HOME Studio Sprig HOME Studio Sprig

How to Name a Farm: 10 Meaningful Ideas for Creating a Name With a Story

How to Name A Farm -how we named our farm in Bucks County Pennsylvania, Windy Hill Farm after the book The Ghost of Windy Hill.

Choosing a farm name can be one of the most personal parts of making a place your own. The best farm names often come from somewhere real—a family story, the land itself, a favorite memory, an old photograph, or even a beloved book. Here's how I found the perfect name for our historic Pennsylvania farmhouse—and how you can find a meaningful name for yours. A Treasured Storybook

Start With the Story Behind Your Farm

When we decided to name our farm, I didn't want a name that simply sounded pretty. I wanted something that had meaning.

Our farmhouse is located in historic Bucks County, Pennsylvania, surrounded by old farms, stone houses, and beautiful countryside. We moved here in 2007, after our family outgrew our first historic home.

The house we found was a wonderful old clapboard farmhouse with a wrap-around porch, a barn, enormous trees, and plenty of history.

But as much as I loved the property, it didn't have a name.

So, naturally, I decided it needed one.

Windy Hill Farm Pennsylvania

Front View Windy Hill Farm. Photo courtesy of Kim Bensing Design.

How Do You Choose a Farm Name?

If you're wondering how to name a farm, start by looking around you.

Before making a long list of clever farm names, look for the stories that already exist on your property.

Ask yourself:

  • What is the history of the land?

  • Who lived here before you?

  • Is there an interesting family name connected to the property?

  • What natural features surround the farm?

  • Is your farm on a hill, beside a creek, in a valley, or near a particular grove of trees?

  • Are there old barns, stone walls, gardens or outbuildings?

  • What animals, flowers or crops are special to the property?

  • Is there a favorite childhood memory associated with the land?

  • Are there old photographs, maps, letters or documents that might reveal something?

  • Is there a book, song or story that has a personal connection to your family?

Sometimes the best farm name ideas aren't invented at all. They're discovered.

Windy Hill’s wrap-around balcony is not original to the farmhouse. We think it was added sometime in the early 1980s. It’s very nice and provides a great place to catch 9 simultaneous fireworks shows on the 4th of July.

Look to the Land for Farm Name Ideas

The landscape itself can be a wonderful source of inspiration.

Think about words that describe your property:

Hill • Hollow • Meadow • Grove • Creek • Brook • Orchard • Field • Valley • Ridge • Woods • Garden • Acres • Farm

You can combine these with something personal.

For example:

  • Willow Hill Farm

  • Fox Hollow Farm

  • Meadow Grove

  • Old Oak Farm

  • Windy Hill Farm

  • Rose Hill

  • Bluebird Farm

  • Orchard House

A good farm name doesn't necessarily need to explain everything about the property. Sometimes one evocative word is enough to create a feeling.

Blue Cottage at Windy Hill Farm in Snow

Snow covered little Cottage at Windy Hill Farm. Photo courtesy of Kim Bensing Design.

Look Into Your Farm's History

If you own an older property, spend some time investigating its past before choosing a name.

Old deeds, maps, photographs, newspapers and family records can reveal fascinating clues.

And don't overlook your neighbors.

Someone who has lived in the area for decades may know something about your property that you could never find online.

That's exactly what happened to us.

Windy Hill's Lamppost and Sign

Walpole Lamppost and sign created by McElHaney Signs here in town.

The Story Behind Windy Hill Farm

For years, I had owned a little vintage children's storybook called The Ghost of Windy Hill.

It was one of my favorite weekly readers as a child, and somehow that little book stayed on my bookshelf throughout my entire life.

The book was written in 1966—the same year I was born—and the story takes place in 1851, around the same era our farmhouse was built.

I had never imagined that the book would eventually inspire the name of our home.

But then we discovered something about the property.

Our farmhouse sits at the top of a ridge, surrounded by enormous old trees. The wind moves through the property constantly, whistling through the original windows and across the hill.

When it gets windy here, it gets really windy.

Suddenly, the name seemed obvious.

Windy Hill Farm Spooky Night Scene

Windy Hill’s side view with a big old tree. Photo courtesy of Kim Bensing Design

Windy Hill.

