Episode 786: Chelsea Willis, farmer-florist and owner of Sweet Delilah Farm

https://youtu.be/mQvEM_t4rmc?si=99CNLBmXVTFgoGVn

Flower farming is a magical and very personal experience for Chelsea Willis, owner of Sweet Delilah Farm. With a background in psychology and a passion for human relationships, she believes that flower work is heart work. Connecting to the land as both a grower and a designer allows Chelsea to make meaningful ties to her community. Her farm is located on Sauvie Island, an agricultural-rich destination located just minutes north of Portland, Oregon. Since planting her first flower seed in 2016, Chelsea has endeavored to make locally grown flowers accessible to everyone. She has developed Sweet Delilah Farm into a flower hub that combines her love for growing with respect for working on the land and its healing properties. The farm brings community members and healers together with the wonder of flowers through events, workshops, and you-pick experiences. Chelsea recently welcomed me to her property for a tour of the fields and high tunnels at the peak of the season, followed by our sit-down conversation as she celebrates the 10th anniversary of Sweet Delilah Farm.

With her dahlias! Chelsea Willis of Sweet Delilah Farm

I’ve been trying to schedule a visit to Sweet Delilah Farm for a few years. There’s literally no excuse because the location is less than a 3-hour drive south of where I live in south Seattle. Thankfully, last month, I was able to sync up with Chelsea’s schedule and plan a visit. We have met in the past – I’ve interviewed her a few times for Slow Flowers content – and she attended the 2023 Slow Flowers Summit when it was here in the Seattle area. But spending time on a person’s farm, seeing how they have created a floral enterprise that reflects their aesthetic and values – nothing beats it.

Chelsea Willis

Coming from a background in somatic psychotherapy, trauma studies, and social work, Chelsea believes in their power as tools to healing. One moment of beauty in someone’s day can be can be crucial – and that’s where the flowers never cease to do their job, she says. In just one decade, Sweet Delilah Farm has put down roots, enriched the land, and fed both Chelsea’s spirit and those of her customers, including a select group of couples who choose the farm as their microwedding destination.

In the studio with Chelsea Willis

You’ll love our tour and I know you’ll be enchanted by Chelsea’s newest endeavor, breeding dahlias. She shared several very special selections for future introduction