When he was running Ardelia Farm in Vermont, Bailey Hale found that many trending flower varieties were not available in quantities market farmers could use, or available at all, which led him to start brokering orders with other growers. In this interview, we hear about how that business grew until Farmer Bailey plant brokerage became the full-time business and moved to Portugal. Bailey tells us how his background as a floral designer and farmer helps him spot new varieties that will become important for flower growers.

Bailey and host Rebecca Kutzer-Rice of Moonshot Farm discuss why growers are trying more fall planting of bulbs, what to start from seed and what to use plugs for, and thoughts on plug sizing. They also talk about coming developments in ranunculus, nigella, campanula, evergreen campanula, and dahlia breeding, including winter dahlias. They also talk about Bailey’s sweet peas and methods for growing them, and what they would do if they were starting over. Rebecca’s article from the May Growing for Market Magazine came up during the interview, so we linked it here if you want to read about “Strategies for reducing plant input costs on flower farms.”

Connect With Guest:

Website: farmerbailey.com

Instagram: @farmerbaileyplugs

Read the article “Strategies for reducing plant input costs on flower farms” by host Rebecca Kutzer-Rice from the May 2026 Growing for Market Magazine

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