Local flower farm prepares for busy Mother’s Day weekend

CASTLE HAYNE, NC (WWAY) — Peonies, lilies, snapdragons and more are all being produced at Castle Hayne Farms so you can put a smile on your mom’s face for Mother’s Day.

“It’s a nice gift, you know? I’ve never seen anybody not being happy getting a bouquet of flowers,” co-owner Mark Hommes said.

The farm is one of the most prolific flower producers in the area and this weekend is their busiest of the year.

Hommes took us on a tour to show what it takes to create a beautiful bouquet.

“It takes us about 12 weeks to turn a crop, from planting to harvesting, depending on what it is,” Hommes said. “Iris take a little less time, some of the lilies take a little longer.”

Holly Holsenback is a loyal customer who was picking up flowers for Mother’s Day.

“They have the best selection and they make such beautiful bouquets,” Holsenback said.

She says moms deserve a pretty bouquet after a long winter.

“We’ve had a hard winter,” Holsenback said. “It was an awfully cold winter and these flowers just let us know that everything is starting new!”

Hommes says the cold winter was actually good news for production after a couple mild ones in 2016 and 2017, so there won’t be a shortage of flowers at the farm if you need a last-minute gift.

Castle Hayne Farms has been producing flowers since 1932, with Hommes and his partner taking over in 2004. They have 50 employees during their busiest times like this weekend.