Funding for this series is made possible by the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
Most Americans assume fresh-cut flowers in January arrive from overseas. Cassidy Thompson wants to change that.
On a farm near Overton, Thompson and her family harvested flowers every day from mid-December through early summer inside high tunnels heated by a biomass system fueled with locally harvested corn stalks. The operation demonstrates how Nebraska producers can expand specialty crop production beyond the state’s traditional corn, soybean and cattle industries.
“We’ve been harvesting out here since Dec. 15,” Thompson said. “Some of the beds might turn five times in a year. Some of them might turn three times in a year, but the production is continuous.”
The farm shipped flowers coast to coast during the winter, supplying floral shops throughout Nebraska and wholesalers across the country after taking what Thompson described as a leap of faith to grow more than 20,000 flowers for the Valentine’s Day market.
The timing is significant because domestic flower production is limited during the winter months.
“I have a lot of people would love us to grow vegetables in these tunnels,” Thompson said. “Cut flower production is an important part of our lives, and most people are unaware that 80 to 90% of cut flowers – at peak U.S. production – we import nearly all cut flowers into this country.”
Rather than relying on propane or natural gas, Creek’s Bend Family Farm heats its tunnels with a biomass system that burns about 60 acres worth of corn residue collected after harvest. The system heats water circulated through radiators, allowing flowers to survive even when outside temperatures fall well below zero.
“The only reason we can grow year-round is because we supplement the heat,” Thompson said. “We were harvesting flowers in subzero temperatures this winter.”
The approach also keeps nutrients on the farm. Ash from the burned corn residue is added to compost and returned to fields and greenhouse beds, creating what Thompson describes as a more circular production system.
Beyond supplying wholesale markets, the farm has become a destination for consumers interested in learning more about specialty crop production. Thompson said visitors often gain a new appreciation for locally grown flowers after seeing varieties that cannot withstand long-distance shipping.
“Because we grow them here domestically, we can grow anything,” she said. “We’re not worried about, ‘Can it be put in a box?’”
Thompson believes Nebraska offers unique advantages for specialty crops, particularly cool-season flowers that benefit from the state’s cooler nights. As demand grows, the farm is exploring direct truck routes into metropolitan areas such as Omaha, Denver and Kansas City while continuing overnight shipping nationwide.
She hopes the operation encourages more domestic production.
“If we can grow it here,” Thompson said, “it seems like a really large amount to be importing in.”
Nebraska has seen growing interest in specialty crops as producers look to diversify farm income with fruits, vegetables, flowers and value-added products alongside traditional row crops and livestock.