Episode 745: Rachel Burgoon of Feathers & Flowers in Washington’s Wenatchee Valley

https://youtu.be/LBywkd_2XK8?si=ZHwpJ8cUm23yV4cS Feathers & Flowers is a small, family-run, flower farm growing seasonal, sustainable, and local flowers in Wenatchee, Washington. The farm’s cute logo includes an illustration of a KuneKune pig, a few chickens, and of course, a vase of flowers. I recently visited Feathers & Flowers as Rachel Burgoon’s guest at the first annual grower and florist gathering for the greater Wenatchee Valley. As a natural connector, Rachel says she’s long dreamed of bringing together her region’s floral professionals – growers and florists alike. With no agenda other than an end-of-season social opportunity to “ditch the harvest buckets and clippers for an evening and celebrate a successful growing season,” the event drew nearly 40 people from more than a 50-mile radius. I made the 2-1/2-hour drive to join this welcoming event where together, we experienced a chance to unwind, talk shop, and share notes on what worked (and perhaps what didn’t) this season, and explore future collaborations for the coming year. Join me for a walking tour of Feathers & Flowers, followed by an interview with Rachel. And learn how she creates community through her flowers. Feathers & Flowers Wenatchee It has been great getting to know Rachel Burgoon of Feathers & Flowers, today’s guest. We first met in person when Rachel attended the 2023 Slow Flowers Summit in Bellevue, Washington, and she has been an active Slow Flowers member in the subsequent years. I love the section devoted to the Slow Flowers Movement on Feathers & Flowers’ website. It includes this statement: “Beyond the beauty, there's a story. Our flowers are grown with care, hand-picked at their peak, and arranged with a personal touch. We believe in building community through the simple joy of flowers, offering you a direct connection to the fields and the hands that nurtured them. When you choose our local blooms, you're not just buying flowers; you're supporting a dream, a passion, and a commitment to our shared home.” Feathers & Flowers with a gorgeous dahlia in the foreground; chicken coop in the background (plus a rainbow in the sky!) The genesis of today’s episode is deeply rooted in Rachel’s commitment to her region and her community. As you’ll hear in our conversation, I recently visited the Wenatchee Valley – located on the East Side of Washington State – via a drive made over the Cascade Mountain Range into the agricultural region known as the apple-growing capital of the U.S.  Rachel had invited me to attend the first gathering of growers and florists in the region and it was inspiring to see the energy and engagement of creatives who are focused on supporting local floral agriculture. Rachel Burgoon, founder of Feathers & Flowers For Rachel, her husband Theo, and their young children, raising animals as pets and growing food for their table is as important as their small business of cultivating rows and rows of specialty cut flowers. As Rachel says, “our animals bring us closer as a family and give our kids the knowledge and strength it takes to care for others.” CSA Bouquets from Feathers & Flowers Thanks so much for joining me today! The evening in Wenatchee introduced me to fellow flower growers both emerging and established, to some of the florists who are building their brands on floral design with locally-grown flowers, and to the potential for this area of the Pacific Northwest that’s known for tourism and destination weddings. We were hosted by Rachel’s friend Sarah Armour of the Armour Wines Tasting Room, keeping it all local-agriculture focused. Find and follow Armour Wines Tasting Room here. At the beginning of the evening, Karen MacPhail of Lilies of the Valley, a local nonprofit, introduced attendees to her organization’s volunteer-run initiative to repurpose wedding and event flowers to support patients and other local recipients. Find and follow Lilies of the Valley here. Follow Feathers & Flowers on Instagram and Facebook Cyberweek Gift with Registration : Slow Flowers Summit Coming up soon, you are invited to join us at the 2026 Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit, taking place ONLINE January 30-31. We’re continuing with CyberWeek with something extra special! Purchase your Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit ticket between December 1–7, and our lead sponsor, MyPatioTree.com, will send you a patio-ready flowering tree (value $199) as a complimentary gift this spring. MyPatioTree.com grows premium patio-sized ornamental trees: compact, elegant standards designed to bring beauty and structure to any small space. Grown on a third-generation family nursery in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, these exceptional trees are known as the “gold standard of standards,” and we know you’ll love yours. Each one ships directly from the farm so it arrives fresh to your door for an effortless, elevated outdoor experience. After you register, you’ll receive a link in January to claim your free tree. If you’ve already purchased your ticket, you’re automatically included. Click here to register and reserve your flowering tree! Thank you to our Sponsors This show is brought to you by slowflowers.com, the free, online directory to more than 700 florists, shops, and studios who design with local, seasonal and sustainable flowers and to the farms that grow those blooms. It’s the conscious choice for buying and sending flowers. Thank you to our lead sponsor, Flowerbulb.eu and their U.S. lily bulb vendors. One of the most recognizable flowers in the world, the lily is a top-selling cut flower, offering long-lasting blooms, year-round availability, and a dazzling petal palette. Flowerbulb.eu has partnered with Slow Flowers to provide beautiful lily inspiration and farming resources to help growers and florists connect their customers with more lilies. Learn more at Flowerbulb.eu. Thank you to Johnny's Selected Seeds, an employee-owned company that provides our industry the best flower, herb and vegetable seeds -- supplied to farms large and small and even backyard cutting gardens like mine. Find the full catalog of flower seeds and bulbs at johnnyseeds.com. Thank you to A-ROO Company, your one-stop shop for in-stock floral packaging. From sleeves and wraps to labels and tags, visit www.a-roo.com for their full selection of eco-friendly items or to start the process of developing a look that is uniquely yours. Thank you for joining me today! The Slow Flowers Podcast is a member-supported endeavor, downloaded more than 1.5 million times by listeners like you. Thank you for listening, commenting and sharing – it means so much. As our movement gains more supporters and more passionate participants who believe in the importance of our domestic cut flower industry, the momentum is contagious. I know you feel it, too. If you’re new to our weekly Show and our long-running Podcast, check out all of our resources at SlowFlowersSociety.com. Thank you for listening! Sending love, from my cutting garden to you! (c) Missy Palacol Photography I'm Debra Prinzing, host and producer of the Slow Flowers Show & Podcast. The Slow Flowers Podcast is engineered and edited by Andrew Brenlan. The content and opinions expressed here are either mine alone or those of my guests alone, independent of any podcast sponsor or other person, company or organization. Next week, you're invited to join me in putting more Slow Flowers on the table, one stem, one vase at a time. Thanks so much for joining us today and I'll see you next week! Music credits: Drone Pine; Gaena; Wristwatchby Blue Dot Sessionshttp://www.sessions.blue Lovelyby Tryad http://tryad.bandcamp.com/album/instrumentalshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ In The Fieldaudionautix.com