Where Flowers bloom
Island Time Farm, a regenerative flower and tomato farm, is nestled between the two forks of Long Island on Shelter Island. Owners Kelci and Chris share, "We focus on creating healthy soil that grows healthy plants and people! Soon our fields will be bursting with beautiful blooms and mouthwatering tomatoes for summer. The life partners met in 2015 in New Orleans and bonded over a shared love of plants. In New Orleans, Chris had an homestead with a vegetable garden, fruit trees, and a flock of chickens, ducks, and geese. Kelci worked at an urban farm, helped run a greenhouse for a landscaping company, and grew a flower garden. "Wanting to feel a deeper connection with nature and the people around us, we decided to set our roots in Chris's hometown of Shelter Island in 2017," says Kelci.
"We grew our first garden together that season. That love of growing bloomed into a dream of farming. That fall, we took over Jay and Marge Card's decades-old farm on Shelter Island. We whacked away all the invasive mugwort and goldenrod by hand. The following spring, Jay Card, Jr. gave the field its final till on his father's old Ford tractor and we began sowing vegetables and flowers. We reopened the farm stand on the property and joined the Havens Farmers Market on Shelter Island. Chris also took on the role of Market Manager."
Kelci adds, "In 2019, we started Shelter Island's first Flower CSA, offering weekly pick up of our most spectacular flowers! Since then, we have expanded to do custom floral design for home delivery and events, on-farm flower harvesting and design experiences, and we can also bring the flower design experience to you with a custom Bloom Bar." This summer, the Island Time Farm team will be treating LUX guests to a gorgeous flower arranging bloom bar at the home of editor, Kelli Delaney Kot (founder of KDHamptons).
Chris adds, "As the farm took off, we began to miss the more intimate experience of gardening. We started Island Time Gardens to bring beauty and abundance to our neighbors on the East End. We create lush gardens full of decadent blooms and delicious vegetables. At Island Time Farm, we believe our practices should improve, rather than sustain, the quality of our soil and the life around the farm. We believe in Regenerative Agriculture. We are a No-Till farm that creates healthy soils through nurturing the biology in soil with lots of compost, mulch, and cover crops. Our farm is about one acre, with half an acre growing crops and a significant portion going to making compost. With over 30 varieties of gorgeous flowers, our farm is an oasis for pollinators and other important creatures." shares Chris. LUX looks forward to watching this wonderful farm continue to grow, and we congratulate them on being awarded the HOTTEST FLOWER FARM of 2023.
For more information please visit www.islandtimefarm.com
