Something as delicate and beautiful as a flower requires a surprising amount of labor to produce, and Chesapeake Flower Exchange (CFE) knows that very well. What started as a small community of growers supporting each other has blossomed into a successful young company that recently celebrated its first year in business.
Company President Lisa Derx and Secretary Kristi Gill are both happy and hopeful for the future. “We consider our first year to have been a great success! The market and demand for local flowers seems to be growing more and more, and Chesapeake Flower Exchange is ready to meet that demand,” said Kristi.
CFE emerged very naturally through a couple years of community collaboration and support. When a local flower producer did not have the specific flowers that a customer requested, other growers would step in to help cover the order. The group also shared large-scale orders for plants, seeds, and bulbs, making it cheaper and easier for small farms to get the products they needed. “It has always been an incredibly supportive and helpful community,” said Kristi.
