Duluth Flower Farm Offering Finish Line Flowers

Bring a Piece of Duluth Home with You With a Gorgeous Peony Bouquet – Locally-Grown by Duluth Flower Farm

Ahhhh, it’s finally summer here in Duluth. That equates to a few of our favorite things: warmer temps, Grandma’s Marathon, and plenty of fragrant flowers in bloom - including the heavenly-scented peony.

This year, for the first time ever, an exciting Duluth-centric, Grandma’s-related collaboration will occur. Duluth Flower Farm will be selling gorgeous bouquets of their locally-grown peonies – before, during, and after the marathon.

Details can be found here: destinationduluth.co/GrandmasFinishLineFlowers

Customers can either lock in and guarantee their bouquet by pre-ordering or pick one up at the finish line while supplies last. While specific colors aren’t guaranteed, what is guaranteed is the absolute freshest flowers, direct from the farm.

If you’re looking for an option for the runner in your life to take home an authentic—and fragrant—piece of Duluth, these bouquets are a stellar choice.

Family Farm

Duluth Flower Farm is a locally owned Duluth business owned by the humble, hard-working Hoffbauer family. The family consists of family patriarch “Farmer Doug” and his wife, Lois; their son Derek and his wife, Brook; and grandchildren Donna, Deegan, Dane, and Dottie.

The Hoffbauer family’s businesses are multi-generational. Shown (L-R): Farmer Doug Hoffbauer, Donna Hoffbauer (Doug and Lois’ 18-year-old granddaughter), Lois Hoffbauer. Photo submitted.

Together, the Hoffbauers operate several farming businesses, including Farmer Doug’s and Duluth Flower Farm. The plants are grown and harvested at Farmer Doug’s and then assembled and marketed by Duluth Flower Farm. Duluth Flower Farm has a garden center located at 821 Hammond Avenue in Superior, Wisconsin, which is open year-round.

More information on the history of the businesses can be found here:

BalsamWreath.com & Duluth Flower Farm offer locally-grown decorations - Destination Duluth

Peonies

Most of Farmer Doug’s peonies are grown outside in a field. However, some are grown indoors, inside the Hoffbauers’ high tunnel. These interior-grown peonies are ready for harvest a bit earlier in the season. Photo submitted.

It is currently peony season on the farm. Farmer Doug and his family have already picked over 2,000 of these gorgeous flowers, and expect to harvest another 5,000 more.

The idea for a collaboration with Grandma’s came from 18-year-old Donna Hoffbauer, who is already quite the entrepreneur. She is also the founder/owner of Superior Sourdough.

“Donna is the one who suggested us reaching out to Grandma’s,” her mother, Brook, explained. “She is of the generation who values the importance of buying local.”

The team at Grandma’s was immediately on board. “When we approached the folks at Grandma’s, they were super excited about it,” Brook noted. “They want the local community involved, and want to promote local products.”

Details

Peony bouquets can be pre-ordered online now through race day using this link: destinationduluth.co/GrandmasFinishLineFlowers.

Pre-ordered bouquets are guaranteed to be in stock. They can be picked up at the Grandma’s Expo on:

  • Thursday, June 20th from 4-8
  • Friday, June 21st from 10-8, or
  • At the race finish line on Saturday, June 22nd, from 7-4

10-year-old Dottie Hoffbauer harvests and prepares dozens of beautiful peonies. Photo submitted.

Bouquets can also be purchased on-site at the finish line - near the beer tents. Customers can pay using cash, check, or credit card. However, they will only be sold “while supplies last,” meaning that if you wait, they may be out of stock.

This year, Grandma’s will include 20,000 runners. Roughly 50,000 people are expected to descend on Duluth for the race and other festivities. With this being their first year selling bouquets, the Hoffbauers have no idea what sort of demand they’ll encounter.

“The push is for people to pre-order so we can be prepared,” Brook said. “We’re a small farm; a small family. We really want this to be a success. With that said, our whole family has been ‘on deck’ to help get the bouquets ready – aunts, uncles, other extended family, and friends.”

Each bouquet is $24.95, with the option to purchase a Mason jar with water for an additional $4.99.

Tour and Tasting

Another option to view and purchase some of Duluth Flower Farm’s wonderful foliage is to visit Farmer Doug’s (at 3361 Lindahl Road; just outside Proctor) on Sunday, June 23rd  from 11 am – 3 pm, for a tour and tasting.

For a $10 entry fee, visitors can tour the fields and greenhouse, learn about how the flowers are grown, and even enjoy a complimentary wine tasting. Over 2,000 plants will be available for purchase, in addition to other homemade goodies like maple syrup, jams, and jellies. The event will happen rain or shine.

Duluth Pride

For the Hoffbauer family, it is a matter of deep pride to sell their locally-grown flowers right here, in their hometown. “We’re excited to be on this regional stage, and show the quality and quantity that local farmers can produce for this event,” Doug said.

“Between the peonies, Grandma’s Marathon, and the summer solstice – the longest day of the year – I like to say this is like the trifecta coming together,” Lois added with a grin.

Bring Home a Piece of Duluth

Duluth-grown peonies are a great way for visitors, tourists, and guests to take a piece of Duluth home with them. “Any time you can offer a locally-grown bouquet, you’re offering something really special,” Brook said.

“These flowers are all hand-picked by a local small business, and we are excited to celebrate such a large event in our community. This is a good reminder of the kinds of things farmers can offer.”

destinationduluth.co/GrandmasFinishLineFlowers

Andrea Busche is a Duluth + regional freelance writer and small business owner. She is credited with over 1,000 bylines in local print and digital publications, and has been a frequent contributor to Destination Duluth since 2017.

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