SUMNER, Ill. – Wild Child Flower Farm proves that having the confidence to take a chance and knowing when to pivot and diversify can lead to business success. Delores Weiss and her daughter, Macee Hill, have owned and operated Wild Child Flower Farm with their husbands since 2020. On Monday, August 18, the family provided an inside look into the farm's beginning, their experiences, and marketing strategies for guests who attended the Illinois Extension Summer Twilight Series tour.
In July 2020, Wild Child Flower Farm celebrated its grand opening, offering pre-made bouquets. It was a huge success, and they sold out in approximately 15 minutes. The family quickly realized that keeping up with demand was going to be a challenge. So, they pivoted to a build-your-own bouquet with pre-picked flowers strategy before ultimately settling on the U-pick experience they offer today.
Since then, the family has continued to overcome challenges that go hand in hand with growing and selling flowers. Whether it’s pests, weeds, or the weather, the farm has found ways to manage each. They also avoid the use of chemicals and are now trying different methods for fertilizing the soil.
Contributing to their success are their marketing and networking efforts. With over 9,000 followers, Facebook is the primary marketing outlet for the farm. Adding to the social media buzz are local photographers who tag the farm in their photos after using the location as a beautiful backdrop. They also emphasize that networking and partnering with local businesses have been significant.
As for the on-farm experience, each fall, the family plants thousands of tulips. In the spring, the tulips are picked and cooled in a homemade cooler, allowing enough time for all to be picked before they’re sold in bundles. Next, they plant the zinnias for the summer U-pick season. The farm also hosts a vendor market each summer that not only brings together numerous vendors for a large, on-site shopping experience but also raises money for a chosen nonprofit.
Beyond the farm, they’ve diversified to add additional revenue sources, including their flower subscriptions and pop-up flower cart. Subscriptions are available in four and eight-week options for both the tulips and zinnias and can be delivered locally or picked up. As for their flower cart, it’s been found outside antique shops, retail stores, and other businesses to provide off-farm shopping experiences.
Both families operate the flower farm in addition to their full-time jobs. Scott and Isaac take care of the weed eating and mowing while Delores and Macee manage the planting, flower arrangements, marketing, and sales. Their small overhead allows ownership of the farm to stay fun and be successful. Together, they’ve created a unique experience for Lawrence County.
Guests visiting the flower farm during their U-pick season are welcome to create their own bouquets after selecting their vase, grabbing their garden shears, and getting a quick tutorial on how to cut the flowers. Keep up with their hours of operation, events, subscription opportunities, and more by following Wild Child Flower Farm on Facebook.
Wild Child Flower Farm wraps up Illinois Extension’s 2025 Summer Twilight Series. This summer, the Twilight Series offered a behind-the-scenes look into southern Illinois’ agricultural and farming industries by visiting a poultry processor and market, a dairy farm, and a research center with commercial high tunnels. Businesses that are interested in being considered for next year’s Summer Twilight Series program are encouraged to contact Extension Educator Katie Bell at klbell@illinois.edu or by calling 618-395-2191.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.