COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) recently released the state’s top 10 agriculture products based on annual cash receipts for 2024.

As expected, soybeans and corn held the top two spots on that list. Chicken eggs, dairy products, hogs, cattle and calves, broilers, wheat and turkeys round out the top 9 in this state. No surprises here.

However, cracking the top 10 for the first time ever was floriculture, which creeps in at No. 10.

Ohio is home to 513 large and small floriculture operations spread throughout the state. Nationwide, Ohio ranks No. 6 for the number of floriculture operations and No. 7 for floriculture sales, which totaled $238 million in 2024.

More farmers across the Buckeye State are looking at floriculture as an additional source of income. Some have jumped all in.

First-generation farmers Steve and Gretel Adams, of Sunny Meadows Farm near Columbus, were once raising pigs, ducks and chickens on their modest homestead. They even dabbled in canned vegetables from their garden and made their own soap. It was the unexpected success of their flower crop that set them on a path toward specializing in flowers.

In the early years, Sunny Meadows sold fresh bouquets at farmers markets and offered floral designs for weddings and special events. Over time, the farm expanded and the business grew to include direct-to-florist sales and deliveries, and bouquet distribution to specialty grocery stores. With their nationwide shipping program, they sell across the country to both wholesale and retail customers.

“We wish we would have started out growing 100 percent flowers,” Steve said. “In the beginning, our idea was to live off the land, so we raised pigs, ducks, vegetables and all of those ideal homesteading tasks. Flowers became our niche, and that really helped us turn the farm into a business. We have learned so much from other farmers, and have really become better growers because of the inspiration we draw from our mentors.”

Located just six miles from downtown Columbus, Sunny Meadows grows more than 500 varieties of flowers on 50-plus acres across four farm locations, making it one of the largest urban flower farms in the Midwest.

“My dad purchased the land in the 80s and the city kind of grew around it as it expanded,” Gretel said. “Where we are was historically farmed and from reading the farmer’s memoirs, they specialized in turnips that they shipped to surrounding states in the 1950s. However, when we inherited the land, it hadn’t been farmed since. My grandfather used to mow it, but he was in his 80s when we moved out, so it was totally overgrown. We made investments in infrastructure to make it a farm.”

The couple was fortunate their land offered good soil.

“We own 10 acres and rent two, making our actual tillable field production about 3.5 acres, and the rest of our production acres are our perennial fields and greenhouses,” Gretel added. “The good thing about flowers is that you can crank a lot of volume out of limited space.”

Steve and Gretel’s experience and expertise have made them sought-after and well-respected speakers, teachers and thought leaders in the floral industry. They regularly share their expertise through workshops, conferences and their own consulting services.

While the Adams have their preferred flowers, the variety to choose from seems endless, and Ohio’s diverse climate offers a unique canvas of flowers.

Annuals such as marigolds, petunias and zinnias are the choice of many flower enthusiasts. Annuals can be used greatly in vegetable gardens, where they add beauty and help in pest control. Other popular annuals including sunflowers, cosmos, snapdragons, petunias and impatiens are favorites among gardeners and farmers.

Perennials such as daylilies, hostas, and peonies offer recurring blooms and a sense of garden continuity. Perennials also play a crucial role in creating habitats for wildlife, offering shelter and sustenance across multiple seasons. Other popular perennials include coral bells, astilbe, Sxxhasta daisy and lavender.

Wildflowers such as Black-eyed Susan, wild columbine and purple coneflower thrive in minimal intervention, perfectly adapted to Ohio’s climate and soil. Wildflowers support native wildlife, providing nectar, pollen and seeds to various bees, butterflies and birds. Other eye-catching wildflowers include Joe Pye weed, New England aster, goldenrod and Ironweed.

While this couple has taken floriculture from a small plot to a large business, farmers wanting to add an additional source of income involving flowers can do it on less than 1 acre.

Urban micro-farms operate on less than 1 acre, often focusing on specialty blooms. Market farms span 2-5 acres, serving farmers markets and florists. Production farms focus on specific varieties like peonies or dahlias. U-pick operations combine retail and agritourism experiences. Theirs is a market farm.

“From each farm you visit, or conversation you have with a farmer, you can take a piece of that back to your farm and try to figure out how it works within your systems,” Steve said. “We are always striving for more efficiency on the farm, and there is always more to learn…that’s why we like farming.”

Gretel said, “One thing this wild and wonderful journey has taught us is to never underestimate the power of flowers. They surround us at life’s biggest celebrations. They communicate happiness, love, empathy, congratulations and sorrow. They are there for us in the good times or bad.”

Sunny Meadows can be found at 3577 Watkins Road in Columbus.