Four years ago, when a family matter prompted Sara Mason to make a major career change, she was able to watch what was once just a business idea blossom into something magical: the Mason Homestead.
“It's a flower farm that I’ve owned for four years and a small flower shop. I also do weddings, and my hope is to this year open a flower shop,” Mason said. “I worked in the emergency room (ER) for 16 years and I knew my grandma’s dementia was getting worse, so I needed something where I could make an income from home.”
The Mason Homestead has its headquarters planted in Wanatah, but its customer base spans quite a ways, with people buying arrangements from the Indiana/Illinois state line to the South Bend area.
“For the last couple years, I’ve been doing subscriptions, so I will deliver flowers to your doorstep. I also have my products at Creme de la Crop in Valparaiso – they will be distributing my subscriptions, too, this year,” Mason said. “We’ve also delivered all the way from Dyer to Bass Lake to Rolling Prairie last year.”
Growing up, Mason’s grandmother was always an integral part of her life. When the time came for her grandmother to receive a bit of extra care, Mason didn’t even think twice to make sure her grandmother was able to receive the quality care she needed.
“She raised me; I wouldn't trade her for anything,” Mason said. “It's definitely not an easy task to be her caregiver, but it's very rewarding. She's my best friend.”
Mason’s grandmother also served as a major inspiration behind the Mason Homestead. Flowers have always been a shared interest between the two, so establishing a business that focused on what connected them seemed like the perfect venture to move forward with and create.
“Flowers were always our thing together,” Mason said. “Four years ago, I bought some Dahlia tubers from another flower farmer. I put them in the ground, said a prayer, and then I've been holding on to it ever since.”
Mason continues to invite her grandmother to be a part of the flower farm with current business matters as much as possible. A particular favorite is when the two are making deliveries to customers across the Region.
“She’ll hold my flowers on deliveries,” Mason said. “She'll hold a bouquet for my next stop and then we'll hit the road and she does really well with it. It’s always been like our little road trip over a week.”
The flowers also bring her grandmother a lot of joy and provide a major source of light for the family as she deals with memory loss.
“They can bring back memories, or even if they don't remember, flowers can bring happiness. The smell or bright colors help, too,” Mason said. “My grandma lights up with the flowers. Losing your memories and having people treat you differently can be frustrating, so it's the little things that get us through.”
It was definitely quite the change of pace going from working in an emergency room during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to running her own flower farm. However, Mason said watching the plants grow and seeing everything come together has made for a remarkable experience.
“Working at the homestead brings me pure joy,” she said. “I like to be able to grow things from seed. Right now, I'm growing them out of my house, too. I don't have a big greenhouse or anything like that. I literally started with thousands and thousands of seeds in my house and moved them outside as I went, but there's something great about watching a seed mature and become a beautiful flower.”
Another favorite part of the business is, like the seeds, watching her relationships with customers begin as simple interactions between strangers and then grow into lifelong friendships over time.
“I'm able to talk to people in their driveways and talk to them about flowers. I sell flowers at Deep River County Park. Everywhere I've chosen. I’ve always felt welcomed. I feel very welcomed in the community, and I have a support system that I wouldn't trade for anything,” Mason said.
The flower farm is also allowing her to give back to her grandmother, the person that helped to start it all.
“I'm filling her yard up with flowers,” Mason said. “My initial goal would be to rent it out, like a flower cottage house that would be an AirBnB. She's got a half acre, and I have a field and Valpo that we're planting on too, but I am completely redoing her landscaping and filling her yard with flowers this year.”
In support of her grandmother, Mason is also on the committee for this year’s Walk to End Alzhiemers and is working hard to have her flowers included with the event.
When not at the farm, Mason can still be found outdoors, as she loves spending time hiking and exploring the area with her grandmother, her husband, and their 9 year old lab, Haspin.