Funding for this series is made possible by the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, a USDA-funded initiative supporting specialty crop producers.
As Oasis Gardens closes the greenhouse doors for another season, owner Monica Harris is reflecting on a milestone few small businesses achieve: 25 years serving customers in south-central Nebraska.
The seasonal greenhouse near Loomis has become a destination for gardeners looking for flowers, vegetables and hanging baskets, but Harris said its longevity is rooted in something more important than plants.
“It’s generations,” Harris said. “The children that were coming in here with their parents, they’re bringing their kids in now.”
The business grows many of its vegetable plants from seed and spends months preparing for the busy spring season. Harris said planning begins nearly a year in advance, with seeds and plant cuttings ordered long before customers begin filling planters and gardens.
Like many businesses, Oasis Gardens faced challenges this year. A late spring freeze delayed planting decisions for many gardeners, causing Harris to worry early-season sales were lagging.
Instead, demand surged once the weather warmed.
Harris said the greenhouse experienced seven consecutive days of sales that matched what the business would normally see during the Mother’s Day weekend rush.
“We were busy. We were really busy,” Harris said. “The driveway, people parked at my house.”
The crowds reinforced what Harris believes has become one of the greenhouse’s most important roles in the community.
“It just feels like the greenhouse is a community point,” she said. “People show up and they don’t expect that they’re going to see their neighbor or someone that they haven’t seen since high school, and they get to catch up in the greenhouse.”
As the season winds down, remaining plants are donated to local organizations, shared with employees or distributed throughout the community.
Looking back on a quarter-century in business, Harris said the greenhouse’s success belongs to the customers who have continued to support it year after year.
“We’re only here today because of our customers,” Harris said. “We love that. We love that they love us, and we love them right back.”