It is no secret that Southern Minnesota is where some of the best farmland can be found. It is also no secret that the Minnesota weather can always push growers around if it chooses too. But through the good and the bad, farmers, gardeners and planters of all sorts get their tools out of the shed every Spring to begin the cycle of growth again. One of the many green thumbed people planting their flowers and more this season is Molly Fritz, owner and operator of Little Roots Flower Farm.
For five seasons now, Little Roots Flower Farm has provided one of the loveliest views to be seen just off Highway 22, at the start, or at the end, of Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway. The view at the moment is fresh and taking root, but in the days to come the vibrant colors of flowers will fill the flower beds and the wooden flower corral. With just one look someone might think the flower farm has been here for a while, but this is only the farm’s third season here. Molly originally began Little Roots online, using Facebook as a medium for selling flowers. Orders from friends, family, and anyone who had seen the beautiful flowers and bouquets that Little Roots was growing became too much for her initial operation. With the support of her husband, and through the tough parts of pregnancy, Molly and the Flower Farm set their perennial roots down in Mankato. Careful decision making has guided Molly as she grows her business, but the help of her husband has been invaluable to herself and the farm, “I couldn’t do it without him.”
Little Roots has steadily progressed into a flower farm that offers many ways to enjoy the beautiful crops that will be growing there. Starting once the farm has reached its full bloom, Molly hosts regular You-Pick days on the farm. Visitors stop by and walk about the flowers, picking out their own bouquet along the way. As a child, Molly remembers her grandfather being an influence on her love of gardening and flowers, though he was a farmer himself. Now Molly has three kids of her own and she hopes to impress upon them the same love for nature that she has. Molly says, “We welcome kids out here,” and offers events throughout the summer tailored for kids. During a previous kids event, she realized that “some kids don’t understand where food comes from,” and uses the events as an opportunity to teach them what she can. Even older kids find a reason to visit the farm. Senior photos, graduation pictures, and wedding photos have all been taken at Little Roots throughout the seasons.
Growing in Minnesota can be a gift and a curse at times and Molly knows that quite well, “Every year there is a challenge!” Too much rain could drown flowers, not enough could dry them up, and maybe the bugs will prove too many to handle, there is no end to what Minnesota might throw at its growers. Little Roots has been able to overcome it all and has learned much from each hurdle. To those planting their first flowers, Molly would suggest that first, “You keep a level head and start small.” People should consider working with flowers that are easier to maintain, like Zinnias and Cosmos, before taking on tougher plant species. The University of Minnesota offers an online soil test form. Collect some dirt from your intended garden plot and mail it in to the earth scientists at the U for an analysis of the land’s quality. Once someone has started growing, they should keep track of how much they trim from a flower crop to ensure enough of it remains to continue producing. “Master a handful of things each year,” said Molly and you will always find enjoyment in working a garden.
Molly has brought Little Roots Flower Farm a long way in five years and intends to keep it growing. The flower farm began as something she did for herself and has now become something Molly says, “I want to give to my kids.” Family is as much an integral part of Little Roots as the flowers that grow there. Working the farm is something that “doesn’t feel like work” to Molly. Though it comes with stresses natural to a business at the mercy of nature, “It grounds me.” Little Roots Flower Farm and Molly will continue to grow at a pace that is natural to them for seasons to come. She has the support of her family behind her and the proof of her flower farming ability before her. As the flowers begin to pop up all around Minnesota, let them remind you that there is a flower farm nearby that is ready to welcome visitors every chance they get.
