Story written by Katie Rauch
This story originally appeared in the August edition of The 812 Magazine.
(PEPPERTOWN, Ind.) — You never know what you will find nestled amongst the fields while driving throughout Southeastern Indiana. One such treasure is located 4.5 miles north of Oldenburg just off S.R. 229 near Peppertown.
Petal Pushers U-Pic Flower Farm is a cornucopia of color with rows of dahlias, sunflowers, zinnias, black-eyed Susans, and so much more.
In 1973, Bob and Barb Bernens, along with their 6-month-old son, moved to their lovely farm. They were young city kids who were eager to try something new. After several years of commuting to the city, Barb left her job to be a stay-at-home mom and to start reviving the farm.
“We tried our hands at everything,” Barb said. “Cows, pigs, goats, chickens, sheep, and even wild horses. We learned through our mistakes and help from great neighbors.”
Three years ago, the dream of Petal Pushers began. Bob was semi-retired so he was spending more time at the farm, and with the Covid virus creating a lot of time at home, Barb had plenty of time to research how she could turn her dream of creating a flower farm into a reality.
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With Bob’s full support and help from Barb’s friend Linda, Petal Pushers began with the planting of the first seeds in December of 2021.
People often ask Barb why she doesn’t bring her flowers to farmer’s markets. Her answer is that “I want Petal Pushers to be an experience. Not a commodity. I want them to unplug, smell the flowers, hear the birds, see the butterflies and just be out in the fresh air.”
And an experience is exactly what you will get.
Upon entering this beautiful property, you choose your bucket and snips. Then, it is off to search the rows and rows of flowers for your perfect bouquet. The farm has a relaxing, peaceful atmosphere where time stands still. You feel like you are almost in another world as you watch the butterflies and bees flit from flower to flower.
It is a perfect place for a family outing. Kids are welcome to join in the picking or if you prefer, Petal Pushers offers a trampoline, play houses and corn hole so that the kids can have fun entertaining themselves while you enjoy a little “me time.”
Many people frequent the farm for their regular weekly flowers. Some utilize the flowers for special events like weddings or anniversaries. Cassie Wessel recently visited the farm to collect flowers for her sister’s wedding.
“I first discovered Petal Pushers last summer through Facebook. I was immediately in love! As I helped my sister plan her wedding this August, I knew it was the perfect place to go to get all the flowers we needed for the bridal party. Budget friendly and beautiful blooms!
My friend, Karen Weber, did the bouquets and she had so much fun visiting Petal Pushers and picking out the perfect flowers for the arrangements. Everything turned out beautifully!”
Petal Pushers is open from Mid-June until the first frost (around the end of September/early October) at 6176 S.R. 229, just 4.5 miles north of Oldenburg. Be sure to follow them on Facebook as they offer various floral design events throughout their season.
This story written by Katie Rauch originally appeared in The 812 Magazine. Subscribe by clicking here.
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