Castle Hayne Farms blooms ahead of Mother’s Day rush
CASTLE HAYNE, NC (WWAY)– With Mother’s Day just days away, a New Hanover County flower farm says the holiday is bringing a welcome boost as families look for the perfect local bouquet to celebrate mom.
As Mother’s Day approaches, the greenhouses at Castle Hayne Farms are bursting with color and activity. Peonies, tulips, and roses are among the farm’s most in-demand flowers this season, making it one of the busiest — and favorite — times of the year for co-owner Mark Hommes.
“It’s a great job to have. Maybe I work a little bit too much,” Hommes said with a laugh. “It’s just nice to see all the customers smile and everybody be happy. I mean, who isn’t happy when you get a bunch of flowers?”
Hommes has owned the farm since 2004 and says operations ramp up dramatically every May to meet the surge in Mother’s Day demand. During the busy season, the farm nearly doubles its workforce to help harvest flowers and prepare shipments.
“We usually go from 40 to 60 employees during that time of the year to bring the harvest in and supply the wholesalers on the East Coast and the grocery chains,” Hommes said. “But we also make everything available to the public here in our retail store on the farm.”
The demand extends far beyond individual shoppers. According to Hommes, florists, event planners, and organizations place large orders months ahead of Mother’s Day, often filling the farm’s schedule weeks before the holiday arrives.
“Mother’s Day is usually the time we have to quit order taking two to three weeks before the day,” he said.
While drought conditions have affected some agricultural operations across the region, Hommes says Castle Hayne Farms has avoided major production issues because most of its flowers are grown inside irrigated greenhouses.
Still, the business faces other economic pressures. Rising fuel costs tied to global conflicts have increased delivery expenses, and imported flowers are being hit with tariffs that raise prices even further.
“There is the 15 percent tariff out of South America that has increased the prices of those flowers drastically,” Hommes explained.
Despite those added costs, Hommes says the farm has worked hard to keep prices steady on its locally grown flowers.
“I would like to thank all our customers and new customers,” he said. “Every day we have people coming, and we appreciate all the support from those who shop local.”
Castley Hayne Farms will be open from 8 am to 3 pm on Friday and Saturday, and on Mother’s Day from 8 am to 1-pm for any last-minute shoppers.
