Marisa’s Micro Flower Farm in Memphis
When I first learned about Midtown Bramble and Bloom, I remember wondering “What exactly is a micro flower farm? And how does she grow enough flowers to sell or do a wedding?”
As a former Memphis resident, I used to go to Midtown on a regular basis. It is a quaint urban community, with small lots and charming homes. I figured that the owner of the farm, Marisa Mender-Franklin, must have a vacant lot to work with or something. I reached out to Marisa to see if she would be open to answering my burning questions.
The story I have to share with you today is so much more interesting than I could have guessed. Marisa may have a “micro” flower farm, but she has a big vision, kind heart and deep convictions that guide her every choice.
Interview with Marisa Mender-Franklin, Flower Farmer.
Is there a specific farming philosophy, school of thought or methodology that you adhere to? Please describe how this impacts your farm and your choices.
Photograph by Katie Barber Photography.
I focus on implementing regenerative farming practices, because I’m committed to contributing to a healthier planet through the farm. This plays out in every decision I make, from pest management to irrigation methods and what I choose to grow. We use no-dig methods of gardening most of the time, which means that we layer cardboard, leaves, compost and dirt to create farm beds on top of the existing soil. This is labor intensive, but helps to create healthier microbiology in the soil over time. I also only use organic methods to control pests and diseases. Whenever possible, we don’t intervene with pests at all, actually, because the same things that kill pests also kill beneficial insects. Instead, we focus on fostering a healthy ecosystem in the garden and trust that eventually nature will balance itself out. I’m already seeing significant progress on this front. I noticed a massive increase in dragonflies in our gardens this year, for example. They are beneficial insects that eat lots of pests including mosquitos. It is amazing how much healing can happen in just one year!
Were there any major obstacles you had to over come and how did you resolve those challenges?
Photograph by Katie Barber Photography
The biggest obstacle I faced was that I don’t own any land and I didn’t see a path towards buying land anytime soon. I’ve been dreaming about flower farming for years, but just couldn’t quite figure out the where. A couple of years ago, I read about a flower farmer in Canada who had borrowed space from her neighbors to hodge-podge together a flower farm in the middle of the city. She used that model of farming for 17 years! I figured that if she could do it, I could probably do it, too. I put out an ask on the local Buy Nothing facebook page and asked if anyone had a sunny patch of yard that they’d let me grow flowers in. I was so nervous after posting that I had to go for a brisk walk around the block to get some of the energy out. I was worried people were going to think I was bananas, but halfway around the block, my phone started dinging! I got dozens of offers of garden space that day! I spent the next week visiting properties and ended up selecting 4 neighbors to work with in my first year. In year two, we expanded to 7 properties! This makes our farm just over 1/3 of an acre collectively. Our farm is a community effort and I honestly couldn’t do it without really wonderful neighbors and some incredible community support.
Photograph by Marisa Mender-Franklin
How can admirers of your work best support you?
It helps so much when people spread the word about the farm to their networks. If you know someone getting married, or hear of someone who is looking for a gift, please send them my way! Recommendations on google also help a ton and if it is in the budget, becoming a subscriber helps bridge the gap until spring flowers come in.
How is your wedding floral work different from your subscription services or your market flowers?
Subscriptions and markets are the heartbeat of the farm. There is a very clear rhythm to weeks during subscription season. Each week I harvest, arrange and deliver bouquets. I clean the buckets and take a little nap and then repeat. Subscriptions are also one of the ways that the community supports the farm through the off season. Subscribers pre-pay for their bouquets in the winter and early spring, and then they are paid back with bouquets during the growing season. This off season support makes it possible for me to buy all of the bulbs, seeds and supplies that are needed over the winter. Without subscribers, I’d be really stretched to make it through the winter. My subscribers are truly my best customers!
Photograph by Katie Barber Photography
Wedding work appeals to a completely different side of my brain because it is always new and exciting. I actually grew the flowers for my own wedding in 2020 (that was what finally pushed me to start looking for a way to farm in earnest). I know how much thought and care I put into my wedding, so I feel incredibly honored when people trust me with theirs! I love to talk with couples about their vision for the day and imagine how flowers can be a part of that. I do all kinds of weddings right now, from elopement bouquets to buckets of flowers for DIY brides to grand affairs. They are all so fun, but my favorites are probably the ones where I work with the couple and make a plan to grow something specifically for their wedding. There is so much love and care that goes into each flower that I grow - it feels so special to hand over a bouquet with the knowledge that I planted and tended and arranged those specific flowers for that specific couple on that specific day.
Your website asks visitors to Support Anti-Racism. Can you share with us why this issue is important to you, and what you are doing (with your farm or otherwise) to raise awareness?
Photography by Elizabeth Graham Photography
I’m so glad you asked this question! I grew up in a very white part of New York state. Systemic racism is very much an issue there, but I was largely sheltered from seeing it. After college, I moved to the Mississippi Delta to teach middle school math and I quickly developed an understanding of how both overt and systemic racism were impacting my students, colleagues and their families. Our schools are underfunded, overpoliced and desperately lacking in social services. The average non-White school district receives $2,226 less per student (NPR/Manhattan Project). Black preschoolers make up 18% of the preschool population, but 50% of the preschool suspensions (US Department of Education). According to the CDC, 64% of Asian high school students and 55% of Black high school students, reported that they’d experienced a time when they’d been treated poorly or unfairly because of their race. After 12 years in education, I have enough anecdotes and statistics to write a book. When I started dating my husband, this work became even more personal for me, as he is Black and I see his experiences (and our experiences as an interracial couple) firsthand. I continue to do anti-racist work by using my platform to speak out on issues, donating to organizations that are doing anti-racist work, working with schools to support education and gardening initiatives, and working to create quality jobs in Memphis.
