After a 29 year banking career, Tammy Fuller had a decision to make: relocate to Des Moines or lose her job with the Bank of America. Tammy didn’t want to uproot her life in Northern Iowa, leaving behind many friends and family so she decided to start her own business brightening people’s day with flowers. Tammy had always enjoyed flowers and putting together beautiful arrangements, so to test her future business idea, she started growing her own flowers and bringing in arrangements to work. Her co-workers loved her arrangements and gave her feedback. It was under these circumstances that Honey Dome Farms, LLC. was born.

Tammy and her husband, Chris, own an 80 acre farm northwest of Plymouth, of which they live and farm on 7 acres. The remainder of the ground is rented out to Chris’s uncle, a corn and soybean farmer. Honey Dome Farms contains a hoop house, several flower gardens, 10 bee hives, and a wildflower patch for bees and butterflies. Tammy utilizes a wide variety of flowers in her arrangements such as snap dragons, dahlias, sunflowers, yarrow, larkspur and bells of Ireland and is already looking into other flowers for next year. Honey Dome Farms also sells farm fresh honey and utilizes the honey in a variety of soaps and beauty products available for sale.

Honey Dome Farms is a new vendor to the North Iowa Farmers Market this year. Tammy enjoys interacting with the community and the “regulars” at the market. She particularly loves getting to know her customers on a personal level and learning their stories. Ultimately, Tammy hopes to build her business to the point of being able to sell her flowers at local grocery stores or floral shops. The farmers market has been an excellent way for Tammy to get her business name out there, build a reputation and network with others. Honey Dome Farms is extremely receptive to their customer base, often implementing suggestions received from customers at the farmers market.

Tammy distinctly remembers a farmers market customer she had that was looking at flowers with her husband. She had been depressed lately and her husband was trying to convince her to get the flowers to cheer her up. She felt that the flowers would look out of place in her cluttered house that she didn’t seem to have the energy to clean anymore, but her husband persisted, insisting that the flowers would be a cheery addition to the house until finally she got the flowers, walking away with a small smile. It is that impact that drives Tammy’s passion of brightening people’s days with her floral arrangements.

 

“I know most people don’t come to the farmers market to buy flowers,” Tammy says. “A lot of times it’s an impulse buy, but it’s something that can brighten up your day and make you smile. That’s what’s important”.

 

The farmers market will be open today from 4:00-6:30 p.m. Stop by to visit Tammy and let her brighten your day!