Today we’d like to introduce you to Joey McFarland.
Hi Joey, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in Maine. I moved to Seattle to attend the University of Washington where I studied Linguistics and Communication, and met my now-husband.
I worked in marketing and then HR for several years after graduating but I didn’t love the corporate world and I knew my time in academia was not over.
In 2016, I moved to Hong Kong to get my Master’s in Linguistics, and the following year, my husband and I moved to Singapore so I could pursue my PhD at Nanyang Technological University.
In 2021, we moved back to Seattle, with a new baby in tow, and looked to create a home here.
I officially completed my PhD in 2022, and spent some time focused on motherhood, including having another baby.
As we settled into our Seattle home over the last few years, we’ve really enjoyed expanding our garden. My husband focuses on growing the edibles – fruits, veggies, and herbs, while I enjoy growing flowers to cut and make small bouquets/posies for myself, and friends and family. I love bringing joy to others in the form of fresh-cut flowers, and that is the inspiration behind my business, Flowers by Dr. Jo.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Life is certainly not without its challenges!
The underlying reason we had to uproot our lives and move abroad was because I was (twice) unsuccessful at getting into a local program. And it was quite a challenge to find a location where I could do my PhD while my husband furthered his career as well.
Life in Singapore also had its ups and downs, especially in 2020-1 when the closed borders meant we didn’t see family for nearly 2 years, including for the birth of our child.
But I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. And at the end of the day, it helped us realize that we wanted to settle down close to our family and friends which is why we ended up moving back home to Seattle.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Flowers by Dr. Jo is a flower farm located in Northeast Seattle. I grow most/all of my flowers on my small urban yard using organic and sustainable practices.
While you can purchase flowers from big-chain stores and supermarkets, there is often a hidden cost associated with those blooms. They are likely filled with many harmful chemicals. And most of the overseas workers who grow them are paid very little, and suffer lasting effects from the consistent chemical exposure. There are also carbon costs associated with shipping flowers all around the world.
Instead, we focus on bringing local, unique, and chemical-free blooms into your home or special event.
We primarily sell through our flower stand on our farm which is stocked a few times per week with fresh-cut bouquets (seasonally, March/April through October/November) and other seasonal offerings such as holiday-themed jar arrangements (4th of July, Back-to-School, Halloween, etc.), floral pumpkins, jars of paperwhites, and winter wreaths. We also offer custom arrangements, buckets of blooms, and/or bouquet bars for special events such as anniversaries, baby/bridal showers, birthdays, parties, and weddings.
I am happy to be a part of the growing movement to eliminate floral foam from our industry. Instead I work to use mechanics that can easily be reused such as floral frogs, chicken wire, and upcycled jars/containers.
I also focus on reducing the use of plastic materials in all of my work by using paper wraps, bamboo picks, twine, and compostable ribbon and stickers.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
You never know unless you try! Don’t be afraid to fail.
I think there have been (at least) a few times in my life where I have made big decisions that were not without risk that some might have questioned.
From moving clear across the country for undergrad, to moving out of the country completely for graduate school. And now pursuing my flower farming dream.
In the gardening world, we say there are never failures, only lessons learned. I like to apply this to my life in general and I think we can think of this when we are considering risks.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://flowersbydrjo.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flowersbydrjo
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/14N7DZtkTD/?mibextid=LQQJ4d
Image Credits
Heleyna Holmes