The old storybook gave the name a personal history, while the land itself gave it meaning.

And just like that, our farm had a name.

View of Windy Hill’s Barn behind a lilac. Photo courtesy of John Arehart Photography.

Sometimes the History Finds You

After we named the property Windy Hill, something unexpected began happening.

People started stopping by.

Over the years, approximately twenty people have told us that they had once lived in the house, visited the property or spent time in the old barn.

Then one summer day, an older woman named Dee and her daughter stopped by.

Dee told us that she and her cousin had spent summers here during the 1930s. The farm had belonged to their aunt and uncle, and the property held some of her favorite childhood memories.

A week later, Dee returned with her cousin.

They brought old photographs.

They showed us pictures of the property from decades earlier and even brought a hand-drawn floor plan of the house.

As we walked through the rooms together, they remembered where old doorways had been and explained why certain parts of the house seemed unusual.

Then Dee's cousin stopped before what is now our dining room.

He said there had once been a large hole in the floor for the heat.

We had always known there was something unusual about the floorboards, but we had never understood why.

Sure enough, there was a covered opening exactly where he remembered it.

It was one of those moments when a house stops being simply a house.

It becomes a story.

Historic Residents stop by to Windy Hill Farm

Dee, her daughter, her cousin, Kim & Mike Bensing.

Meaningful Farm Names Often Come From the Past

That experience changed the way I think about naming a property.

A farm name doesn't have to be clever.

It doesn't have to follow a trend.

And it doesn't have to be something you come up with in one afternoon.

The most memorable farm names with meaning often connect the present to the past.

Your perfect name might be hiding in:

  • An old family photograph

  • A childhood book

  • The name of a former owner

  • A nearby landmark

  • A favorite tree

  • A creek or hill

  • An old field name

  • A family tradition

  • A local legend

  • The history of the property

  • A meaningful event that happened there

Historic Windy Hill Farm Car Photo

How to Choose the Right Farm Name

Once you've gathered your ideas, make a short list.

Then say each name out loud.

Does it feel natural?

Is it easy to remember?

Can people spell it?

Will it still make sense if your farm changes or grows?

And most importantly:

Does the name mean something to you?

A good farm name should feel like it belongs to the land.

You don't necessarily need the most unique name. You need the name that feels right.

Windy Hill Dining room Floor Heater

Dining Room Floorboards at Windy Hill Farm.

Give Your Farm a Name That Can Become Part of Its History

After choosing Windy Hill, we installed a beautiful lamppost and sign at the entrance to the property.

That little sign became more than decoration.

It gave our home an identity.

Over the years, it has become part of the story of this place—and now, whenever someone asks where we live, I can simply say:

Windy Hill.

And somehow, that says so much more than an address ever could.

If you're trying to name your own farm, farmhouse, homestead or historic property, look for the story before you look for the name.

You may discover that the perfect name has been there all along.

Historic Images of Windy Hill Farm

Historic Images of Windy Hill Farm circa 1930s.

More Studio Sprig Inspiration

If you love historic homes, gardens, flowers and the stories behind beautiful places, explore more of Studio Sprig's floral art, surface patterns and inspiration from Windy Hill Farm.

And if your property has a story of its own, I'd love to hear it.

View of Property from the Barn. Photo courtesy of John Arehart Photography.



Read More
STYLE Studio Sprig STYLE Studio Sprig

Let's Save The Bees

Because bees are so important for a healthy environment, Matt Willey from The Good of the Hive introduces the importance of bees in our lives through his mural art.

The Good of the Hive Mural @ St. James Parish- Scout Bee

Introducing my favorite environmentally-conscious mural artist, Matt Willey.

After one little encounter with a small honey bee, Matt has lovingly begun a global art project: The Good of the Hive. His commitment to this project is to hand-paint 50,000 honey bees – the number in a healthy, thriving hive – in murals around the world. Matt's mission is to ignite radical curiosity and active engagement around planetary health issues through art, bees, and storytelling. I invite you to learn more….

