“Nobody wakes up and says ‘I want to be a millionaire, so I’m going to be a farmer.’”

Gretchen O’Neil | Petals, ink.

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Today we’re sitting down with Gretchen O’Neil (pictured above right) of Petals, ink. & Grassdale Flower Farm to discuss:

• how she finally recognized the constant pull of the floral industry on her career path choices
• a pivotal moment which left her inspired to grow flowers in the challenging Texas climate
• the heartfelt letter that won the hearts of the previous owners of her flower farm, Grassdale
• her newest project: Austin’s first 100% locally grown mobile flower truck
• and a special interview with her daughter, Aiwyn

Petals, ink. | Lisa Woods Photography

Visit the Petals, ink. Mobile Flower Truck:

Beginning with the official launch date on October 13-14, the Mobile Flower Truck will be parked at The Tasty Spoon, a new gelato shop located in a creek-side bungalow in eclectic South Austin at 1413 S. 1st Street. Gretchen is thrilled with this location for the fall of 2017! The Tasty Spoon serves authentic handcrafted gelato alongside delicious coffee and espresso beverages. Similar to Gretchen’s commitment to locally grown flowers, The Tasty Spoon sources ingredients locally from the finest farms in Texas.

Links mentioned in Ep. Five with Gretchen O’Neil:

• Anthropologie ‘Blazing Poppies’ wallpaper
• Kickstarter: the world’s largest funding platform for creative projects
• Floret workshop with Erin Benzakein & Amy Merrick
• Portland Design Institute
• Arnosky Family Farms – Texas Specialty Cut Flowers

See more by Gretchen O’Neil:

Website | Instagram | Facebook | Grassdale

An Additional Opportunity to Visit with Petals, ink:

Gretchen will be participating in craftHER Market, a space for women to showcase and share their wares, makes and goods. On Oct. 1, 2017, craftHER Market will feature 100+ booths at Fair Market, produce panels covering different topics relevant to the maker community and showcase resources in the Austin community (art collectives, alternative art markets, etc.) For more info: click here.

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BB Podcast Sound Engineer: Landon McGee