Daily Inspiration: Meet Kristen Butler

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristen Butler.

Hi Kristen, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Last year was our first year growing and selling cut flowers. The idea came from a good friend in Ohio who runs a successful U-pick flower farm. But the idea of growing things and living the farm life was something I’ve longed for as long as I can remember. After spending many years living in Milton subdivisions, our family made the move to a small horse farm in Canton in 2017. Since then, we’ve raised chickens, quail and rabbits, grown fruit and veggies, operated a horse boarding business, and acquired more dogs and cats, horses, ponies and miniature donkeys! Last year we were able to purchase the property adjacent to us and the idea of growing cut flowers took root! It seemed like a fun little business that we could do as a family, but I had no idea how to go about any of it. So I enrolled and completed Lisa Mason Ziegler’s online flower farming school and learned everything I needed to know about building great soil, planting, irrigation, harvesting, etc. and of course, the business side of things (my least favorite side). I was very surprised to learn that 80% of the cut flowers sold in the United States are imported from other countries! I was excited to join the #grownnotflown movement and provide fresh, locally grown flowers. Our 2025 season was small, yet successful. We primarily sold wrapped bouquets at our roadside stand 2 times a week, and filled special orders for small events from individuals and florists. Every flower we sell is FRESH and sold within 24 hours of harvesting. We don’t spray or use pesticides of any kind. Our manure compost is made here on the farm courtesy of our equine friends, and our fertilizer is supplied by our bunny friends. In 2025 we worked hard, learned a ton, failed, tried again, grew some gorgeous flowers and had a lot of fun. We are excited for our second year! We just finished building an adorable mobile farm stand that will be set up roadside beginning in May with an honors payment system. We are enjoying our boutique stature for now, but some ideas for the future include farm tours, private u-pick events, and photographer access.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I do not have a lot of patience for paperwork. Fortunately, my daughter in law does, and she set everything in order for us, and also assisted with most of the sales and marketing. There were times of too much rain, not enough rain, wind knocking plants over, pests, plants dying for apparently no reason, fungus, disease, extreme heat, farm equipment malfunctions, etc. But none of these challenges prevented us from having more than enough flowers to sell. In the end, we can sow and water, but it’s up to God to do the growing – and it’s fun to watch.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Peace Ridge Flower Farm is a boutique cut flower farm in Canton GA. We grow beautiful, colorful varieties that are super fresh and have a long vase life. It’s satisfying to have such a gorgeous product to sell, one that puts smiles on peoples’ faces. Also, the sheer amount of bees and butterflies that cover the blooms is amazing. I’ve never seen so many pollinators in one place! Each stem is hand-picked and arranged with care. It feels good to offer clean, unsprayed, freshly harvested flowers that are a far cry from the ones grown 1,000 miles away and flown in on a jet. Using the manure our animals produce for composting and fertilizer is environmentally friendly and allows us to save on expenses, and we take being good stewards of the land and animals under our care to heart. For now, we are content with our small stature. I guess that sets us apart in a way – that we are not trying to do more every year but are focused on quality, and on all the care and attention that keeping a farm running requires.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Following our social media is great and helps to get the word out. Of course, stop by the stand and pick up your own bouquet, and one for a friend! We’d love to hear from more florists as well. Our dates and times of operation fluctuate with weather and supply, so always check our FB or Insta for the latest info. We always post again when we are sold out for the day. Also, if you would like to purchase flowers for a small event, etc. you can reach out to us via our socials or email. We’d love to see if we can provide what you need!

Pricing:

• Wrapped bouquets $20
• Price/Stem special orders $1.25

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Peaceridgeflowerfarm.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peaceridgeflowerfarm/
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576338007892