Founded in 2019, Sam and Dan started Cassiopeia Farm with a vision to grow the most beautiful flowers with the least amount of impact. That’s a mission Field Guide feels inspired by, so we were thrilled to get the duo scheduled into the 4th annual festival this April. We grabbed a few moments with Sam and Dan about their sustainability efforts and how we can all support them.
Field Guide: Can you tell us more about your flower farmstand and processes flowers?
Cassiopeia Team: Our farmstand is on our farm in Southeast Austin-we’re about two miles south of McKinney Falls State Park. We’re open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9-12, during our harvest season. We aim to serve our surrounding community by offering a wide selection of flowers that are unique and long lasting! Our flower selection is constantly changing and it’s a really beautiful way to experience the seasons.
Field Guide: What are the values that you hope your customers and also Field Guide attendees learn when they purchase flowers from you?
Cassiopeia Team: We really aim to farm as gently as we can. Meaning we try to make the best possible decision we can when factoring in everything that can be impacted by our decisions. From our farm’s ecosystem (which includes birds, insects, reptiles and more!), our watershed, the folks that handle and touch the flowers (florists and farmstand folks!), and our employees’ wellbeing. Building biodiversity and being respectful of the land we use are our number one priorities, always. We practice no-till techniques, we focus on a diverse cover crop mix, we grow crops that have low(er) water needs, and we’re aiming to focus a lot of the farm on Texas native plants that make great cut flowers (and don’t need many inputs)!
Field Guide: Can you share the story behind your farm’s name and how it connects to your mission?
Cassiopeia Team: Our farm is named after my childhood cat. She was named after the constellation, not the vain queen in Greek mythology. While I’m proud of our flower quality and our ethos, I try to stay a little more humble than she was. 😉
Field Guide: What’s currently in bloom for spring?
Cassiopeia Team: Currently, our high tunnels are full of snapdragons, ranunculus and sweet peas. Soon we’ll be transitioning to field crops like foxglove, scabiosa, Texas native flowers that we cultivate and more!
Field Guide: What’s the best way for the community to support you?
Cassiopeia Team: Some great ways to support us is to swing by our farmstand, tell your friends or neighbors about us and follow us on social media (or even leave us a positive Google review!). More than anything though, support any and all local flower farmers because it helps build demand and community around local flowers. And that’s a good thing for everyone!
Follow Sam and Dan’s journey with Cassiopeia Farm on their Instagram @CassiopeiaFarm to learn more about their farming practices and see when the farmstand is open to pick up your own fresh cut stems. All Field Guide attendees will also have the opportunity to takeaway a bunch at the festival on April 27!