MSU Extension’s Specialty Cut Flower Farm Tour returns this August
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Michigan State University Extension’s Specialty Cut Flower Farm Tour returns August 2026 with a new lineup of farm stops and discussion topics designed for commercial flower growers. Presented in partnership with the MSU Extension First-Generation Farmer Mentorship Program, the 2026 tour series is free to attend and offers practical, experience-based learning from growers who have built successful farms in different ways. Whether you're launching a new operation or looking to refine an established business, these tours provide opportunities to connect with fellow growers while gaining ideas you can apply to your own farm.
The 2026 specialty cut tour dates and locations are:
- Tuesday, Aug. 11 at 11 a.m. – Hazelwood Flower Farm, Oakland Township, MI (Oakland County)
- Tuesday, Aug. 18 at 11 a.m.– Twig End Farm, Flint, MI (Genessee County)
- Thursday, Aug. 27 at 1:30 p.m. – Leelanau Specialty Cut Flowers, Cedar, MI (Leelanau County)
Each tour stop will feature a facilitated discussion with the host farmer and MSU Extension staff, followed by a guided tour of the operation. This year's discussions will explore a range of topics, including urban flower farming, building a farm around your market, creating on-farm experiences and developing production systems that support long-term business success. Along the way, participants will have opportunities to ask questions, exchange ideas with fellow growers, and see firsthand how each farm has developed its own approach to producing and marketing locally produced flowers.
As a special addition to this year's tour series, participants attending the Leelanau Specialty Cut Flowers stop are invited to begin the day with a complimentary morning tour at nearby Heartwood Forest Farm, located just 5 minutes away. Although Patti Travioli specializes in culinary and medicinal herbs rather than cut flowers, the business strategies she will share (e.g. niche marketing, value-added products, strong customer relationships) offer practical ideas that apply equally well to a specialty cut flower business.
Both tours are available in the same online registration process. Participants are encouraged to register for both tours when completing the online registration so that we can plan appropriately for each location.
- Thursday, Aug. 27 at 11 a.m. – Heartwood Forest Farm, Cedar, MI (Leelanau County)
Register for the Specialty Cut Flower Farm Tour
Tour stops and farm profiles
Join us in Oakland Township, Michigan, for a visit to Hazelwood Flower Farm, where Kim Teoh and her family are building a flower farm centered on community, creativity and connection. Established in 2024, this organically managed farm combines specialty cut flower production with floral design, workshops, farm events, photography sessions and other on-farm experiences that bring people together among the blooms.
During this tour, Teoh will share how she is working to build more than a flower farm by creating a destination where flowers, people, and community intersect. Participants will learn about the opportunities and challenges of balancing production with hospitality, including topics such as organic growing practices, weed management, pollinator support, direct-to-consumer sales, agritourism, and operating a lean farm business while raising a young family. The tour will include a behind-the-scenes look at the growing areas and event spaces that support this evolving farm business, offering valuable insights for growers interested in diversifying their operations and creating meaningful experiences for their customers.
What was once a vacant city lot is now home to a thriving urban flower farm in the heart of Flint, Michigan. Founded in 2018, Twig End Farm produces a diverse mix of seasonal specialty cut flowers that are sold through a flower subscription program, the Flint Farmers' Market, workshops, and direct sales to the local community.
During this tour, Janie Case Beuthin will share how thoughtful planning, intensive production methods, and a strong connection to local markets have allowed her to grow a successful flower business in a remarkably small space. Participants will gain practical insights into urban flower farming, including strategies for maximizing production, selecting crops, and creating value through direct-to-consumer sales. The tour will include a behind-the-scenes look at the gardens, workspaces, and systems that support this creative and community-centered farm.
Wrap up the tour season with a visit to Leelanau Specialty Cut Flowers, where Michelle Shackelford has spent the past 13 years building a thriving flower farm in the heart of Leelanau County. Growing on just over 3/4 acre of land nestled among the region's rolling hills, Shackelford produces hundreds of flower varieties while serving customers through a diverse mix of retail, wholesale, wedding and special event markets.
During this tour, Shackelford and MSU Extension educators will lead a facilitated discussion on “Building a Farm That Fits: Lessons from Growing Flowers in Leelanau County.” As participants explore the farm, Shackelford will share the decisions that have shaped her operation, from hoop house production and irrigation systems to crop selection, labor, sales channels and future growth plans.
Along the way, attendees will gain practical insights into how thoughtful production and business decisions can help create a farm that aligns with both market opportunities and personal goals. The tour will include a behind-the-scenes look at the production areas, hoop houses, and customer-facing spaces that support this uniquely northern Michigan flower farm.
Author’s note: As an added opportunity, participants attending the Leelanau Specialty Cut Flowers stop are invited to begin the day with a morning tour at nearby Heartwood Forest Farm. If you wish to take advantage of this opportunity, be sure to select both tours during registration.
What started as a passion for plants and herbal traditions has grown into a thriving farm business centered around culinary and medicinal herbs. At Heartwood Forest Farm in Cedar, Michigan, first-generation farmer Patti Travioli has spent more than a decade cultivating a unique operation nestled among the forests and rolling hills of the Leelanau Peninsula. The farm produces a diverse array of specialty crops while also offering value-added products, educational workshops, and community-focused experiences.
During this tour, Travioli will share how she transformed that passion into a thriving farm business. Drawing from her own journey as a first-generation farmer, she will discuss how specialty products, value-added offerings, educational programming and strong customer relationships have helped her operation stand out in the marketplace. Participants will gain insight into the opportunities and challenges of building a farm around a distinctive niche while exploring the herb gardens, production areas and pollinator habitat that support this unique northern Michigan enterprise.
Cost and registration
All tour stops are free to attend however advance registration is required to help us plan for each location. Participants may register for one or multiple tour dates through a single online registration process.
Register for the Specialty Cut Flower Farm Tour
Light refreshments will be available at each farm. Tours will last 2-3 hours. Attendance is limited to 35 participants per tour, so be sure to sign up early!
To learn more about the MSU Extension First-Generation Farmer Mentorship Program and other educational opportunities available through the program, visit the First-Generation Farmer Mentorship Program webpage.
