Aubrey Frost and her husband Mitchell’s farming story goes back to 2013. That’s when Aubrey asked Mitchell to build her two 4×8′ raised beds in their first home’s backyard.
From there, she became deeply invested in honing her vegetable gardening skills.
“Each year, the garden grew, and eventually included a small suburban chicken coop, bees, a greenhouse, and over 2,500 square feet of vegetables and flowers in production throughout much of the year,” says Frost. “I began writing a blog, updating friends and family on social media with stories and lessons learned on our suburban homestead.”
But they knew the suburbs and city living wasn’t going to work forever, so they decided to find their forever farm. Today they are the duo behind Frost Farmstead, a 10-acre working farm on the edge of Beavercreek and Xenia with over 2.5 acres of You-Pick flowers.
“Throughout the season, we produce nearly 40 varieties of annual and perennial flowers and culinary herbs,” says Frost.
Frost Farmstead just opened its gates in July 2021, having planted over 10,000 seeds in their basement and hundreds more feet of seeds sown into the field during the springtime months.
Frost says the You-Pick season runs from July through the end of October, and they’re open for flower picking from 12pm-8pm Friday through Sunday and Tuesdays from 5pm-8pm. However, she says to check their Facebook page as fall approaches. Because the days get shorter, Frost says they may adjust hours to maximize your ability to pick in daylight conditions.
“When you arrive to pick flowers, you will check-in at our service counter and choose which You-Pick option you would like,” explains Frost. “Unlike some farms that charge by the stem, we price our You-Picks based on container size – whatever you can fit into the container is what you ill take home.”
This season, pints are $14, quarts are $20, and gallon buckets are $65. Frost says those coming to pick flowers don’t need to bring anything other than an eye for creativity, or even a picnic if you want to enjoy a meal on the farmstead.
“We provide containers and snippers for picking, and will wrap your bouquet in butcher paper and ribbon, and send you off with a packet of flower food to keep your blooms looking fresh for a week or more,” she adds.
While meandering through Frost Farmstead, you can also visit with the roaming chickens, ducks, geese, and goats. “We regularly provide walking tours of the barns and answer questions about how we care for the animals and flowers on the farm,” says Frost.
In addition to their You-Pick hours, Frost Farmstead also hosts events on the farm including professional photographer sessions, summer camps, small group social celebrations like birthdays, baby showers, women’s groups, and more. Frost says they’re looking to the future for larger events as well.
“We also take custom order for pickup bouquets and larger arrangements throughout the week,” says Frost. “We love working with our customers to help them create a memorable event filled with fresh local flowers.”
Frost says that when you pick flowers at Frost Farmstead, you’re picking the freshest local flowers available, and at a greater variety than you can find at the grocery store.
“Each time into our fields yields a completely unique creation to adorn your kitchen table or gift to a friend,” says Frost. “In addition to the flowers, where else are you going to have the opportunity to bottle feed a baby goat, watch your children feed and chase chickens, or meager through pastures enjoying the sights and sounds of a sustainable farm ecosystem.”
The Frosts are looking forward to the future of their farm. She says to expect many new additions to the Farmstead in 2022 and beyond.
“As long as the weather cooperates, we will have twice as many flowers planted for You-Pick next season,” she says.
The Frosts are installing orchards that will produce apples, peaches, pears, plums, apricots, and sour cherries plus patches of red raspberries and blackberries.
In 2022, the Frost Farmstead will host many floral and artisanal workshops in 2022.
If you’re looking for an overnight experience on the Frost Farmstead, she says that they’re currently featured on Hipcamp.com for overnight and weekend camping experiences.
“We will be adding a beautifully decorated glamping Yurt as an option for overnight guests and those who wish to throw small events out in our scenic pastures behind the flower fields,” adds Frost.
You can visit Frost Farmstead at 185 South Valley Road in Xenia. You can follow along on Facebook and Instagram.
