Caring for our Pollinator Sanctuary

Here at Goronson Farm, we strive to protect the natural ecology of the property - including our beloved pollinators, without whom we would not have any flowers, fruits, or vegetables. Along with our cultivated specialty cut flowers, we have large patches of native wildflowers that we leave around the yard to attract more pollinators and help their populations thrive. Some of the perennial wildflowers scattered around the property include violets, dandelion, rudbeckia, oxeye daisies, fleabane (wild aster relative), bachelor buttons (cornflowers), anise hyssop, bee balm (bergamot), and more!

As you walk the property, you may notice that the majority of the yard is a river of white clover plants. We chose clover as a yard cover because it stays short throughout the season and helps maintain the lawn without constant mowing. If you look carefully, you’ll see the pollinator traffic weaving between the flowers. From bumblebees and birds to butterflies and moths, all manner of pollinators can be found here. Our gardens are their equivalent of a grocery store. We often come across bumblebees napping on top of dahlias during a hot day - pictured above.

Part of our duties as the stewards of this pollinator sanctuary include carefully selecting the right plants to bring in and ensuring that they are pollinator-friendly. For instance, certain types of Lupine, though abundant in Maine, can be poisonous to butterfly varieties. After researching, we chose to grow Sundial Lupine, a northeastern native flower that is butterfly-safe. These are some of the small, but important ways we keep our pollinator sanctuary happy and thriving, and in turn the pollinators help our crops and flowers do the same.

Some ways that YOU can help support our pollinator sanctuary include participating in flower or fruit CSAs, purchasing from our flower shop so we can continue expanding our gardens, and bringing children to our scheduled farm events to inspire the next generation of growers! If we each do our part to care for the world and the creatures in it, they will care for us in return.