Episode 753: Ten Years Later, Revisiting the Story of Stars of the Meadow Flower Farm with Marybeth Wehrung

https://youtu.be/aGuwB5HbiKs?si=-4q1L4xSFOv9DCys There’s an Instagram trend going around as we flash back to 2016, sharing highlights from one decade ago. Today’s episode does just that, as I reunite with Hudson Valley farmer-florist Marybeth Wehrung of Stars of the Meadow Flower Farm. In 2016, I visited Marybeth, toured her farm, and interviewed her about the emerging local floral scene in her region. Today, many of those dreams of creating a hub for seasonal and sustainably-grown flowers have come to life. Learn how Marybeth has manifested a more sustainable future for her farm by finding new and larger land and negotiating a 10-year lease, which ensures stability and allows for growth into on-farm retail and higher-value crops. It’s a fun reunion and I’m so happy to share it with you today. Marybeth Wehrung of Stars of the Meadow Flower Farm in Stone Ridge, New York Based in Stone Ridge, New York, Stars of the Meadow Flower Farm offers locally and sustainably grown specialty cut flowers and foliage to market goers, florists, event designers, retailers and DIY Wedding couples in the mid-Hudson Valley. Inspired by permaculture, biodynamics, and regenerative agriculture, Marybeth Wehrung and her team grow over 60 seasonal varieties of lush, vibrant blooms, foliage, and herbs on just over one queer-femme-powered acre.   The vibrant and prolific flower fields at Stars of the Meadow Flower Farm Stars of the Meadow uses organic, no-till methods to grow flowers on a human scale, without machinery. Marybeth has made it her mission to grow high quality floral material to contribute towards a regional floral supply, and to provide an alternative to the chemically driven global floral trade. Marybeth is a farmer-florist whose designs are seasonal and stunning! A few weeks ago, Marybeth and I were able to reunite while in Albuquerque to attend the ASCFG conference. What a treat to see her again and to reminisce about the trajectory that has propelled Stars of the Meadow over the past decade. While Marybeth has farmed for about 15 years, she transitioned from growing veggies and medicinal herbs to cut flower farming about 12 years ago. Stars of the Meadow has come so far and I loved catching up with her story. Find and follow Stars of the Meadow on Instagram and Facebook Last Day to Grab Your Slow Flowers Summit Registration!! Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit 2026 speaker lineup Today, Wednesday, January 28th, is the final day that you can register for the Slow Flowers WORLDWIDE Summit. We are super excited to “go live” with the 10 hours of floral education starting this Friday, January 30th. There is still time to get in on the action – if you grab your registration by midnight Pacific Time today – and join more than one hundred attendees at our two-day online conference. The program includes 13 amazing speakers who will share their flower growing, design, and business expertise. If you’ve been sitting on the fence, here is just one more nudge to prompt you to register. Use LETSDOTHIS for a last-minute 10% discount on all ticket levels. Remember, Slow Flowers members already receive $50 off their registration and all registrants with US addresses will receive a spring-flowering tree from our lead sponsor, My Patio Tree – a $199 value, which means attending the Summit practically pays for itself! One more reminder. The sessions will be available for replay for three months, through the end of April, so you can watch at your leisure and rewatch to capture all the information our instructors will share. Last Chance - Save 10% Off with LETSDOTHIS promo code for the Slow Flowers Summit 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. A special thank you and welcome to our newest major sponsor, My Patio Tree. My Patio Tree provides Expertly Grown Plants, Perfectly Designed to Elevate Your Garden. This second-generation family tree farm has curated the best-performing, cutting-edge, multi-zone varieties to enhance your garden, patio or special event. Every tree purchased supports Plant With Purpose, a nonprofit organization that restores hope by reversing global poverty and environmental damage. Learn more at mypatiotree.com. And thank you to the Association of Specialty Cut Flowers. The ASCFG is a gathering place for specialty cut flower growers of all levels of experience. It is a hub of knowledge, where seasoned experts and budding enthusiasts come together to learn, share, and support one another. The ASCFG is dedicated to empowering its members with the knowledge and resources needed to thrive in the world of cut flower farming. From educational workshops and conferences to online resources and publications, they provide a wealth of information and support for all things related to growing exceptional cut flowers. Learn more about the ASCFG and how to be a part of it at www.ascfg.org! 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; Vessel Oneby 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