MY STORY
Hi! My name is Katie and I am the grower behind Pumpkin Hollow Farm. Our 5-acre property has been in my family for nearly 20 years. Growing up in rural Washtenaw County left its imprint on me in ways I would not realize for years to come. After graduating from the University of Michigan I left for sunny California to pursue a career in the film industry, but my home was never far from my mind.
As for so many, 2020 was a year of reckoning, and in 2021 I packed up my car with all my belongings, made the long drive back to the Midwest and took a job on an organic farm in central Michigan. After just a few short months, I was hooked andcould not imagine any other way of life. I have fallen in love with growing things, and I hope to share that love with others.
THE FARM
Pumpkin Hollow sits on five rolling acres in northeast Ann Arbor. About half of the farm is dedicated to no-till/low-till production of popular annuals such as ranunculus, stock, marigolds, dahlias and sunflowers. The other half is set aside for a wide variety of perennials, including baptisia, ninebark, French hydrangeas and raspberry greens. In 2024 I hope to trial several English rose varieties to make available to florist designers in future seasons.
I am passionate about growing in a way that makes responsible use of precious natural and man-made resources, and without damaging the biodiversity that makes all agriculture possible. Many of the flowers we know and love that are sold in grocery stores and traditional florist shops have been doused with pesticides and anti-fungals that do not biodegrade. They have been flown by plane from Central America to central flower markets and then further distributed to towns and cities across the country. Cover cropping, limiting my use of plastic products, deep mulching to control weeds and using biological controls to combat pests are all parts of growing blooms you can feel good about bringing into your home.
When you buy local, sustainably-grown flowers, you aren't just supporting a small business; you're choosing to bring something beautiful into your life that supports your local ecology for future generations