Drawing from extensive conversations with flower growers across Maine, this talk offers an inside look at what it takes to grow flowers in a northern climate. From seasonal rhythms and market demand to labor, climate challenges, and community networks, the presentation highlights both the opportunities and pressures shaping local flower farms today. Through images and stories from the field, attendees will gain a deeper appreciation for the people, places, and systems behind Maine-grown flowers.

About Dr. Ankit K Singh: Dr. Ankit Kumar Singh is an Assistant Extension Professor with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension whose work centers on specialty crop production, controlled environment agriculture, and community-based food systems. Through extensive engagement with flower growers across Maine, his research and outreach explore the realities of farming in northern climates, from seasonality and labor to markets and climate resilience. In parallel, Dr. Singh collaborates on space-agriculture research, examining how insights from extreme growing environments from greenhouses in Maine to plant systems designed for space can inform the future of sustainable farming on Earth.