Small Business Spotlight: A Bushel & a Peck

Every now and again, our Editors discover something on social media that's simply remarkable! Something that just makes us feel warm and inspired! That's how it was when these sweet, flower-filled mason jars started showing up in our Facebook feed earlier this year. We tracked down the creator, Jenni Fisher, to find out more about her home-grown (literally) business, and we were delighted to learn about A Bushel & A Peck, a Woodlands-based small business that brings fresh, locally grown flowers to you!

Meet Jenni Fisher, Owner:

Tell us about your business:

A Bushel & A Peck is a small-scale, local flower grower in The Woodlands. Every flower we grow is carefully chosen for success in our climate, hand-planted, pinched and harvested by us from our local gardens. With our boutique flowers, we make sweet mason jar bouquets and deliver them free of charge and contactless to your front door. Locally grown flowers means our customers will always receive fresh-cut flowers that are straight from the field to the jar.

How did you get started?

I have always loved gardening and especially growing flowers and shopping for local flowers at Farmer’s Markets. When I noticed none of the farmer’s markets in our area were selling local flowers, my wheels started spinning! I started doing tons of research on growing flowers locally and what would thrive in our climate. I turned every sunny spot in our yard into a raised garden and got a plot at The Woodlands community garden. I bought seeds for all the flowers I learned would flourish in our climate, got to planting and waited patiently!

This spring when everything started to bloom, I started putting together what I had grown. I arranged my flowers in a small mason jar and very nervously posted a photo to my friends on Facebook and the rest is history! I think the business really took off because all of my flowers started blooming just as everyone was forced to stay at home. At the time, our customers were so happy to get a pretty jar of flowers delivered to their porch to brighten their home or to surprise a friend with during a tough, weird time in our community.

How much time do you spend each week working your business?

It really depends on what time of year it is. In the fall, there’s lots of researching and planning for the spring crop and planting seeds. In the spring and summer, each day is spent taking orders, harvesting flowers and designing the bouquets. Since we are still quite small-scale, I spend on average about 2 hours/day on the business whether it’s out in the garden or working on educating myself on pests and funguses or doing business planning and marketing.

Do you have any special tips for balancing family life and work?

I think the biggest tip is to set aside a certain time for your “work” and stick to it. I can easily get caught up in front of the computer with hearts in my eyes looking at new flower varieties, but if I set aside a certain amount of time to focus on the business in the morning before my kids wake up or after dinner when everyone is doing their own thing, that seems to work out best. Luckily, my kids are at the age that I can include them in a lot that I do. I drag them to the garden with me to help with watering and also take them on deliveries. My husband is becoming an expert on soil health and flower harvesting as well!

What motivates you?

A passion for what I do. For me, it’s easy to be motivated because I’m doing something I truly love and I think that’s the real secret to success. I love being outside even when it’s 104 degrees, getting my hands dirty, seeing what the garden will give me each day and putting a smile on my customer’s faces.

What do you consider to be your biggest strength?

Patience! At least when it comes to A Bushel & A Peck. Flowers definitely don’t appear over night and it’s not as easy as just throwing some seeds in the dirt and arranging pretty flowers in a jar. Some days you’ll expect an armful and you’ll only get a handful and all you can do is patiently wait until the next day or week or month!

What would you like to be doing five years from now?

In 5 years I would love to be farming and harvesting from more land. More space means more flowers and I’d love to be spending my Saturday mornings selling flowers at a market in our community.

What makes your business stand out?

We are a small, neighborhood business that is selling unique, local flowers you can’t find at the grocery store or from a local florist. Every bouquet that we put together is unique and grown for Texas weather and made especially for our customer and really is a labor of love more than anything else. We often run out of flowers, but that is part of the business – we can only do with what Mother Nature gives us each week!

What's your advice to other moms who want to start their own business?

Just do it – no idea is too small! Take something you love to do and make it into an opportunity to serve your community. Don’t rush into it, do your homework, make a list, bounce ideas off your friends (only supportive ones!), put yourself out there, utilize your network and just start somewhere!

Can you suggest any websites related to your line of work that our readers might enjoy visiting?

Texas Gardener – specific gardening information for our climate

Montgomery County Master Gardeners – offers classes on becoming a garden expert

Old Farmer’s Almanac – tips for gardening, getting rid of pests, weather, etc.

My business websites:

**COMING THIS WINTER**

How can our readers contact you?

To order flowers, please message me through my Facebook page - A Bushel and A Peck - with how many bouquets you’d like and what day you need them delivered. Our website will be done this winter where ordering will be more seamless!