HAMILTON, Ohio – It’s called The Farmer’s Collective, and it is right on Main 

Street in the heart of downtown Hamilton. Owners Mindy and Josh Staton offer an array of local honey, eggs, flowers, produce, breads, milk, and a small cafe presenting a changing menu, also featuring local items.

It has evolved from when Mindy and Josh, both of whom now work full-time at the business, started the Morning Sun Flower Farm in Morning Sun in 2015. That was an outgrowth of Two Little Buds, a flower shop Mindy and Alice, her mom, had opened on Main Street in 2007. Then COVID hit.

“We met with other local growers and they were having issues selling their product,” Mindy Staton said. “We decided to open up our flower shop to give them an outlet to sell; local flowers are very popular with the wedding industry right now. So in my mind, I thought we could give people more of a collective, a wholesaler just on local flowers.”

In the spring of 2021, they filled the flower shop with buckets of flowers and a table of produce. At first, they dealt with local farmers on consignment, Staton said. That worked well because they didn’t know how much traffic to expect.

“Now we have moved into a model where we are purchasing outright from them and then reselling it,” Staton said. “I think that works out better than consignment.”

They quickly outgrew the flower shop and leased the space next door, which became The Collective. In the warm months, customers can sit at tables out on the sidewalk while enjoying the specialty menu offerings.

“Our customers are a mix,” Staton said. “We have a lot of Hamilton patrons, people from Oxford, West Chester, the Fairfield Township area. There are a few vendors such as Hartzler Dairy (from Wooster) and Blue Oven Bread (not available anywhere else nearby), which I think bring in people from farther distances. If they really love that brand, they will come to us.”

Katie Moore and her son, Ozzie, come for breakfast every Saturday. Moore said she loves to shop local, so it is the perfect place. She usually meets friends there.

“We buy our bread from here,” Moore said. “Ozzie is a big sourdough guy, so we have to get a loaf every week. Ever since they opened, we have come here for breakfast on Saturday mornings. You cannot beat their English muffins; they are so delicious. It is a great place. Mindy and Josh are amazing, and they do their best to get unique things.”

Soon after opening, Staton began offering seasonal events. They offer wreath-making classes at the farm and different editions of Wine and Wreath events, where attendees can drink wine while learning to make a wreath. Customers can join their wine club. The Collective Dinner Events, featuring a different chef every month and gourmet foods, always sell out.

Meanwhile, they are also expanding at the Flower Farm. They grow 25 to 30 species of flowers in their fields, in a heated greenhouse and a hoop house, which was home to some outstanding chrysanthemums this fall. They are also expanding into fruits and vegetables, have bee hives, and a compost pumpkin patch.

Now in their third year at the Collective, Mindy thinks things are looking brighter.

“It was slow in the beginning, to be honest, but now I think we are gaining some traction, which is great. I think what they say in business is, the first and second year aren’t the best, but in the third year you leap. We’re going into our third year, so I hope we leap.”

For information visit www.shopthefarmerscollective.com.