Our Story

My name is Abie. I grew up on this farm. I've always loved simply being outside and appreciating the beauty of nature. Some of my earliest and fondest memories are of playing outside in the field where our flowers now bloom. When I was in grade school, I loved to help my mom while she worked in her gardens. It was here that my interest in horticulture took root and, eventually, became my life's passion.

 

As I continued to grow, so did my interest in all things horticultural. I went to Michigan State University where I earned a degree in Landscape Architecture. After graduation I moved to Chicago and embarked on an incredible sixteen year career as a landscape architect. I was fortunate to be able to work with and learn from some of the most renowned and accomplished architects, designers, and horticulturists of our time. What began as a simple love of plants, the outdoors, and getting dirt under my fingernails grew into an opportunity to travel the world designing incredible outdoor spaces for both private and public projects ranging from cozy backyard retreats to coastal estates and private tropical resorts. 

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It was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and one that I will always cherish. But in 2016, I was ready for a change. I left my full time job that summer to spend more time with my family and run our residential real estate business. During this time, I also reconnected with my passion for plants, flowers, and the outdoors. Once again, I got to feel the joy that had led me to choose my career in the first place. I quickly caught the flower growing bug and dove head first into researching and learning everything I could about flower farming.

 

As with anything, when you look a little deeper past the pretty surface of the end product you find all the details and challenges that go into bringing it to life. So I decided to start by growing a small plot at my mother's farm, to make sure I really liked the farming and not just the flowers. The more I did the more I learned. The more I learned, the deeper my interest grew. All of the intricacies and variables and puzzles to solve just got my wheels turning more and more. 

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This year our farm has grown to more than three times its size when I began. Over the past few years, I have enlisted the help of my charming husband, delightful daughters, generous parents and friendly neighbors. They have all been invaluable to getting Foxtail up and running. I feel incredibly fortunate not only to have found my passion, but that in following it, it has brought me closer to home, family, and all of the things I love in life. I look forward to sharing the beauty and joy of our flowers with you and your family.