ONE local family has been adding some colour to people's weekends with bright blooms at their pick-your-own flower farm.
Herry’s Harvest is a small-scale family farm run by Jack and Arisa Herry, with a farm gate five minutes from the heart of Wangaratta, practising sustainable growing and providing for the local community and region.
Jack said Herry's Harvest has been around as a local farm for close to 10 years.
“We started early on growing garlic before incorporating a wider variety of vegetable crops and then, as of last year, stepping sideways into flowers in a big way,” he said.
“Flowers had always been something we'd thought of adding in some way, shape or form.
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“A friend gave us some Dahlias – Arisa’s favourite flower - for our wedding held in the old farm shed.
“We were so impressed by them, we decided to trial growing some on our farm, and found they grew really well in our soil.”
Last season was the Herry family's first full season with pick-your-own flowers.
Arisa and Jack reported a great year with customers, both locals and travellers from far and wide, popping in to pick some flowers.
Arisa said the idea for flower picking came from customers' interest in walking around the farm.
“We always thought it would be nice to offer something that gave people more of an experience, something hands-on,” she said.
“It gives everyone the opportunity to unleash their creativity in making their own bouquet.
“There is something extra special about being able to give a person a bouquet and being able to say you picked them yourself.
“But even before picking anything there is just something about being surrounded by beautiful flowers that lifts the mood.
“We often have visitors comment how lovely it is just walking amongst the flowers and taking them all in.
“Some come alone, some come with friends and family, chatting away, snapping photos and sharing blooms as they catch-up on the days, weeks or months since they last spent time together.”
Arisa and Jack have two children, Poppy who is almost five and Sage who is three months old.
"So flowers, while they still require a lot of care, are something the whole family can enjoy getting involved in, so it is really an all-of-family operation now," Arisa said.
"It has been a delight to see our daughter share her knowledge of flowers and the local insects with children visiting the farm."
