Made for more

ALEXANDRIA — At age 15, Minnie Blair, the eldest daughter of six siblings, echoes the work ethic of the five generations of Irish American farmers in the Blair family who have come before her. Blair grows cut flowers dedicated to her bouquet business, Minnie-sota Farm Girl Flowers.

Running a family business is familiar territory for Blair, as her parents, Ryley and Shannon, own and operate both Ryley Blair Farms and Blair Cattle Co., farming and raising Angus cattle on the family land near Alexandria.

In 2021, Blair started selling flowers at the end of her driveway with the help of her siblings.

“I would always make my older brother, Sawyer, hold the sign at the end of the driveway,” Blair said. “He’s more outgoing than me. … I would sit back and watch until we had a customer.”

Snapdragons were the flowers that originated her business venture, and since those early years in the driveway, her business has taken on a new level of dedication, effort and appreciation every year. Repeat customers and new customers alike eagerly await the announcement of bouquet drops on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. With the help of her mom and older brother Sawyer, Blair delivers bouquets to the Alexandria area.

“My mom has always liked flowers,” Blair said. “She was given a bouquet from a close friend around the time my younger brother was born. It was such a special gesture; that’s when we decided that we were going to grow cut flowers to make and share bouquets, too.”

Starting with a few snapdragons, zinnias and other fillers, Blair’s curated approach has blossomed into a creative outlet she is now known for in the area.
Customers are drawn to her unique selections and color pairings, giving not only a different look but a fresh vibe compared to some more traditional bouquet offerings, Blair said.

Blair’s bouquets are even spreading onto the wedding scene. Last year, she provided bouquets for five weddings and already has a couple on the books for 2026. With each bouquet request requiring 50-100 stems, Blair only takes on what she knows she can fulfill, and timing is everything.

Harvest typically begins in June, but the work starts as early as January and February when Blair and her mother carefully choose which flower varieties and colors they will grow. Seeds are sown indoors in early February and nurtured until the raised beds and dedicated garden areas have been prepared for planting. Blair starts all her flowers from seed except lisianthus.

“Raised beds really help to keep the weeds down,” Blair said. “Some rainy springs mixed with our clay soil have taught us a few lessons, and we have just found that on our farm, raised beds work better.”

Blair said the seasons can get long, but being able to push through is a skill she feels will carry her through a lot of tough times ahead.

“With a set schedule, I manage most of the flower tending,” Blair said. “Certain days are for weeding and watering, and others are for harvesting and arranging. That way, if something comes up, I can rearrange my time and still accomplish what I need to.”

Arranging bouquets comes in waves as the flowers bloom.
Blair said she prefers to work independently on the creative aspect, and her bouquets reflect her personal favorites and show her creativity. She has no problem, however, roping her siblings into helping her with digging, hoeing, weeding and watering when those tasks feel heavy.

“My mom is in charge of the marketing,” Blair said. “We work on my social media presence together and sometimes make funny reels involving my siblings; but we don’t let it consume us.”

Learning which flower varieties and arrangements are the most popular while also trying to grow a customer base was not always easy early on, Blair said. Working with repeat customers now is one of her favorite parts of the job.

“People are coming back year after year, and that is encouraging,” Blair said. “They buy multiple bouquets. … They gift them to others and have even asked me to curate anniversary bouquets.”

New challenges seem to present themselves each year, Blair said. Last year, it was the wildfire smoke and lack of sunlight that accounted for a later-than-average harvest. This year, it was disease brought in by pests that affected her lisianthus, which are prized for their long vase life. Because they are a slow grower, starting over was not an option.

“Last season was kind of a struggle for me,” Blair said. “So, while part of me is thankful for a slower start (this year), there’s also part of me that wishes it was busier.”

With fewer blooms to harvest than predicted, Blair has taken the opportunity to help her mom out more in the kitchen.

“It’s not necessarily the canning, cooking or baking part that I enjoy,” Blair said. “It’s the taking care of people part that I enjoy the most.”

Blair has also found time to babysit and help her dad with fieldwork, which comes as no surprise to him since Blair spent many hours in the tractor cab growing up.

A prime example of what Blair hopes for her life has been set by her biggest cheerleader, her mother, she said. Raising a family, homeschooling her children someday, growing flowers and investing in her own future family the same way her family has done for her are Blair’s main goals in life.

By keeping business strategies simple, Blair and her family can navigate the journey as they see fit. They have not seen a need to invest in branding and have chosen to leave those doors open. Allowing time for family activities, sports and the ever-busy social calendar of a teenager are important pillars for the busy family.

“I know I will always grow flowers,” Blair said. “I don’t know if it will be at this scale, but nurturing and tending to my gardens (and) sharing with others, … that’s what makes me happy, and it makes me want to do it even more.”