A Bit of History

By Annie Bowler, Vol. 18 September 1, 2024

If there is one thing that’s certain in life, it’s that things will change. With change often

comes confusion, uncertainty. Since the Flower Farm has undergone some changes recently and the fact that we have owned the farm for almost 20 years, I thought it was appropriate to share what’s going on today at the Flower Farm and a bit of its history.

I hope you enjoy!

How it all Began

From left, Sarah, John, Annie and Fran Bowler

John and I bought the Flower Farm property in 2004. The farmhouse had been converted to a B&B but there was still much work to do to make this historic,1905 farmhouse reach its full potential, including tenting for termites, new foundations on all buildings, lots of dry rot repair, and installing rain gutters for the first time ever. There were cows grazing in barbed wire fenced pastures….

In short, it took an incredible amount of work to get the Flower Farm ready to host its first guest.

Farmhouse in the early days

Luckily, before long, our son, Francis and daughter, Sarah joined the Flower Farm team,

as did our longtime friends, Sheri and Rich Fischer and Patti Foust. Our other three

children, Jocean, Nicole, and Jake, and our granddaughter Nazla, have also helped out

along the way. Having friends and family by our sides has made the work of creating the

Farm feel lighter and far more fun!

Barn and cottages under construction

Over the next few years, we reimagined the ancient horse-eaten barn into a lovely

gathering place for weddings and many other types of special events, with the help of

David Piches. pichesarchitecture.com The Flower Farm’s Big Red Barn began hosting weddings in the summer of 2007. The Flower Farm Café and Flower Farm Nursery and Gifts opened their doors about this same time. Over the years, gardens, trees, and citrus orchards were planted. Kevin Stevenson convinced us to build a tasting room for Casques Wines which opened in 2013, which turned out to be the best decision ever. (OK Kevin, you were right!)

This October, our family will have owned the farm for 20 years; we are truly pleased that the Flower Farm has become a community gathering spot. We are gratified that so many people have created significant memories here at the Farm. They hope this will continue to be the case for many years to come.

Welcoming New Owners to Flower Farm Gift Shop

Earlier this summer, we welcomed Meleya Walker and Jessica Sheffield into the Flower Farm family of businesses. They’re the new owners but they certainly aren’t strangers at the Flower Farm.  Jessica and Meleya collaborated with the previous owner of the Flower Farm Gift Shop in various capacities for years and are thrilled to bring a fresh perspective to both the Gift Shop and the entire property. They plan to introduce a variety of fun events for the community to enjoy. Along with the beautiful new you-pick Flower Field on the corner lot, their plans include a grand re-opening party on September 29th, fall crafting, and educational workshops, Harvest Days in the Pumpkin Patch, and festive vendor markets within the beloved Christmas Tree Farm. Please visit their brand-new website for the latest events and plan your trip to the stunning Flower Farm property today! www.theflowerfarmgiftshop.com

Casque Wines

Kevin and Ann Stevenson established Casque Wines all the way back in 2006, making a whopping 300 cases. The winery focuses primarily on Rhone varietals (both red and white) that are native to southern France, and it has been winning prestigious awards since its founding. Casque embraces the time-honored French tradition of blending several different varietals together to create a wine that is greater than the sum of its

parts. Since bringing on winemaker Tim Weyrich in 2013, the reputation and recognition of the brand has only increased. In 2013, Kevin and Ann opened a tasting room on the Flower Farm property, a place where visitors can enjoy wine tasting, followed by lunch on our patio provided by the Flower Farm Cafe next door. This makes our tasting room the perfect spot to enjoy a relaxing afternoon. During the summer months, they are open on Friday evenings, where guests can enjoy wine, live music, and food trucks.

Flower Farm Café

Madeline Faith purchased the Flower Farm Café from the Bowler Family about a year and a half ago. Since taking over the Café, Madeline’s team has planted a huge vegetable garden which is utilized in many Café dishes, making this a truly farm to fork Cafe. Madeline is an experienced restauranter who has operated Farmhaus Restaurant

that located just down Auburn Folsom Rd in Granite Bay for many years.