An Organic Farm School grad is turning her capstone business plan project into a reality.

With the help of her partner Daniel Nott, Winter-Dawn Lee has started Dragonfly Flower Farm in Oak Harbor. Her first year will rely on a CSA, or community-support agriculture, model with a choice between two subscription levels.

Last year, Lee attended the Organic Farm School’s core program, an intensive experience that ran for eight and a half months. As one of three students in 2024’s core program, she had nearly 24/7 access to farming knowledge.

For a final project, students must come up with a business plan, which is how the idea for a flower farm germinated.

“You have to run all the numbers, you have to do all the research, even if it’s hypothetical,” Lee said.

Though her classmates have gone on to grow fruits and veggies, she realized her calling was more of a creative one.

“Flowers can bring a lot of happiness and life into a place, and I want to present that to my subscribers and get them feeling like they have a little bit of that beauty from nature while also supporting native pollinators and our environment and our local economy,” Lee said.

Her CSA program will run for 15 weeks, beginning sometime in June, depending on the weather. For $375, tier one subscribers receive 15 large bouquets every week. For $185, tier two subscribers receive seven bouquets on a biweekly basis. All subscribers receive a special gift at the end of the growing season. To sign up, customers can use a Google form located on Lee’s Instagram and Facebook pages for Dragonfly Flower Farm. Registration closes May 14.

“It’s hard to be a farmer, and it’s hard to own your own business,” Lee said. “You put the two together and it’s like, whoah. It’s very much my style to focus on quality over quantity.”

She has planted 30 different varieties of flowers, including zinnias, carnations and sunflowers, among many other types. She will be delivering the bouquets, with pick-up locations in Oak Harbor, Coupeville, Freeland and at the Organic Farm School in Clinton.

With flowers, she hopes to bridge the gap between North Whidbey and South Whidbey.

“I have a real passion for nurturing our local ecosystem,” Lee said. “We do our own compost here, we do our own biochar here, we’re making our own bonemeal.”

On his days off, she relies on support from Nott, her partner who helps out in the garden and with other tasks.

Eventually, Lee hopes to one day sell her flowers on Whidbey Island Grown’s Food Hub and to local wholesalers like grocery stores.

For more information, email Dragonflyflowerpower@gmail.com or visit the farm’s social media pages.

Photo provided Winter-Dawn Lee is a 2024 graduate of the Organic Farm School on South Whidbey.

Photo provided Chickens are an essential part of the farm’s processes.

Photo provided Winter-Dawn Lee does some weeding.