The Western Honey Bee

Honey bees are not a native North American species. European honey bees (Apis mellifera) were originally imported for honey production in the 17th century, 1622 to be exact. Interestingly the Native Americans dubbed them "the white man's fly." I'll bet you didn't realize that a honey bee can fly up to 15 miles per hour and that a honey bee worker only makes an average of 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime and that to make just a pound of honey there need to be 2 million flower visits! -so please savor your honey, this is not an easy task for our little friends.

Matt Willey CARRBORO FIRE STATION Carrboro, NC

The Good of the Hive Mural @ Carrboro Fire Station, Carrboro, NC

“Bees never forget that they are part of something bigger than themselves… their hive is a part of them. What if we embodied this idea? What if we got curious about the world and each other again instead of intimidated by it? This is why I turn walls into windows – to remember that we are all connected… that separation is an illusion.” -Artist, Matt Willey


Honey Bee Colonies

A honey bee colony typically consists of three kinds of adult bees: workers, drones, and a queen.

  • The job of the queen: Lay eggs

  • The job of the drones: Mate with the queen

  • The jobs of the worker bees: Gather nectar, Guard the hive and honey, Care for the queen and larvae, Keep the hive clean, and Produce honey.

As you can see honey bees are social insects. They live together in well-organized groups called colonies. Individual bees cannot survive without the support of the colony. To learn more read this comprehensive article published by the University of Delaware.

honey bee mural

The Good of the Hive Mural @ North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, NC

the health of our planet

Through Matt’s mural art, he is able to inspire education about our planetary health. He believes that human and planetary health is collective, and the global hive he is painting is a metaphor for the connectedness of all things. Six years into an estimated 20-year project, Matt has created 35 murals and installations with over 8600 hand-painted bees. He has reached hundreds of thousands of people and created large-scale works at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington DC, and at Burt’s Bees Global Headquarters. He has collaborated with the World Council of Peoples for the United Nations (WCPUN) and NYC Parks’ Art in the Parks Public Art Program. He has painted in a Tony-Winning Broadway star’s dressing room and his bees are on display at the American Embassy in Beijing, China.

Matt Willey HAROLD P. CURTIS HONEY CO. Labelle, FL Mural

The Good of the Hive Mural @ Harold P. Curtis Honey Co. Labelle, FL

Bees mean Business

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, honey bees pollinate $15 billion worth of crops in the United States each year, including more than 130 types of fruits, nuts, and vegetables. 2.70 million bee colonies in the United States, alone, produced 126 million pounds of honey in 2021. That year, the value of honey production in the United States was $321 million according to USDA-National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).

Big painted bees on side of brick building

The Good of the Hive Mural

The Importance of Bees

A study, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, has shown that honey bees are the world's most important pollinators in natural ecosystems across the globe. Did you know, that according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one-third of our diet comes from insect-pollinated plants, and the honey bee is responsible for 80% of that pollination? In a single year, one honey bee colony can gather about 40 pounds of pollen and 265 pounds of nectar.

“The Art Starts Creating You” - Matt Willey

Matt Willey Painting a Mural on a Crane

Worker Bee, Matt Willey - The Good of the Hive Mural Artist

The Importance of Matt

Follow Matt @thegoodofthehive as he visits schools and communities around the world educating our collective whole about the importance of our bees. In 2023 Matt will continue to move forward in the creation of The Good of the Hive's first documentary film. See the short film trailer by clicking here. Matt could really use some love on this project to keep it moving forward. Plus you can receive rewards and possibly have your name in the credits! 

Apiarist: Beekeeper

The scientific name for the honey bee is Apis mellifera, therefore an apiarist is a person who is commonly referred to as a beekeeper and makes a living keeping honey bees. Likewise, an apiary is a location where the hives of honey bees are kept. Apiaries come in many sizes and can be rural or urban depending on the honey production operation. 

