When I was living in rural Washington state, one of my favorite things about those beautiful country summers was driving by the small family-owned flower farms. For months I’d enjoy the stunning array of tulips, lilies, sunflowers and poppies cheerfully lining the winding roads.

The conventional flower industry is less cheering. Flowers are a big business, and conventional bouquets are typically packed with pesticides. Blooms are farmed in greenhouses and liberally dosed with toxic products, which eventually make their way back into the soil, nearby rivers and the groundwater. These chemicals get passed on to the growers and to you, as you take a deep breath to smell the flower’s perfume. The sentiment behind sending flowers is sweet, but choosing organic is the only way to go!

Aptly named, Local Harvest provides beautiful chemical-free flowers using the biodynamic method which works in harmony with nature’s cycles and builds up healthy soil in the process. Flowers are truly a gift from the Earth, and we can show our appreciation by supporting those who give her something back.

Image: kannon