We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Skyler Richardson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Skyler below.

Skyler, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I’m just going to tell you it all. So the idea for SkyGardens goes back in time. I was an extremely quiet kid – so quiet that my Sunday school teacher thought I was mute. I just did not talk at all. My cousin did all of the talking for me until he passed away when we was six years old. We were the best of friends, and he was more like a brother to me. We lived out in the country just across the road from one another in old farm houses. He died in a tragic car accident coming home from gymnastics with his mom. I say all of this so you can understand the context of my heart at the time.

I was a broken-hearted little girl who had to find her voice. I was about seven (I think) when my Grama gifted me an eight by ten foot greenhouse because I loved plants and growing fruits and vegetables with her in her garden. My parents had just built a house right across the dirt road from her, which was about a mile from my old house so we were extremely close. She got me this greenhouse specifically because I love tomatoes and maybe we could grow them year-round. Well, I named the place SkyGardens and the business seed was planted. She was my only customer, financier, and set all of the tomatoes she bought on the table in her home so I could eat them every time I went to her house. Talk about spoiling a granddaughter.

The West Texas wind eventually blew that little greenhouse away, and that was that. I grew up, graduated from our little six-man football team high school, and went to college at Lubbock Christian University where I studied History and Criminal Justice for the bulk of my time there. My plan was law school. Constitutional Law. However, in order to go to law school, you have to take the LSAT, and in my case, score well so I could get a large scholarship to hopefully cover my studies. The goal was to take the test in March of 2020, but we all know what happened then. The world shut down. My prayer was that God would lead me in the direction that would bring the most glory to Him, law school or not.

I worked for a wedding planner/flower shop throughout college and we only seemed to get busier with flower deliveries during the Covid shutdown. As I watched more flowers come in from all over the world, I began thinking about growing flowers and researching the possibilities while working all the time at other jobs. It appeared to be that there has to be a better way to get these flowers than sticking them in a box without water and hoping they make it alright in the shipping. I finally walked the stage in August of 2020, telling few people outside of my family that my plan was to open a flower farm rather than attend law school.

I come from generations of farming on all sides and loved the way I was raised. I had always known I wanted the same lifestyle for my kids, but had never seen such an opportunity for the combination of all of my passions and values as I did as I began thinking through what a flower farm would look like. It would give me the opportunity to raise my kids and share God’s Creation with everyone while keeping all of my priorities in line.

So, I worked. A lot. I was working a part-time job online as well as full-time plus lots overtime for the wedding planner/flower shop to save every dime possible to throw into this flower farm. And when I was driving a delivery or processing flowers, I was thinking about this dream. I just knew that the people of West Texas would fall in love with these flowers almost as much as I would.

SkyGardens. Of course this would be the name. After I told my parents about the idea, my dad said “I knew you’d do something like this.” Though they were skeptical at first, they dove headfirst in to helping me make this dream become a reality. The whole family has. It gives us a unique opportunity to spread the joy of God’s Creation with everyone in which we come into contact.

Skyler, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I initially got into the industry of flowers because I went to church with the lady who owned the wedding planning business that I worked for throughout college. Farming on the other hand runs in my blood. My family has farmed cotton on the plains of West Texas for generations, and I’ve always loved the land as much as they did. Another thing I’ve always loved is cut flowers and plants so flower-farming is the perfect mix for me because it is more than just the farm, it’s the design too. I have the opportunity to grow and arrange the flowers for everyday arrangements, market bouquets like you’d get at the grocery store, have people out to the farm to pick their own flowers, and design for weddings and events.

West Texas does not always have the optimal growing conditions, yet we have faced trials with our heads held high. My goal is to learn more about what grows well here, how to make things grow well here, share that with people, and share the flowers with people.

The thing that I believe sets us apart is our story and mission to tend the garden for a purpose much bigger than ourselves. To share Jesus with the world. When I say we, I mean my parents, family, and everyone who has become invested in this little farm whether that be by purchasing flowers or following along on our crazy journey on socials.

I am most proud of the tenacity and resilience we have shown in the face of destruction. I live by “we will praise You in this storm,” and I hope people can see that with every action. There are times that we are floating in flowers, and it seems as though everything is going great. I hope they see Jesus then. Then there are times that the plastic was ripped off the tunnel, the dirt is turning the skies brown, and everything is dying. I hope they see Jesus then. Me, my brand, and my work are defined by the Creator of this universe. It’s His story. I’m just tending His garden.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

2022 was a year. It is a year in which I grow more and more fond while recalling each memory, but it was not easy. It started out great. My dad and I completed our first high tunnel just as the year was starting and we had so many beautiful plants growing. Then they bloomed and it was amazing. Everything inside the tunnel did absolutely amazing as the heavy spring winds and drought took their toll on all the outdoor plants. Then the downburst came along. It happened in May. A storm began to build to the Southwest of us, and I was excited. Rain, finally. I could see the haboob (wall of dirt) coming in the distance and went inside to brace for impact. I’ll make the long story short now. There were three waves of insane winds clocking over 90mph. The first two came from the Southwest, and the third came from the North. It wiped out everything. I had just begun planting all of our summer plants. They turned black. The plastic on top of the tunnel was broken.

We continued fighting and planting through the heat of the summer. The drought intensified and I wondered if we would have anything. How would we make it to next year? But we kept fighting, and God blessed us with a beautiful fall harvest. There were times that I would have thrown in the towel if I didn’t believe with my whole heart that God didn’t keep saying “tend my garden.”

How did you build your audience on social media?

I wouldn’t say that I’m an expert at social media, but I have seen some amazing results. I’m one of those who was never on social media much. I just don’t like to be the center of attention; however, I knew it would be necessary when starting this business. It is an amazing way to reach people, and I think to make a difference in their lives.

Here’s my secret to social media: I have to just be me. Whether that means planting all the things a month too late or sharing my experimental strategies, I am just who I am, and that is all I can be. People love it. They love to see real life because the rest of social media is so fake to them. People I have never met walk up to me at the farmers market like we are best friends because they feel like they know everything about me, and they do for the most part. My advice is to be you and to let them see you fighting the good fight, working to be better every day, personally and in your business.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.skygardenstx.com
• Instagram: @skygardenstx
• Facebook: SkyGardens