"To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow." - Audrey Hepburn
Tanya Watson spent her early childhood years in the garden with her great grandparents. Her summers were spent shelling beans, canning, and digging in the dirt. She didn't realize it at the time, but these simple acts shaped who she has become so much later in life. In 2013, Tanya participated in a WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) program. She traveled up and down the west coast, working on various farms, and did everything from milking goats to harvesting flowers. It was there that she fell in love with the idea of flower farming and knew that's what she wanted to do when she returned to NC.
Her husband, Travis, on the other hand, had no idea he would end up marrying a "farmer!" He grew up outside of Pittsburgh and learned valuable construction skills from his father and uncles. Travis was always interested in gardening and kept a small garden wherever he lived. When she retired, his mother was a beekeeper, and he became interested in the art form then. After purchasing a small 3-acre property outside of Beaufort, they decided to focus on growing specialty cut flowers.
Two Bees Farm is owned and operated by Tanya and Travis Watson; they run a small cut flower farm and sell honey from their beehives. They are both "on the go" and love a project! Travis is constantly building or repairing something and loves working with the bees. Tanya loves having her hands in the dirt and watching a seed turn into a big beautiful plant covered in flowers. They both love seeing natural connections taking place on their farm. They work hard to keep their soil healthy, which is directly connected to the health of the plants they grow. They know that providing good food sources for pollinators, especially their honeybees, is directly related to the health and vitality of the local ecosystem. Tanya also enjoys educating their customers about the seasonality and significance of choosing locally grown flowers.
They offer a product that, grown conventionally, has a substantial environmental impact. Over 80% of flowers sold in the US are imported from places such as Columbia and Ecuador. The majority of domestically grown flowers come from California. This means that most of the flowers purchased in the US are sprayed with multiple chemicals to keep them bug-free and able to withstand the stress of shipping. Being shipped means they are wrapped in plastic and travel many, many miles to reach the customer. Travis and Tanya offer a local and responsibly raised alternative to imported flowers. In addition, their customers come to know the seasonality of flowers. They are learning that sunflowers aren't available in March and July is much too warm to expect a beautiful anemone in your bouquet.
Travis and Tanya enjoy being part of a community that values small farmers and business owners. Organizations such as Carteret Local Food Network have worked tirelessly to educate the public about the value of locally grown products. They are thankful for local business owners who have embraced what they are doing and for the donation of their space weekly to serve as a pick-up location for their customers. You will find them at Stable Grounds Coffee Shop in Newport, Mill Creek Feed and Finds in Mill Creek, The Market at Cedar Point, AB Bottle Company in Atlantic Beach, Gigi and Co. in Morehead City, Downtown Barre in Morehead City, and Fishtowne Brewery in Beaufort. Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food, and medicine to the soul.
Rebecca Jones is a contract writer for the Carteret News-Times and a member of the Carteret Local Food Network blog writing team. She was born and raised in the Piedmont Triad area where she spent most of her life. She has two grown children and 6 grandchildren. Writing has always been a part of her life and she believes that it is a way to showcase and bring awareness to events that affect your community. In April of 2018, Rebecca and her husband George moved to Beaufort, NC. Her most recent two books, Love Brings You Home (about Hurricane Florence) and Go Deep (a devotional with photos), are sold locally and on Amazon.