Sustainability + Community

Alaska Beauty Peony Cooperative is a collective of farmers are part of a growing movement to provide premium 'slow flowers' to you. We are passionate about conscientiously growing quality peonies under Alaska’s midnight sun.

Farming is a family affair for our co-op, with multiple generations coming together to help handpick the tidal wave of more than 40 varieties of peonies that roll in during harvest time. With farms distributed over a range of elevations, we have the longest harvest period in Alaska.

Our growers run the gamut of types from original homesteading families to recent Alaskan transplants. No matter how long we have been here or where we come from, we are enthusiastic about sustainable farming practices to cultivate peonies along the coast and in the hills above Kachemak Bay.

Our sustainable farming practices - the foundation of our operations

  • Our plants benefit from the gifts of our local marine environment where fish byproducts and kelp are used extensively to feed our flowers.
  • We do not spray harmful herbicides or pesticides on our plants, preserving the precious Alaskan ecosystem of our farms.
  • Read more about our farming practices in a story published by USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) about cooperative farmer Allison Gaylord of Willow Drive Gardens 

Our sustainable packing methods

  • We recycle gel packs from our local hospital to keep our stems cool in transit. Our COVID-safe policy is to sanitize the gel packs after receiving them from the hospital.
  • We use the end rolls of paper from our local newspaper printer and air pillows from Amazon shipments to pack our flowers.

Our community

  •  Since 2020, we have worked with various Rotary clubs in Alaska + Kaladi Brothers Coffee on the "Send a Smile" program - for every peony bunch purchased, we donated a peony bunch to healthcare workers at hospitals on the Kenai Peninsula and Anchorage.
  • To support local efforts to enhance food security, we have made our refrigeration system accessible to local business for use in our off season. Living at the end of the road here in Homer during COVID has made us keenly aware of what happens when the grocery stores are cleaned out. 
  • Whenever possible, we try to work with local businesses from farm supplies to marketing materials.

We pride ourselves in producing certified Alaska Grown + American Grown Flowers

 

Alaska Grown  Farmer-Florist Collective City of Peonies
  Slow Flowers   American Grown

Special thanks to our community

As a relative young and continually growing cooperative, we could not be where we are today without the help from our Alaska community and global peony + wedding community. We would like thank the following people + businesses who have helped us shine:

dried peony flowers