Cul2vating Community, One Flower at a Time

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these” -Matthew 6:28-29

When Abby Gant first stumbled upon Cul2vate, she couldn’t have imagined the flower ministry she’d launch or the community she’d find. Since moving to Nashville to work as a nurse at Vanderbilt in 2011, the Baltimore native had been searching for a place to volunteer that fed her love of gardening.

One day, while walking around the Ellington Agricultural Center, Abby saw a license plate that read “Cul2vate” and became curious. After meeting Matt Worley, the Farm Manager at the time (who now works for Uprise Nashville), she began to volunteer.

Volunteering helped her release tension from her work as a nurse and allowed her to feel valued as part of a bigger mission. After the birth of her second son, Abby was looking for something other than the grueling 12-hour shifts she’d become accustomed to. She often joked with coworkers that working for Cul2vate would be too good to be true. But her counselor urged her to pursue it. She created a job proposal, detailing her vision to coordinate volunteers and grow flowers.

The volunteer piece was a no-brainer, as a long-time volunteer herself, Abby knew how to reach people and share the love she had for Cul2vate. Abby got the idea for flowers from Chris Comstock, the first Cul2vator. This new project would increase farm revenue, attract vital pollinators to the farm, and bring more women to Cul2vate.

There was a learning curve in transitioning from produce to flowers, and the process wasn’t always easy. Abby studied hard, learning about the different varieties, how to nurture them, and how to create beautiful bouquets. Through trial and error with help from volunteers, Cul2vators, and partners such as The Flower Kitchen and Rose Hill Florist, Abby built a flower ministry that stands as one of Cul2vate’s touchstones. In the future, Abby hopes to further integrate flowers into the Cul2vator curriculum, increase wholesale opportunities, and donate even more bouquets to those in need.

Flowers have fostered a rich community that is beyond what Abby could have imagined when she created her job proposal years ago. She recalls picking flowers one day and offering them to a couple walking the trail at the Ellington Agricultural Center. That couple was Ernie and Steve Simms. They learned about Cul2vate that day and are now dedicated Champions. They volunteer and pour into Cul2vators during Monday morning round table, and their entry point was a single stem.

Are you ready to get connected to the Cul2vate flower ministry?  You can buy bouquets or single stems at the Farm Store or Farmin’ in the Hall. Check our calendar for future You Pick events, bouquet workshops, and dried flower classes. Sign up for the flower subscription and email abby@cul2vate.org for custom order inquiries.