Nestled in the prairie a few miles south of Whitefish, Elizabeth Seymour’s flower farm has crops that fill the soul.  

“It’s different growing flowers. Vegetables are utilitarian, which is great, and why I did it for years and years. But flowers are whimsical. They make people feel good.” 

Coming from a long lineage of gardeners and with kids of her own, Seymour wanted to nourish her family from the land. She planted her farm’s first vegetable beds over 20 years ago, when she and her husband purchased their land here.  

But about seven years ago, Seymour was left with an empty nest and was ready for a fulfilling change. She switched from growing vegetables to flowers, and Mountain Prairie Flower Farm was born.  

“When the boys took off, I had so much property and good soil. And I thought about a time an acquaintance was having a rough day, and I brought her a handful of sunflowers and she just burst into tears and said, ‘Oh gosh, I love this, thank you, it makes me feel so great.’”

“I’ve given away lots of things, but there’s just something about flowers. Nobody ever burst into tears when I bought them zucchini or green beans,” Seymour said.  
 

The small flower farm uses a community supported agriculture (CSA) model.  

CSA is like a subscription for a farm. People pay an upfront fee, and then they get flowers once a week for the season.  

“It’s more sustainable and supportive. If you have a small farm, you can anticipate and have a little bit of money before the season begins, right when you need it,” Seymour said. 

Seymour does flower drop-offs at local restaurants and offices, partners with Montana Milk Moovers for online bouquets, and for the first time for the next couple of weeks, is offering you-pick sessions.

She’s partnered with florists before, but she said the feeling wasn’t the same as giving people flowers one-on-one. 

While the weather is always the hardest part, Seymour says a chilly June followed by a heat wave in July made the bloom even later this year. Fencing helps fend off pesky deer, which is the second biggest challenge. She said it’s also hard to find help in the summer, because it’s such a fleeting position. 

But the labor of love and short growing season are worth it for Seymour, who’s inspired by many years of long night shifts as a health care worker.  

Seymour met her husband in Texas when she was a nurse and he was a paramedic, and they were on a flight crew together.  

“I used to work as a nurse in the emergency department, and I would get off in the morning and be so tired, and sometimes stressed and sad, and coming home to an empty home, with the kids already off to school,” Seymour said.  

“So I thought that I’d like to open the flower farm in the early mornings to any nurses, hospital or night shift folks who are on their way home from work. They can pick their flowers, maybe have a cup of coffee, listen to the birds and wander through the flowers after a hard shift. 

“And then we’ll have the evenings open, too. The golden hour, the light’s peaceful,” Seymour said.  

You-pick for the public is available Sunday, Monday, Tuesday or Friday evenings, until the first frost. Time options include 6 - 6:30 p.m., 7 - 7:30 p.m., or 8 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. 

People can stroll the fields and pick as many flowers as can fit into a quart sized cup for $50. Snips and container are provided. It is preferred to have groups of less than 10, and no dogs or unsupervised children. Requests for a visit can be made online at www.mountainprairieflowerfarm.com.  

People who work night shifts are encouraged to email through the same website to work out a morning time to visit. 

    Golden hour at Mountain Prairie Flower Farm with the first blooms of the season in late August. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
  

    The tricky lisianthus flower blooming in late August after many months of hard work at Mountain Prairie Flower Farm. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)