Blooming Where Planted

Growing my family’s legacy and planting a new future:
The story of First Bloom Farm.

A rural landscape at sunset with trees, a red barn, small buildings, a parking lot, and a sky with clouds and the sun near the horizon.

To give you an honest answer, we have to go back in time.

In 1883, my Swedish ancestors settled here in Sparta, Michigan, on this very land. I always wonder what the land looked like, and all of the changes (for better & for worse) we've made over time.

There is a creek to the north that runs through the woods and around the western edge of the fields. My dad says that when he was younger, cattle would find their way to this creek to give birth. Ah, the power of water and maternal instincts.

Why First Bloom Farm?

An elderly man with glasses, a cap, and a pipe is holding a framed aerial view picture of a property. There are other people and outdoor furniture in the background, indicating a casual outdoor gathering.
Black and white vintage photograph of a group of mostly women and some men dressed in formal clothing, posing for a group portrait.

The creek is significant because it also signifies family history. Two brothers, long ago, couldn't farm together. A tale as old as time. So, they split the land. One brother got the farm to the north of the creek, and the other, my great-great grandpa, to the south.

My great grandpa, Walt, built a diversified farm. We had chickens, cows, corn, and hay. I always picture him with a pipe hangin' out of his mouth, black-rimmed glasses, a man of few words. He also ran a milk route, where my grandpa, Don, dropped out of school in the 10th grade to help him get the job done. My grandpa couldn't attend my high school graduation due to his health, but when we showed him the video, he said, "Wow, I never got to do that."

My grandpa farmed with my Dad and my brother, who now work in tandem to get the job done today: raising dairy cattle, cash crops, and their families. It's a big job. And frankly, they wouldn't have been able to do it without their partners: my magical, strong grandmothers and mother.

Now, the Scene is Set

One night in the summer of 2024, I had a (very long) phone call with my best friend that planted a seed: starting a farm someday. A farm that complemented, but differentiated from, the model my ancestors left for my family. Where the land is taken care of, and not just taken from. Where everyone can enjoy the beauty and bounty. Deep relationships are cultivated between farmer and farm supporters, farmer and soil, life's entropy and earth's seasons.

A (Re)alignment, I Suppose

I made a vision board the next day; a vision of a diversified farm growing fresh-cut flowers alongside other agricultural traditions, perhaps similar to great-grandpa Walt's. I was a part of a community garden, and worked on a vegetable farm. I read, followed, and tried to soak in all the wisdom from farmer comrades, plants, Lake Michigan, loved ones, and those who came before me. Especially my Grandma Bert.

Morgan, farmer at First Bloom Farm, smiling and holding a large bouquet of flowers, standing in a green field under a cloudy sky.

I Realized I Will Never Know Everything

I just had to hop in! To take the first step of following this farm vision without knowing all the answers. Taking a leap into something new and uncharted is SO scary! Even after a few years, every season is still nerve-racking.

So, after a summer of planning and many conversations with mentors and loved ones, the first seeds were planted. In the fall of 2025, after my sister got married on the family farm, I rounded up some friends, along with my niece and nephew, to help me plant the first cut flower tulip bulbs. And thus, the first blooms of First Bloom Farm — a family heritage and privilege that enables me "to bloom where you are planted." So, when you step into the First Bloom Farm flower stand in Sparta, know that you are stepping into a moment, or a bloom, in time.

Fresh-cut flowers can say a lot with absolutely no words. Isn't that miraculous? They are so exciting to grow, even more of a joy to share. By growing these beauties, I honor the privilege of stewarding the land and caring for the generations that have come before me, and those that will come after me.

Please know that behind every stem of our Michigan-grown flowers is so much work and intention, decades in the making. I hope every bouquet from First Bloom Farm makes you stop, even if just for a moment, to appreciate life's small beauties. We could always use more of that!

I look forward to forging a relationship with and learning alongside you! Let's grow, together. Literally and metaphorically.

Please stop by and say hello to me and the flowers!

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