Cultivating community through flowers
Growing the greater good and building a homestead that serves her well
March 1, 2026
In honor of Women’s History Month and the United Nation's International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026, CFANS is proud to spotlight alumnae who are driving innovation and resilience across our local and global agrifood systems. These women exemplify the essential, yet often unrecognized, roles that farmers play in nourishing our communities and securing a sustainable future for all.
Rachel Sannerud earned a degree in horticulture in 2015 from the University of Minnesota.
Describe your farm:
At Pluck Flower Farm, my husband and I, along with our seasonal team, grow cut flowers for local markets — offering bouquets through our farmstand in Milaca, our summer CSA (community supported agriculture), the Linden Hills Farmers Market, and Flour & Flower Bakery in St. Joseph.
We have been in operation since 2017, when I started the farm with a quarter-acre field and a collection of hand-me-down tools. Today, we cultivate about an acre of land, utilizing both high tunnels and open-field production. Our season spans from March, when we turn on the greenhouse to start our first plants, through October, when the hard frost arrives; we typically offer flowers for sale from May through the end of the season.
What does a day in your life look like?
Each day of the week looks a little different on the farm during the growing season. Monday through Wednesday, we're focused on field work — planting and weeding from May into July, and maintaining and 'wrangling' from August through October. I have part-time employees who I work with in the field, and I've also got my toddler with me a lot of the time, so those days are a bit stop-and-go! Thursday through Saturday, I'm harvesting, making bouquets, and fulfilling CSA bouquets. That's lots of field time for me harvesting the flowers, and then lots of 'barn time' — processing stems and making bouquets. Sunday is all about the farmers market, which we do as a family and is really rewarding; I get to connect with customers, and it's the culmination of another week of a lot of work!
What is the most rewarding part of being a farmer?
For me, there are a couple of different ways the 'reward' shows up. I find a lot of peace on the farm, particularly in our flower field. On a beautiful day when I’m able to slow down and take it in — especially if I’m able to share it with my daughter — it’s the ultimate reward.
There are also smaller rewarding moments that can be surprising. Sometimes it’s a customer’s story about a special bouquet they brought to their mom, or getting to know a regular customer better. Sometimes it’s looking around the barn at the end of a market prep day, bouquets all over the place. These simple rewards come in handy to keep me going during a busy season of farming.
What challenges do you experience as a farmer?
I'm most often challenged by the varying weather conditions from season to season and the issues I face as a result. I go into each season with an 'ideal' plan of when crops are planted, how they're managed, and when we are harvesting them and in what quantities. The weather is usually the first thing to throw a wrench in that plan — whether it's too wet to plant in May, or it's scorching hot and we're scrambling to keep the field and tiny plants from drying out completely. If we've got a generally wet and cool year, we're fighting more disease and pest issues. If it's a drought, it's a struggle to get plants established and watered. You never know what the weather will hand you until it's already headed your way.
How and when did you get your start farming?
My interest in farming began when I started volunteering for a vegetable CSA farm in the Illinois suburb where I grew up. It was my first experience with farming, and I was hooked! The work felt incredibly rewarding — it was right in front of you, and you could see what you accomplished as you did it.
My time on the vegetable farm sparked an interest in pursuing horticulture as a college major. I sought out a program in the Midwest with coursework and programming that included organic systems and local food, which is how I chose the University of Minnesota.
What does it mean to you to be a woman in agriculture in 2026?
For me, to be a woman in agriculture in 2026 is to be connecting the dots. I'm striving to connect my customers to the work we do on the farm and why it matters in the grand scheme of things. I'm also striving to be a connection between other women in agriculture — building community and offering support for the work they are doing. Most importantly, I want to connect the work I do as a woman farmer to the greater good of my community.
What advice would you give current CFANS students aspiring to farm?
My advice to a CFANS student, or any woman in agriculture, would be to ensure your relationship with farming is serving you well. Farming will take up all the time and energy you are willing to give it. I think that is a particularly difficult challenge for women, especially when just starting out. My goal has always been for my farm to serve me and my family well. I have had to establish boundaries so that the farm is not the main focus every hour of every day — and I have had to fight with myself to maintain those boundaries because it's just that hard.
