building might have noticed a bright new addition in the last month.

This summer, a self-serve flower stand popped up across from Uptown Coffee. The booth, which operates on the honor system, encourages passersby to help themselves to the flowers for a small fee. Prices range between $5 and $10, and can be paid via a cash dropbox or through the Venmo app.

The flowers arrive at the stand each afternoon courtesy of Katherine Sharp of Farmstead Florals. Located at Woodson Ridge, Farmstead Florals spans across four acres and features everything from sunflowers to hydrangeas and zinnias. Sharp has been the resident flower farmer for the past three growing seasons, and said the stand provides an opportunity to brighten someone’s day.

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“I sell to florists mainly, and had a surplus of flowers,” Sharp said. “So I figured a self-serve stand would be an easy way to move some of the flowers, and it brings so much beauty to the Square.”

Sharp and Farmstead Florals supply flowers for both local and regional markets, including florists in the LOU community. Currently, floral offerings at the self-serve stand include sunflowers, as well as mason jar arrangements with an assortment of summery pink and orange petals.

While the variety of flowers may change depending on what’s in season, Sharp said she plans to keep the stand going as long as the weather is warm.

“I just want people to come by and enjoy the flowers and help themselves,” she said. “They’ll be out here until the first frost.”

In addition to the self-serve flower stand, Sharp takes Farmstead Florals on the road, setting up shop at the Midtown Farmers Market on Saturdays.

To see the flower fields, visit https://www.farmsteadwr.com, or make the 10-minute drive from the Square to the Farmstead at Woodson Ridge.