Ep. 87: Starting and Scaling a Flower Farm: Jenny Rae Swan's Journey with Flowerwell

In Episode 87 of The Backyard Bouquet Podcast, Jennifer sits down with Jenny Rae Swan, founder of Flowerwell, a cut flower farm and floral design studio in Rochester, New York.

As a first-generation farmer, Jenny Rae didn’t grow up in agriculture, but she followed her pull toward flowers and built Flowerwell from a small plot on a neighboring blueberry farm into a thriving flower farm and design business. In this conversation, she shares what it really looks like to start a flower farm without a roadmap and steadily scale it over time.

Jennifer and Jenny Rae discuss:

• Starting a flower farm without farming experience
• Scaling from a small growing space to multiple acres
• Hiring and building a farm team
• Balancing the roles of farmer and florist
• Navigating growth, risk, and long-term vision
• Lessons learned from nearly a decade in business

If you’re dreaming about starting a flower farm, actively growing one, or wondering what the next level looks like, this episode offers honest insight into the realities of building something sustainable in the floral industry.

Whether you're a backyard grower or working toward full-time flower farming, Jenny Rae’s story is a reminder that growth happens season by season, and that you don’t need to have it all figured out to begin.

Connect with Jenny Rae at Flowerwell:

Website: https://www.flowerwellny.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flowerwellny

Sign up for our podcast newsletter: https://bit.ly/thefloweringfarmhousenewsletter

Join Us At The Profitable Dahlia Summit

The first-ever virtual summit focused exclusively on growing dahlias for profit is here!

Join us March 3–4, 2026 to learn from experienced dahlia growers who are selling bouquets, tubers, CSA shares, event tickets, and more — and doing it profitably.

You’ll walk away with real strategies to turn your passion into income, even if you're just getting started.

Save your spot here: https://thefloweringfarmhouse.mykajabi.com/profitabledahiliasummit/