At Withy Hollow Flower Farm, You Can Pick Your Own Flower Bouquet

There’s nothing better than a fresh bouquet of flowers to brighten up your house. Well… unless you’re allergic. But then just enjoy the photos of these beauties! If you’re local to Central New York, or traveling through, you have to check out Withy Hollow Flower Farm in Erieville. Owned by Keli Perrin, the pick-your-own flower farm is heaven on earth. Visitors can stroll the garden beds, relax by the creek, and visit with the ducks and chickens.

What’s the benefit of picking your own flower bouquet?

Good question! There are actually lots of reasons that picking your own flowers locally is much better than grabbing a bouquet at your grocery store.

First, it goes without saying that you’re supporting local when you visit a flower farm. You meet the people you are supporting face-to-face and you can see the genuine happiness it brings them. You’re supporting the local economy and helping your “neighbors”. And while purchasing a bouquet at a local flower shop seems like you’re shopping local, many of them actually get their plants shipped in from elsewhere.

Second, the flowers are better overall! Because you’re picking them fresh, they will last longer. And that also means that they aren’t treated with chemicals in order to make them survive being shipped from far away. Plus, the options you get are different than at the store because you’re able to pick flowers that naturally grow in the area.

Third, it’s all about the experience. Anyone can run into their neighborhood Wegmans and grab a bunch of artificially-colored roses. But what fun is that? When you visit a flower farm, you can make a day of it. Bring the kids, have a girls’ day out, you name it. No matter what, you’re bound to have a great time.

About Withy Hollow Flower Farm

By day, Keli is an associate professor at Syracuse University. But on nights and weekends, she is living her dream at Withy Hollow Farm. Keli and her partner bought the property in Erieville about 5 years ago and spent 2 years doing renovations. The farm sits just north of Tuscarora Lake in a little town called Nelson, about an hour from Syracuse.

Where did the name Withy Hollow come from?

First, the “hollow” refers to the geography of the land. A hollow is a narrow piece of low land between surrounding hills. (The farm resides next to Stoney Pond State Forest.) “Withy” is a willow branch. Keli thought since they owned a decent portion of land, why not give it a name? And that’s how Withy Hollow Flower Farm came to be.

Currently the farm consists of four different flower beds, each containing a different collection of flowers, all blooming at different times during the season. When you visit, you’re allowed to walk through all of the beds and pick from wherever your heart desires.

It’s also important to note that no pesticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers are used anywhere on the farm. So the flowers are all organic and sustainably grown. Which also means that the bees and butterflies LOVE it there! I could have easily spent the whole day watching the butterflies flutter around the flowers. We even saw a couple hummingbird moths, which are just beautiful.

Visiting Withy Hollow Flower Farm

Withy Hollow Farm is open Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays throughout the summer. Appointments for picking are required, and are available in 4-hour time slots. Keli limits the number of appointments so there is never a crowd at the farm.

When you arrive at the farm, you’ll find directions for picking, scissors, buckets, and zip ties at the entrance stand. The zip ties decide the price of the flowers. Once you’ve picked all you want (and removed the lower leaves), see which zip tie fits around the stems. The prices go from $10 to $18 to $25. For reference, the middle size is about the size of a mason jar.

If you’re picking a lot of flowers, there’s also a 5-gallon bucket for $75. It’s a great option if you’re decorating for an event on a budget! Think of all the centerpieces you could make! Or personalized favors for your guests…

Keli recommends bringing your own container to transport your flowers home in. She’s happy to fill it with water for you to keep the flowers happy! But don’t worry if they start to wilt a little on the drive home. Make sure to grab a flower food packet to add to the water in your vase(s) and they will perk right back up! Even better, they will last a lot longer than a bouquet you get at the grocery store.

Can’t make it to the farm? That’s okay, you have options! Keli brings freshly-picked bouquets to the Fayetteville Farmers’ Market every Thursday. Even better? You can hire Withy Hollow to create floral arrangements for weddings and other events. Now if I could only go back in time and have her do the flowers for my wedding…