The beautiful oceans of red and white have graced the\ngreenhouses of Down Home Ranch for many years, but many of our friends have no\nidea of how this annual endeavor came to be. Let’s dive in…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Horticulture was on the forefront of our founders’ minds from\nthe beginning. Thanks to a gracious donor, the Ranch was gifted their first\ngreenhouse, a large, open-sided hoop house, to get started. A few years later,\nJoe Matthews, an Abilene businessman, donated and delivered the parts for five\nadditional greenhouses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Without funds to pay someone to build them, we figured out how\nto do it ourselves, panel by panel, bolt by bolt. We were even able to recruit\nLambda Omega Alpha, a Catholic fraternity from UT Austin, to help! (Little did\nwe know that one of their members, Brian Loer, would become the Head Grower for\nthe entire operation one day!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When the greenhouses were up and functioning, another friend\nmagically showed up to teach us the ins and outs of growing poinsettias. C.O.\nSmith was owner and operator of Hill Country Nursery in Austin, and out of the\nkindness of his heart and appreciation for our mission, shared his knowledge\nand experience with us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We started small and worked our way up to as many as 15,000\nplants in one season. Our team of volunteers, staff and Ranchers pour their\nhearts into planting, watering, pinching, spreading, packing and delivering\nthousands of blooms each year. Our plants have been picked up and delivered to\npeople all over Central Texas and even Texas’ favorite grocery store, H-E-B,\nhas started selling them in their Elgin, TX location! The plants have been used\nas fundraisers for schools, sports and dance teams, theater groups and more!\nChurches have even decorated their sanctuaries with the festive plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From the very beginning, the success of the horticulture has\nalways been dependent on friendship and kindness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you’re interested in playing a purposeful part in this Down\nHome Ranch tradition, here are a few ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
-Pre-Order your own poinsettias today!
https:\/\/dhr.tiltedchair.co\/purchase-our-goods\/poinsettias\/<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n