Here on our farm, Windy Hill, we've enlisted the help of local Apiarist, Mark Antunes. Mark cares for our bees, extracts all honey, and because of our northern weather patterns, he even transports them to more temperate climates each winter. This has proven to be a good thing for their continued survival. Mark is always seeking host farms in this local area for his honey bee hives. If you would like to contact Mark, reach out to me in the comments below and I will get you in touch. I've also included a list of expert websites for your convenience.

rural and urban beekeeping

Rural Beekeeping is really just using a patch of land in more of a rural area used to raise bees. (it does not have to be a farm). Apiarists position one or more honey bee hives in this natural environment to support more pollination. The bees go to work quickly providing their services to enhance the growth of wild flowers, clover, vegetables, and more. If you are thinking about providing your own natural habitat for bees in the future, keep in mind a host farm requires plenty of food sources, water, and a healthy environment with plenty of natural resources such as grass, trees, and plants, and of course, it's important for there to be no pesticide use whatsoever. For your convenience, I've included a short list of supplies you may want to consider at the end of this blog.

Urban Beekeeping is just what it sounds like, an organic method for a city or town to diversify its ecosystem. If you are considering becoming an urban beekeeper, you must first do some research. Be sure to make sure it's legal to keep bees in your town or city. Next, be sure your bees will have enough space and the necessary food and water in order to thrive. Then, be sure to check with your neighbors, because although honeybees are generally not aggressive, if threatened they will sting and it’s very important to always see the advice of a skilled beekeeper before trying this at home.

Small jars of honey lined up

Honey jars from the honey bees at Windy Hill Farm, PA

Artist Matt Willey sitting on floor with paintbrushes in hand

The Artist Matt Willey - The Good of the Hive

What is Colony Collapse Disorder

Honey bee health is something we humans have been struggling with in recent years as our honey bee populations have been dwindling. To help you understand, Colony Collapse Disorder is the phenomenon that occurs when the majority of worker bees in a colony disappear and leave behind a queen, a plentiful food supply, and a few nurse bees to care for the remaining immature bees. There is often a combination of environmental factors and other stresses to consider when determining what has a significant effect on bee declines, including humanity's negative impacts.

Honey bee stressors and a link to learn more.

  • Use of pesticides

  • Stress due to management practices

  • Varroa destructor mites

  • Israeli Acute Paralysis virus and the Nosema parasite

  • Climate change and habitat loss

  • Not enough food or poor nutrition

If you enjoyed this blog please feel free to comment below. I read every inspiration that comes my way. Subscribe if you like this blog. Thank you. - Kim


A Little Buzz: Check out The Bee and the Wasp Vintage Rentals. Introducing a Boutique Rental Company specializing in Vintage, Boho, and Rustic looks. Upcycling and reuse are always good for the environment, so for your next event consider rentals as an alternative to new decor. The bees will thank you.


Vintage sofa on lawn
Pink Zinnia with Bee in the Center

Pink Dahlia with honey bee

If you’re a blogger, what’s your favorite SEO Tool? I’ve had much keyword success with RankIQ. Learn more here. This post contains affiliate links which means I make a small commission at no further cost to you. Thank you very much.

Read More
EVENTS, STYLE Studio Sprig EVENTS, STYLE Studio Sprig

10 Ideas for an Eco-Friendly Event or Wedding

10 Ideas for an Eco-Friendly Event or Wedding

Wedding boutonniere in little glass jar with heart tag

Boutonniere design by Studio Sprig. Flower Farm Southern Pines at Cornerstone Farm. Photography by Karmapants

There is so much that goes into planning any event large or small, and remembering to keep things simple and reduce your carbon footprint may be your most difficult challenge. Did you know that the average wedding produces a massive 400 pounds of garbage and 63 tons of CO2? It's not surprising to me, having worked in the industry for over 25 years, but it is disappointing.

The good news is that there are many eco-friendly ideas you can implement when planning your next event if you don’t want to contribute to that excessive waste. Whether it's your wedding day, or just a big day celebration, always considering your environment and your carbon footprint is very important.

First, try breaking your event down into manageable bites by making two lists: "must-haves" and "can live without". You'll quickly find that it's not as difficult as you may have thought and sorting now helps to simplify everything later. Here are ten things to closely consider when planning your day.

1. Consider a Micro event

When creating your guest list, remember it's quality, not quantity that matters. Good news, some of the most special events are very intimate affairs. Although the word micro doesn't only have to describe your guest list, there are plenty of ways to "Go Micro" for the environment, and still have a sizable guest list.

