Coyote Flower Farm and Design Studio
Est. 2021
Jessica Jones is a flower farmer, teacher, and designer based in Hood River, Oregon. A former Design Director of Color at Nike, she led natural dye and sustainable color practices within the company. Inspired to live a flower-filled life, she is a full-time organic flower farmer and her design studio specialises in workshops and goods including floral arrangements, natural dye linens and handmade ceramics.
Coyote Farm Studio is about growing flowers, creativity and community. With every seed planted, every bloom harvested, she's in awe of the joy, magic and beauty it will bring to others.
Hi I'm Jess of Coyote Farm Studio. As humans we often have a vision or an idea, and we set out to make it reality. In the case of Coyote Flower Farm, it was the opposite, the land had the idea, I just became the tool to bring it into reality.
Thoughts Become Things
In 2021, our neighbor was sharing childhood memories of running through the apple orchards that once filled the fields around our home. The trees had been planted at the turn of the century and were active up until the 1960s when the land was subdivided into rural residential 2.5 acre lots. As I tried to imagine the grassy acres in front of me as lush orchards heavy with fruits and kids climbing trees, a little seed began growing in my heart.
That seed nagged at me for weeks and began to take root. Although I had never grown anything more than a few vegetables in a raised bed, I felt inspired to bring our field into something more. I decided I would grow Marigolds, in honor of my mother. I spent the winter of 2022 studying the art, science, and business of flower farming with Erin and Jill of Floret Flower Farm. As a mom of twin toddlers working a full-time job, the extra 120 hours that school required didn't come easy; with late nights, strong coffee, and the support of my husband, I completed the course. It felt good to learn something new in my early 40's and by the time the snow started thawing I couldn't wait to start.
We had 2.5 acres of weeds and gophers, but we had good dirt and access to clean mountain-fed river water for irrigation. We tilled, composted, and with the generous help of a neighbor's tractor, we prepped 5,000 sq ft of field. I started seedlings for the first time, (half of them looked dismal) but I was proud. I watched and waited, not sure if anything would grow. And then things started to happen. By July, what once was a quiet field was now a place of beauty and life. By August, color took over, seemingly endless bouquets were shared and every bloom felt like I was holding the universe in my hand. The field was transformed into an ecosystem alive with chirping birds and buzzing with bees, croaking frogs, and shy snakes. And then the season was over but I was officially hooked.
FIRST TILL IN -2022
FIELD PREPPED AND IRRIGATION LAID- 2022
FIRST YEAR SEEDLINGS- 2022
JUNE 2022
JULY 2022
AUGUST 2022
First Year Breadseed Poppy
Buplerum
First Year Dahlia and Zinnia Harvest
Breadseed Poppy Pods
A Soulful Obsession
For our second season, I built a workshop and doubled the size of the field. With the skilful help of my dad, we built a flower stand and I began selling flowers to local florists and the public. I hosted the first round of natural dye workshops from flowers grown on the farm. Working my full-time day job, raising twins... the flower farm should have felt like too much, but obsession does funny things to logical reasoning.
WORKSHOP 2023
Farm Stand 2023
Just Keep Growing
Some people call your second career, your second mountain. It's the mountain you climb with a bit more intention, a bit more understanding of yourself, and of what your life needs. Going into my third season, I left my first mountain (my job) with a deep gratitude and turned toward a new mountain dotted with flowers and fresh lessons to learn.
My husband and friends still ask what my plan is. The truth is, it's not a traditional business plan built on a rigid goal, it's a fluid and alive thing, a commitment to keep moving toward the mountain and letting the idea seed tell me where to grow.
What I realized in my first season is what continues to motivate me today; that growing flowers is growing community. With every seed planted I'm encouraged by the joy and beauty it will bring. I hope you'll join me on the journey.
