A SPECIAL OCCASSION: Under a Tin Roof
Ben Ashby
Under a Tin Roof (@underatinroof) has created a quintessential farmstand and country store along the endless farmland of Iowa.
IT WAS ALWAYS OUR DREAM TO HAVE A BRICK AND MORTAR SHOP TO SELL OUR GOODS. When we moved onto the farm, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to convert the old garage into our store so that our farm work and little shop could go hand-in-hand. At first, we thought our store would be the home for selling our excess vegetables and be a place for other small farms to sell their produce. While this was a fun dream, we decided to change directions and primarily sell flowers. Now we are an “Occasional Shop” where you can stop by on specific dates to purchase our fresh cut flowers or request an appointment!
What advice would you give to people wanting to shop from roadside market? Always be sure to check our social media channels or website for our next open dates! Since we are not open throughout the week, the best way to know what is available is by seeing what we have shared online. For the freshest flowers, it’s always best to stop by in the morning when we’ve just cut them.
What is your most popular item? We tend to sell lots of our little Mason jar floral arrangements! They’re the perfect vessel for our customers to bring fresh flowers home without fearing that they’ll wilt before they get home.
Why, in your opinion, is it important to support and shop locally? For our business in particular, when you shop for local flowers, you’re supporting a movement away from synthetic pesticides, carbon emissions, and poor labor conditions. We think that local flowers are beautiful and unique; small farms often have better access to diverse varieties that you would not normally see in the grocery store. I think that this can be said, perhaps in different ways but within the same context, for other small, local shops.
What are the biggest challenges with owning a roadside market? The weather! Selling anything that is grown on a farm is entirely dependent upon the weather. Last growing season was extremely difficult on us; it rained for two straight months and flooded our entire field several times. We lost a large amount of our crops and somehow had to pull together to feed our customers. We still made it work, but it was certainly discouraging! That’s the risk you take with farming!
Who inspires you? Currently, I am really inspired by the women of the late 19th century. I am finding myself leaning more and more towards the ways of the pioneer- woman; how they gardened, preserved food, and made homes for their families. I think that you can see a lot of historical references in our business!
Give us a piece of gardening/growing advice? Grow what you love to eat, and you don’t have to start seeds to be a “good gardener.” If this is your first season, simply choose what you might normally buy at the store and try to replace that. It’s much easier and rewarding to be eating something that you enjoy, rather than feeling like you have to grow everything all at once and become overwhelmed. Even if it’s just lettuce and tomatoes! If you are feeling the pressure of starting everything yourself this year, try stopping at the farmer’s market in the spring or a local greenhouse for plant starts. There’s no shame in supporting a local business to get your garden started!
