She Sells Flowers And Garden Stuff
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Creating Miss Effie’s Country Flowers and Garden Stuff in 2002 was a way for Cathy Linker Lafrenz to work from home and use her experience in retail interior design, as well as her home economics and master gardener skills. It also made her the first Iowan among entrepreneurs in the U-Pick flower trend that has become more common.
She started with a 20 by 20-ft. plot of flowers and items she knitted, canned, and raised. Because it was a new idea, she attracted a lot of publicity, and her reputation grew beyond Donahue, Iowa, to Des Moines and Chicago, 3 hrs. away.
“I’ve got a fantastic view from my property with rolling hills,” Lafrenz says. “And I’ve evolved over the last 23 seasons.”
The main cutting garden is now 80 by 80 ft., and woodchip paths connect multiple gardens on the 2-acre site, including a perennial bed; an English garden exploding with roses, hostas, and hydrangeas; a wildflower bed that transforms from tulips and daffodils to larkspur to cosmos; and even a secret garden.
For $30, customers are given clippers and a gallon milk jug with the top cut off to fill with flowers from any of the gardens—usually between 35 and 40 stems.
“My thing is you can cut from everywhere. Our goal is not to have any flowers on the farm,” Lafrenz says.
But Miss Effie’s is about more than just flowers. The former 200-sq. ft. shop where she once sold her homemade items has been transformed for glamping. It caters to women, complete with a bright pink portable restroom nearby.
“We just want to be a refuge, a place where you feel safe and are comfortable and might even feel loved,” Lafrenz says, as you would if you’re visiting your grandmother’s.
Lafrenz’s husband was her biggest helper and supporter. Since he died 3 years ago, she’s hired two women to help run Miss Effie’s. Using no-till methods, they use cardboard, leaves, mulch, compost, and soil to create and maintain all the flower beds. They don’t use plastic or landscape fabric and follow mostly organic practices. Many of the annuals they plant are started in plugs by a friend.
Customers have also changed over the years from brides gathering flowers for weddings and families coming for a day in the country to high school and college-age girls dressed up for a day out and groups coming for photo shoots. During the colder months, Lafrenz teaches small groups to make things such as jam, bread, and cheese.
At 70, she recognizes how those skills are popular again with “Cottagecore” and “Grandmillennial style” trends. Her gardens are full of easy-to-grow varieties such as zinnias and snapdragons, as well as strawflowers and statice that can be dried.
“I’m not competing with fancy. It’s better working on experience and creating a relaxing place,” Lafrenz says. “The most important thing a small business owner can do is share yourself.”
She does that through social media and personally greeting visitors to Miss Effie’s. Check the website for more information and learn more about her by subscribing to Cathylinkerlafrenz.substack.com.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Miss Effie’s Country Flowers and Garden Stuff, 27387 130th Ave., Donahue, Iowa 52746 (ph 563-949-0660; cathylafrenz@gmail.com; www.misseffies.com).
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She Sells Flowers And Garden Stuff SPECIALTY/SERVICES Creating Miss Effie’s Country Flowers and Garden Stuff in 2002 was a way for Cathy Linker Lafrenz to work from home and use her experience in retail interior design as well as her home economics and master gardener skills It also made her the first Iowan among entrepreneurs in the U-Pick flower trend that has become more common She started with a 20 by 20-ft plot of flowers and items she knitted canned and raised Because it was a new idea she attracted a lot of publicity and her reputation grew beyond Donahue Iowa to Des Moines and Chicago 3 hrs away “I’ve got a fantastic view from my property with rolling hills ” Lafrenz says “And I’ve evolved over the last 23 seasons ” The main cutting garden is now 80 by 80 ft and woodchip paths connect multiple gardens on the 2-acre site including a perennial bed; an English garden exploding with roses hostas and hydrangeas; a wildflower bed that transforms from tulips and daffodils to larkspur to cosmos; and even a secret garden For $30 customers are given clippers and a gallon milk jug with the top cut off to fill with flowers from any of the gardens—usually between 35 and 40 stems “My thing is you can cut from everywhere Our goal is not to have any flowers on the farm ” Lafrenz says But Miss Effie’s is about more than just flowers The former 200-sq ft shop where she once sold her homemade items has been transformed for glamping It caters to women complete with a bright pink portable restroom nearby “We just want to be a refuge a place where you feel safe and are comfortable and might even feel loved ” Lafrenz says as you would if you’re visiting your grandmother’s Lafrenz’s husband was her biggest helper and supporter Since he died 3 years ago she’s hired two women to help run Miss Effie’s Using no-till methods they use cardboard leaves mulch compost and soil to create and maintain all the flower beds They don’t use plastic or landscape fabric and follow mostly organic practices Many of the annuals they plant are started in plugs by a friend Customers have also changed over the years from brides gathering flowers for weddings and families coming for a day in the country to high school and college-age girls dressed up for a day out and groups coming for photo shoots During the colder months Lafrenz teaches small groups to make things such as jam bread and cheese At 70 she recognizes how those skills are popular again with “Cottagecore” and “Grandmillennial style” trends Her gardens are full of easy-to-grow varieties such as zinnias and snapdragons as well as strawflowers and statice that can be dried “I’m not competing with fancy It’s better working on experience and creating a relaxing place ” Lafrenz says “The most important thing a small business owner can do is share yourself ” She does that through social media and personally greeting visitors to Miss Effie’s Check the website for more information and learn more about her by subscribing to Cathylinkerlafrenz substack com Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Miss Effie’s Country Flowers and Garden Stuff 27387 130th Ave Donahue Iowa 52746 ph 563-949-0660; cathylafrenz@gmail com; www misseffies com
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