2. Hire an event Planner

At first, an event planner, 'day of', or coordinator might seem like an extravagance that you can't afford, but hiring an event or wedding planner may prove to be your best decision overall, and here's why. Planners plan all day, every day. They know the venues, the entertainment, and all of the little idiosyncracies that might trip you up along the way. They can save you a lot of time, wedding waste, aggravation, money, and especially all that running around. So don't rule them out before you begin. Consider your location, time availability, and energy level. Where are your efforts best allocated?

Venue Hotel Du Village. Flower design by Studio Sprig. Flower Farm Cultivating Joy Flowers. Photography by Elle Studios

3. find A Beautiful Venue

When hunting for a venue, it's a good idea to open your eyes wide and focus on everything, not just capacity and catering options. Look in every corner of the interior, entryways, hallways, bathrooms, and outside in the gardens, parking lots, and all around the grounds where your guests may wander. Take it all in, because this is one area you can really save a bundle.

We all know what it can cost to decorate an empty social hall, school, or ill-styled restaurant. Sure, the price may be fine and they may provide you with tables and chairs, but is that enough? Chances are you'll need to provide all of your own linens, centerpieces, flower embellishments, arches, favors, candles, and sometimes even food. The list can go on forever. But some more inclusive venues provide most of those things and provide you with the proper ambiance that wipes all of the other items off of your list.

Take this gorgeous barn, for instance. It belongs to a good friend of mine and requires minimal embellishment to make it really pop for a small-medium event.

Inside of barn with party tables and lights

A micro-event at Southern Pines at Cornerstone Farm.

Beautiful venues really focus on visual impact. When touring, take a good look around outside because so many venues have beautifully landscaped grounds and gardens that need no embellishment at all. The decore is built-in. In fact, adding decor can actually take away from the natural beauty that is already there. In some cases, you can host your entire event in a garden space and not need to purchase anything to enhance the event. The flowers and greenery are already all around you! And be inquisitive, many venues today offer a room full of rentable decor, candle votives, large flower planters, and other items for your tables Some even offer these items to customers free of charge. Always ask the venue coordinator, you may be surprised by what they already have and are willing to provide. This is always a better option than buying everything new if you are only intending on using it for one day.


Bride and groom walking out of covid wedding ceremony on farm

Flower design by Studio Sprig. Flower Farm Southern Pines at Cornerstone Farm. Photography by Littlewing Studios

Here is a peek into Cassia & Justin's green wedding on a beautiful farm property in East Greenville, PA. The wedding took place during covid and the couple did a wonderful job creating a micro event that mimicked an old country wedding. After a couple’s photo session next to the barn and in the fields, everyone walked from the outdoor ceremony up the small hill to the reception which was inside a glass-enclosed mini barn. Most guests stayed overnight on the property at the Inn, just a few steps away. The reception decor was simple and consisted of buckets of fresh flowers and herbs which the bride and maids placed onto three unique micro cakes and into small glass bottles. Photography courtesy of Littlewing Studios.

simple white cake with sprigs of fresh flowers and herbs

Herbs grown by Studio Sprig. Flower Farm Southern Pines at Cornerstone Farm. Photography by Littlewing Studios


4. beg, borrow or thrift

If your event is repeated and let's say you host annually, then I'd suggest just purchasing the linens and other necessary items once, and using them as much as possible, but if renting or borrowing is available to you and that makes more sense, then do it.

When searching for vases, candle holders, or other tableware, I suggest always starting at consignment or thrift shops. Antiques are always nicer than new and giving these items a second look is commendable and very green.

I also always encourage my clients to borrow. It’s likely a friend or family member has just the thing you are looking for. Over the years I’ve created many centerpiece arrangements using cherished family heirlooms as the vessel. Delicate teacups, a vintage bottle collection, you name it. Added bonus: there’s often a sentimental story attached to these pieces and guests enjoy hearing it.

5. Host an event At Home

Don't underestimate the space you have right under your nose. This idea always scares people, but using your own home is an easy way to reduce your costs tremendously if cost is a concern. You do not need large furniture or vast spaces to entertain at home. Honestly, I've hosted many events here on our farm both outside in the yard, and inside in our four small lower-level rooms. Our home is not big because it's 172 years old and the rooms were designed to keep people warm and close. But because we always knew we loved to entertain, we made a few good renovation choices over the years and they have helped us achieve this goal successfully.

