Four Things to Outsource on your Flower Farm (SFFF55)
When you’re juggling bouquet orders, inbox replies, market prep, and soil testing all in the same breath, it’s easy to feel like there’s never enough time. Most flower farmers start their businesses doing everything themselves—planting, harvesting, bookkeeping, marketing, all of it. But as your business grows, so does the need to protect your time and energy. That’s where outsourcing comes in.
The key isn’t just hiring help—it’s hiring the right help at the right time. Knowing what to get off your plate first can be the difference between burnout and breathing room. Here are four areas that can free up your schedule, boost your business, and keep your flower farm running smoothly.
1. Bookkeeping and Taxes: Start With the Numbers
Unless you came into flower farming with a background in accounting, chances are you didn’t sign up for the spreadsheets. Bookkeeping and taxes are high-skill, high-risk areas—and getting them wrong can cost you in a big way. If you find yourself skipping months or dreading year-end tax prep, it’s probably time to bring in a pro.
I’ll be honest: I waited way too long to hire someone. Every fall, I’d sit down and try to reconcile five months of financials in one go. It was overwhelming and full of errors. Outsourcing to a bookkeeper who understands small farms or ag-based businesses changed everything. They do it faster, better, and with way less stress. It’s one of the best investments I’ve ever made.
2. Admin Support: Reclaim Your Brainspace
Email overload? Calendar chaos? Admin work might not be flashy, but it eats up a ton of mental energy. Inbox management, scheduling, customer replies, data entry—these are all areas a virtual assistant (VA) can step into, even just a few hours a week. You don’t have to go big—start small and build from there.
I used to think no one could answer customer emails except me. The questions felt so specific: “Will you have peonies in August?” or “Can I book ranunculus for a wedding in July?” But the truth is, all of those can be handled with a clear set of canned responses or a good FAQ doc. Delegating admin tasks has freed up more time than I ever thought possible.
3. Social Media: Let Go of the Tech, Keep Your Voice
Social media is an important marketing tool—but it can also be a serious time suck. Planning posts, creating graphics, editing reels, scheduling content… it adds up fast. If you love writing captions and sharing your voice, you can still do that while outsourcing the rest. Tools like Planable make collaboration super easy.
I still write most of my own content, but my assistant handles putting it all together—matching photos, creating graphics, and getting everything scheduled. It keeps me consistent without feeling stretched too thin. Whether you need full management or just help with the behind-the-scenes, outsourcing social can save you hours each week.
4. On-Farm Help: Build Your Field Team
Harvesting, weeding, bouquet making, market prep—these are often the first tasks flower farmers hand off, and for good reason. They’re physically demanding and time-consuming. But don’t let anyone tell you it’s low-skill work. Harvesting well, transplanting efficiently, and building beautiful bouquets all take training and practice.
When you bring someone on for physical labor, the goal isn’t to work with them forever—it’s to train them well enough that they can work without you. The more you can hand off these repeatable tasks, the more you’ll be free to focus on the parts of your business that truly need your eye—like design work, customer relationships, or dreaming up next season’s crop plan.
Know What to Let Go Of, And When
If you’re constantly feeling behind, overwhelmed, or stretched too thin, it’s time to ask yourself a few key questions: What do I dread doing? What’s eating up my time that someone else could handle? And where would I get the biggest return from a little extra help? The answers to those questions will point you straight to your next great hire.
Ready to dig deeper into how outsourcing can help grow your flower farm sustainably? Listen to Episode 55 of the Six-Figure Flower Farm podcast—Four Things to Outsource on Your Flower Farm—for a deeper look at each category, personal stories, and practical tips to help you get started. You can find it on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen. 🌸
