There are some crazy exciting things happening in Baltimore right now! Since we started LoCoFlo 7 years ago, we always day dreamed about flower farms in and around Baltimore City. How cool would it be to support farms in over very own neighborhoods? Well, it’s happening. It’s really happening!
You already know our friends at Butterbee Farm and the Hillen Homestead. Now, get ready for the Flower Factory!
Our friend Walker and the team at Real Food Farm entered the Baltimore Growing Green competition back in August. Sponsored by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Baltimore City, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Chesapeake Bay Trust, the goal of the competition was for community groups and designers to come together and develop creative greening projects for vacant land in their communities as well as reduce and treat stormwater runoff.
Real Food’s design was for a production flower farm in East Baltimore just north of Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Guess what! They WON 1st PLACE! They won $63,000 to get an urban flower farm started in East Baltimore!!! AMAZING!!
I can’t tell you how excited I am about this new venture. There is so much to be joyful about. More green space in a community that desperately needs it, more flowers growing and available for sale in our community, an amazing entrepreneurial opportunity for a bright, excited young man…what could be better.
After winning and receiving the prize from Mayor Stephanie Rawlings Blake, Walker said:
I honestly still can't believe it! This is just the beginning! Look out for The Flower Factory! Thank you again to everyone… this has been one of the greatest things that has happened for me.
Stay tuned for updates on the future of the Flower Factory!