Many of us have incorporated a patio or deck into our outdoor landscapes. These areas are always great choices for hosting a warm-weather event. I've hosted many events on our very small deck with a round iron table that only seats 4! Truth be told I bought that table at a yard sale, 23 years ago. No matter, because it still works great and when I need more seating, I just add smaller cafe tables, benches, and bars made from old barn doors (all purchased on the Facebook marketplace) to accommodate guests. Miscellaneous ensembles can make our deck look like an eclectic cafe and I'm okay with that vibe.

Windy Hill Long white table on lawn

As for the lawn space, I try to use most of that too. If our event is larger and I need lots more seating, I just rent long tables and chairs from our local rental store. They rent for the entire weekend so I can sometimes squeeze two parties out of one rental. It's relatively inexpensive to rent and very easy because I do not have to worry about storing anything.

6. Stay Local

Choose your event space or wedding venue wisely. The environment is always impacted by where you chose to host. If you want your guests to fly to a destination wedding, for instance, this will undoubtedly affect the sustainability of your event. But driving long distances may as well. There are creative ways you can keep everyone local so they almost don't need to travel at all.

New Orleans Second Line Parade

Source: The Knot

Take for example the New Orleans Second Line Wedding Parade, a brass band processional tradition that predates the Civil War. Modern couples incorporate this historic custom into their wedding to give homage to their New Orleans roots. In this tradition, the brass band leads guests on foot from the wedding venue to the reception venue. Now, you'd need for your venues to be near enough, but even if you don't hire an escort band, you could incorporate an eco-friendly l between-venue walk, also popular with rural weddings long ago. And if you have a family member with limited mobility, come up with a cherished way to honor them in your foot parade.

7. eco-conscious sourcing

Casual Biodegrading

If your event calls for more casual, disposable serving products like plates, utensils, and napkins it's best to always choose biodegradable materials instead of plastic. Not only will you have less waste, but you won't contribute to the pounds of trash that most events do.

But don't worry going green does not mean you are not limited to paper goods. There are so many sustainable options today. Below I’ve compiled a list of natural sources with links to compostable dinnerware you can order for your next event. I hope you find a sustainable alternative that fits your style.

White sofa and chairs with a green arborvitae background

Photo courtesy of Maggpie Rentals

Glamorous Renting
Consider renting fancy dishware and glassware instead of buying everything. This opens up the door to an extra level of glam, while still impacting the environment in a positive way.

And did you know you can easily rent almost anything you need? For instance, the seating ensemble above, and many others can be rented from Maggpie in Boyertown, PA. If you have an empty space to fill or just need an interesting backdrop, shop the exact look you want and rent it! Here is a list of other beautiful and off-beat rental options you may not have known about.

A Family Tree Wedding Invitation Suite

Design by Studio Sprig. Handmade Paper Porridge Papers. Eco-Conscious Printer Bucks Digital. Twig from backyard.

Sustainable Stationery

When considering your event stationery needs, it's best to always use recycled or handmade paper and nontoxic inks - or search for sustainable or eco-friendly graphic designers and printers like Bucks Digital, in your area if you are not the DIY type. And if you love to DIY, a great paper source is Greenfield Paper Co. from California. They have reinvented the age-old tradition of creating fine paper without cutting down trees. Green Field Paper Company offers three lines of recycled papers that integrate post-consumer pulp with non-traditional additives such as seeds, hemp, coffee chaff, denim, junk mail, and garlic skins! All of their products are made in the USA and they do not use any dyes or bleach. Earth pigments are used to color the papers and all of their seed paper contains non-GMO non-invasive seeds. Or Porridge Papers, my source in the design above, whose owner Christopher once produced a single custom sheet that was sent to Martha Stewart and another order of  2.2 million pieces embedded with lettuce seeds for Kraft Foods. Using seeded and plantable paper is really cool, good for the environment, and a way to save the “memory” of your event.

