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26 Ag Families-Summer HusbandandwifeduoDavidMartinandMarthaWhitehelpacustomerleftwithflowersat theDowntownFarmersMarket.ThecoupleownsMartinFarmwheretheygrowavarietyof cutflowersandperennialsforfloralarrangements. FLORAL CONTINUED... The childhood friends reconnected and were married at Martin Farm on 10-11-12. Martha chose the date so David wouldnt forget their anniversary but she was the one who forgot. As the pair settled into married life David finished their home and continued hybridizing his grapes and gooseberries. Martha took a year off work and they began developing a business based on selling perennial plants. But once again fate stepped in. Martha was visiting her sister in Knoxville and saw a small bouquet of sunflowers and other local blossoms on her sisters table. When she returned home she told David We can do this. She wanted to start a fresh- cut flower farm. I thought No one would buy those David said. But he was willing to try. They planted some zinnias sunflowers and a few other cutting flowers and made a few bouquets. When we put the bouquets out at the market and I told a customer they were 3 she looked at me as though I was crazy for selling them so cheap he laughed. David and Martha now grow more than 100 different varieties of cutting flowers which bloom at different times from mid-April until frost in order to ensure a reliable supply of blooms all season. Currently the cut flowers are outselling the perennial plants. A detailed bloom chart shows when each flower will be available. A vertical row of numbers shows the month when the flower is in season and a horizontal column shows what week that flower is expected to bloom. For example if a flower is 54 it will bloom in May during the fourth week or a flower with the num- ber 73 will bloom in July and be available the third week. The couple laughed at how their personalities reflect on their business. They each know what they do best. David waits for the customers to make selections and doesnt encourage them Martha said while she will spot a customer looking at their jams and say Would you like a taste The pride and pleasure they take in their flowers and exquisite arrangements is evident even though it is a tremendous amount of work. When they arent cutting flowers or digging perennials they make jam and jelly from the gooseberries grapes and elderberries. As their business grows their partnership again res- onates. David researches flowers that grow best in this area before narrowing down several choices to give to Martha. She then makes the final decision based on color and texture and how the flower will contribute to the arrangement. While their Downtown Market business is good Martha would like to be able to provide flowers to florists and weddings. Martin Farm currently provides flowers for a florist in Owensboro who buys them by the stem rather than in arrangements. Martha has done some weddings and enjoys working with brides but she said brides have to be mindful of what local and seasonal mean noting that some florists get their flowers from South America. As David and Martha continue to make Martin Farm a successful business its obvious their partnership as husband and wife will be an integral part of that suc- cess. Their distinct personalities are intertwined in the business just as their choice of flowers is intertwined into their one-of-a-kind arrangements. MartinFarmnotonlygrowsflowersbut gooseberriesgrapesandelderberriesto makejamtosellatthefarmersmarket.