If you go and look up Fields of Faith Flower Farm on Instagram and go to the profile page you will read these words–"Fresh Cut Flower Farm. Raising Chickens. Flowers. Little Boys. Living on a Little Bit of Land and a Whole Lot of Faith.”
Located in Harmony, Fields of Faith Flower Farm is a small cut flower farm, offering bouquets of flowers at their roadside stand, subscription flower services, and fresh eggs from pasture raised and organic, non-GMO feed chickens. Owner Kayla Shook has been farming for two years and prior to that she worked as a nurse for seven years. She is a wife, Mama to two boys--ages four and an 18-month old, flower farmer, chicken farmer, and an occasional soloist at her church when she can control her jitters.
“It kinda happened,” Kayla said. “I wanted my two boys to be outside and it gives us something to do together. We all love being outside. We started with chickens and as I was looking for extra income I expanded growing the flowers. I like sharing them with the community.”
Kayla currently runs a Saturday roadside farm stand, selling bouquets of flowers, farm-fresh eggs, and started a flower subscription service this year.
“Last year I sold a little bit,” explained Kayla. “We have got the word out a little more this year. We posted some ads on Facebook and other places. I thought this year if nothing much sells I will try to take the flowers to florist shops. But I am selling now pretty often and haven’t had to do that. I’m enjoying giving to the people and to the community.”
Kayla is married to Cody Shook, who works in the medical field. Married only a month, Cody had a seizure and scans showed he had a brain tumor.
“A month after we were married he had a seizure,” Kayla said. “We went to the hospital and they did all the tests and found out he had a brain tumor. He had surgery to have it removed and went through chemo and radiation for six months or so. The doctors didn’t know if he would make it. The Lord healed him. He is an example of a walking miracle. He just had a scan a few weeks ago and it is all clear. It has been seven years now.”
Strong in her faith, Kayla decided in the very beginning she wanted the name of her farm, Fields of Faith Flower Farm to honor the Lord and her business to be grounded in her faith--serving as her testimony. And when she prays over the flowers–she prays the 5 and 2 prayer.
“I’m a believer in Jesus Christ,” Kayla shared. “I’m a Christian. My faith is based on everything. That’s how I want my business to be based on, is my faith and I like for people to know that. That’s kinda where I came up with my name. I have faith that the fields of flowers will grow and they have. I was telling my husband one day last week, it’s like the story in the Bible about the five loaves and two fish. If I seem like I don’t have enough flowers I pray Jesus will multiply them like He did with the loaves and fish. I have faith that my fields of flowers will grow and if they don’t that’s fine too. I still have my faith.”
Kayla’s grandparents are dairy farmers and farm not too far from her Fields of Faith. While growing up she worked some on the dairy farm and helped in the vegetable gardens. As a self-taught flower flower, she is learning as she goes and learning quickly, there is always something to do.
“I’ve taught myself, really, and learning as I go, and figuring it all out,” Kayla adds. “I have watched lots of videos on YouTube and following people I just found on Instagram and they post a lot of good videos.
“I guess back in the day when I was younger I didn’t really realize how much work and time it took. My husband helps me with the flowers a lot. He works full-time as an MRI tech and gets a couple days off a week. He mainly helps me with the prep work like putting out compost at the beginning, laying down plastic and weed eating around everything. He helps me with watching the kids when I need that time to get outside and do some things.
“I feel like the winter months are busier right now. Everything is planted and the rain is watering everything. All I have to do is cut and sell. That’s really the easy part. In the winter I start seeds and once they grow, I put them either in a bigger pot or soil block–water them every day and always checking on them to make sure the grow lights are the right distance away from them. And growing dahlias, there’s the work with the tuber and working with the tulip bulbs. We do all of our composting, laying down plastic, and putting up netting during this time too. So that’s a lot of work in the winter and going into the spring.”
As a flower farmer, she often gets asked the question–how do you do it all, with family, with little ones? What do you hope your children will learn growing up on a farm?
“What’s it like growing tons of flowers and raising chickens with kids?. A joyful mess!,” Kayla says. “Most days they are half-naked. Covered from head to toe in dirt, and more times than not I could curl up in a ball and cry after they have destroyed one of my dahlias or drop a whole basket of chicken eggs. But I wouldn’t have it any other way!
“You do have to find a balance–you have to balance being a wife, a Mom, and then also your work and your passion as well. It is hard work and it does take a lot of time. While I’m staying at home with my kids I want to be able to spend my time with them and still do this too (flower farming). It’s finding that balance in between.
"I just hope that they (my kids) will learn that if you put the hard work into it that you can grow anything. That the Lord will provide. It just takes time and you have to be patient. I’ve been waiting on a seed to bloom that I started in February and it just bloomed this week. It just takes patience and time and hard work and I hope that is instilled in them.”
Any type of farming or small business doesn't come without difficulties and struggles at times and Kayla has had a few, but she firmly believes and encourages others stressing, you have to start and when you fail–you start again.
“Success does not happen overnight,” Kayla points out. “It can take years to accomplish your goals and dreams, but you have to start somewhere! I’m not gonna lie. I was completely scared to start growing flowers and raising chickens as a business. I always said, I will just start next year or in the future, but the time to start is now. I took a leap of faith and dove right in. I would hate to look back and wonder what it would be like if I never would have started.
“If you fail, just get back up and try again. It takes practice and learning as you go. It’s okay to make mistakes and fail at things, but failures lead to learning and success. I’m definitely learning as I go. Plus, it’s a bonus that I actually love what I’m doing!”
When asked, what’s your future plans for Fields of Faith Flower Farm, Kayla answers with a smile, “I definitely would like to continue. Next year I would like to make the field even bigger. We have almost six acres here and we have the space. It just finding the time to do it all. In the future I would like to offer “you pick” where people can come and pick their own flowers in the summer months and maybe invite some photographers to come out–make a little wildflower patch to take photos. We have this old farm house here that’s not livable right now but there is a possibility of turning it into a storefront in the future. We are keeping an open mind and just seeing where it takes us. Praying about it, and seeing where the Lord will lead us.”
To learn more about Fields of Faith Flower Farm, hours of their farm stand and other services,
follow along on their social media pages:
https://www.facebook.com/fieldsoffaithflowerfarm
https://www.instagram.com/fieldsoffaithflowerfarm_/
You can also direct message Kayla on FB or IG.
A humble thank you to Kayla for welcoming me to her farm and sharing her story with the readers of
Farmer Rhodes’ Granddaughter
All photos are courtesy of Fields of Faith Flower Farm, unless otherwise noted.
What a beautiful family! Praying that God will richly bless their business!