8. Stay in Season

Flowers

If you choose to incorporate beautiful flowers or plants into your event design, always try to stay in season. Seasonal blooms have always been the goal of Studio Sprig for many reasons. First of all, they are much fresher and much more beautiful, in my opinion. Many times they are harvested one or maybe only two days before your event. This means they not only look their best, but they will hold up longer if you want to repurpose them afterward. Staying in season is so good for the environment because you are using what nature is already providing instead of forcing growth in greenhouses far away in climates more suitable. Here is a nice guide for choosing flowers by season.

Food & Drink

Building your menu around the seasons is such a smart idea. Tomatoes always taste better in summer. We all know this. Staying in season and trying to use local farms eliminates the need to transport food long distances at great cost. Most chefs would jump at the chance to create a menu with only seasonal ingredients, and if you are preparing the food and drink yourself, here are two helpful books.

 
 

9. Grow Your Own flowers

When it comes to your event or wedding flowers, there are plenty of sustainable flower farmers you can choose from. Some of them have designers on the premises while others contract the service.

Another good option might be to plan ahead and grow your own. This is much easier if you're planning a micro event or a larger event with less need for custom flowers and greens. But if you or someone you know is an avid gardener, this endeavor could be very rewarding. If you do decide to do this, however, I’d recommend a backup plan just in case. Weather and pests are obstacles to be aware of. This book by Floret’s Erin Benzakein is a well-organized guide to growing your own.

Flower Grower giving a tour of her dahlia field in bucks county, pa

Ann Hayes of Southern Pines at Cornerstone Farm gives a tour of her dahlia fields.

And did you know you can also hire local farmers to grow flowers for you? I work with several growers willing to do this if they have enough lead time and can grow what the event requires in the correct season. And when local farmers grow your flowers you have the peace of mind that the job will get done right and if they do run into a problem on your special day, they are most likely to have a surplus of other varieties for you to choose from and/or the connections to get what you need.

Cool idea: Hosting a tour of the flower farm growing your event flowers is a unique way to bring a small group from your event together. It’s a fabulous setting for an outdoor bridal shower or with this tour you can create an educational precursor for an eco-friendly fundraising event.

 
 

10. Donate whenever possible

Food
One great way to avoid a lot of food waste after your catered event is to donate your leftover food to a local church, animal shelter, food bank, or homeless shelter. You'd need to follow food safety guidelines of course and ask your caterer if they have a process in place for this already, but if they do not here are some links that may help you find what you are looking for.

Decor & Flowers
Donations of decor are also appreciated greatly. Perhaps you know you'll never use 200 votive candle holders again or you just don't have space for the 25 vases you accumulated. There's probably a bride out there somewhere who would love to recycle your glass jars for you. Or maybe some local hospitals could use a few fresh floral arrangements for their lobby this week. One of the easiest ways to resell your lightly used decor is on the Facebook marketplace.


bride standing against a wall with white lisianthus floral bouquet

Flower design by Studio Sprig. Flower Farm Detweiler Homestead. Photography by Taylor Cotilla

Enjoy this glimpse of Lindsay & Jordan's late summer wedding. Lindsay requested a pure white, sustainable bridal bouquet so I chose to work with one of my local favorites, white lisianthus. These focal flowers were grown on the reputable Detweiler Homestead Farm originally in Telford, PA, and they were accented with greens harvested from Bloom Flower Farm, originally from Hilltown, PA. A bridal, one bridesmaid bouquet, several boutonnieres, and cake flowers were the complete floral order for this beautiful, micro event.


Thank you for reading this blog, Please comment below and share your thoughts and suggestions. I’ve included some great resources below. Just click the image for your convenience. If you enjoyed this blog and would like to sign up please join our subscriber list here.

 
 
 
 

This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. For questions about this blog, please contact  Kim@kimbensingdesign.com. If you’re a blogger, what’s your favorite SEO Tool? I’ve had much keyword success with RankIQ. Learn more here. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you. This blog does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest.

Read More

Hi, I’m Kim. Welcome to Studio Sprig.

Kim Bensing’s original watercolors and designs are now available on wallpaper and fabric. To order visit Studio Sprig’s design library on Spoonflower. Contact me if you need assistance.