“If you would have asked me five years ago if I would have a flower farm someday, I probably would have laughed,” said Christy Heckathorn.
Today, the flower farmer, florist, wife, and mother is the owner of a picturesque plot just 10 minutes north of Elk Point—Fleurish Flower Farm.
Heckathorn grew up in Sanborn, MN with an entrepreneur father who “wasn’t afraid to experiment with growing unique things.” She would soon develop her own creative lens on life while cultivating a passion for flowers.
While earning a Consumer Affairs degree at South Dakota State University, Heckathorn worked at McCrory Gardens for a few summers in Brookings. Upon graduating, she began working at a flower shop in Elk Point.
When the shop closed, Heckathorn started her own wedding floral business. She named the business Fleurish, after the French word for flower.
“The people who come here r eally appreci ate the beaut y of what it takes t o grow flowers , and al so that they get to come and pi c k their own flowers . I t g ives me a lot o f j oy to just see people being able to do that.” – Christy Heckathorn
In 2015, Heckathorn and her husband Chad, purchased a property for a seed shed for their seed business, HeckSeeds.
When COVID hit, things slowed down in the Heckathorn world. In her free time, Heckathorn took a class on how to farm flowers.
“Everything just changed after that,” she said. “I really couldn’t get the idea of starting some type of flower farm out of my head.”
Though only having been to one other flower farm, Heckathorn says she completely immersed herself into the world of flowers and everything she needed to know in order to grow them.
“When I started planning the flower farm, I knew I was undertaking something big,” said Heckathorn.
FUN FACTS
Fleurish has a grass runway for airplanes that often fly in for You-Pick events.
One year later, the farm opened for You-Pick nights with live music, food trucks, and local vendors like Rainy Day Coffee Co. On You-Pick nights, guests are welcomed to cut their own bouquets, snack on a sweet treat, and browse the historic property.
Preparation for the farm is no small task. Heckathorn starts all the flowers from seed in the spring and strategically designs the layout of the flowerbeds.
“During the flower farm season it’s very involved, and I work a lot of 16 hour days,” said Heckathorn.
When the frost comes, she says she enjoys spending time with her family and being a mom–while planning for the next year, booking weddings and ordering seeds.
“There’s always something going on,” she said.
Owning the flower farm has been a key asset to Heckathorn’s wedding floral business.
“I love doing weddings and getting to use my own flowers because it makes it very specialized to that bride,” she said.
Being able to pair different flower varieties and shapes and colors is life-giving to Heckathorn, and she enjoys passing that intentionality on to her clients.
“I’ve grown certain flowers for a bride that’s getting married, knowing I’ll use them exclusively in her wedding,” she revealed.
Starting this summer, Heckathorn plans to open the farm up to booking private events such as bridal showers, bachelorette parties, or company team building events. The events can be customized with You-Pick options and food.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Opening You-Pick
Sunday, July 16
5 p.m. to dusk
After opening night, the farm will be open every Wednesday and Sunday night from 5 p.m. to dusk until October.
Did You Know?
The vines growing on the Kalstad summer kitchen are 100 years old.
For brides to be, Fleurish offers a Brides & Blooms experience for brides who want to pick their own flowers. They’re welcome to bring their family or bridesmaids.
As Heckathorn continues to expand Fleurish’s services, she intends to honor the property’s roots. The last owner of the land, Thelma Kalstad, was a South Dakota native and farmer. A small cabin and Kalstad’s summer kitchen–used for cooking and canning–still stand on the property.
Heckathorn says that keeping Kalstead’s legacy alive is important to her, and a sketch of the summer kitchen lives on in the Fleurish logo.
“It’s my way of paying tribute to the farm and its roots and who lived here,” said Heckathorn. “Preserving that part of history is important to me.”
