We’re closing out 2025 with a soulful, grounded, and beautifully honest conversation with Brooke Stewart of Meadowbrook Flower Farm. Set between Port Fairy and Warrnambool, Brooke’s six-acre farm is shaped by wind, weather, family, and the deep desire to build something meaningful from home.

Brooke shares how flower farming became the anchor she needed during motherhood, a FIFO lifestyle, raising a child with Williams Syndrome, and the isolation of early COVID. What started with a handful of Aldi dahlias, a cottage garden, and a suggestion to “go for a walk and listen to a podcast” has grown into a thriving, seasonal farm that reflects her resilience, curiosity, and huge heart.

This episode is rich with learning, laughter, and the kind of honesty that reminds us why Dish the Dirt exists: to celebrate the growers, the stories, and the small everyday triumphs happening on farms across Australia.

As the final episode of the year, it feels fitting, grounding, and full of hope. Thank you to every listener who has tuned in, shared an episode, spread the word, and supported local flower farmers in 2025. This community is a gift.

• How Brooke discovered flower farming through motherhood and a well-timed podcast recommendation
• Building a flower farm around FIFO schedules & family life
• Moving from a 120-year-old cottage to six acres of possibility
• Floods, droughts, crickets, windbreaks & the unpredictable reality of farming
• Her love for bulbs (especially gladioli!) and planning crops around life, not perfection
• Soil regeneration, composting & reducing inputs
• The power of showing up at conferences and finding your flower farming “village”
• Overcoming imposter syndrome and claiming the title “farmer”
• Community dinners, local networks & the importance of women supporting women

3 things she’d take if she had to leave quickly:

• Her zero-turn mower
• A sunflower head for seeds
• A handful of trusty snips

One flower to repopulate an empty island:

• Bells of Ireland (or Gladioli!)

Flower hero:

• Lisa Mason Ziegler

This is the final Dish the Dirt episode of 2025.

Thank you for:

• every listen
• every share
• every message
• every time you’ve supported a grower featured on the show

Your support builds this community, lifts up our growers, and keeps these stories alive. I can’t wait to bring you more voices, more farms, and more beauty in 2026.

Add any links here if you’d like @meadowbrookeflowerfarm

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• Key topics:

  • Diversifying crops and sustaining staff year-round

  • Protected cultivation and the benefits of greenhouses

  • Exporting Australian flowers to Japan and beyond

  • Collaboration, community, and why sharing knowledge matters

  • Adapting to climate change and investing in renewable energy

• Mentioned:

  • Wildflowers Australia

  • AgriFutures research library

  • East Coast Wildflowers and the growers who inspire him

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen.

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Guests: Elsa from Hunter Forage & Madeline from Mount Vincent Flower Farm

In this episode, Rebecca chats with Elsa and Madeline about how a small group of passionate local growers turned into a thriving community of 30+ members known as the Hunter Flower Collective.

We talk about:
🌼 How the collective began — and the joy of growing from five friends to 31 members
🌸 The challenges and creativity of micro-scale flower farming on residential blocks
🌿 How connection, collaboration, and shared learning have become their biggest strengths
💧 Dealing with floods, pests, and limited space — and finding resilience through community
💐 The importance of supporting local florists and fostering strong grower–florist relationships

The Hunter Flower Collective is proof that big things grow from small beginnings — and that when flower farmers come together, they can change the landscape of their region.

Connect with the Hunter Flower Collective:
Instagram → @hunterflowercollective
Elsa → @hunter_forage

Mentioned in this episode:

• The Harvest (Hunter Valley’s local flower hub)

• Grow Not Flown

• Earthenry Flower Farm (TAS)

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Guest: Caitie O’Grady – Springview Irises, Ebden VIC
Host: Rebecca Noble

Nestled in the hills of northeast Victoria overlooking Lake Hume, Springview Irises is home to hundreds of bearded iris varieties grown by Caitie O’Grady and her family.

In this episode, Caitie shares her journey from planting flowers in her childhood sandpit to running a thriving iris farm known for its colour, character, and care. We talk about:
🌸 The story behind Springview Irises and its stunning lakeside setting
🌸 Growing bearded irises for Australia’s climate — from soil to frost
🌸 Why irises are far more than just purple, yellow, and white
🌸 The joy of open days and connecting with people through flowers
🌸 The importance of supporting small, family-run flower farms

Follow Caitie’s journey:
🔗 springviewirises.com.au
📸 Instagram & Facebook: @spring_view_irises

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In this episode of Dish the Dirt, I chat with Belinda from The Flowering Field, based in Burra, New South Wales. Belinda shares:

• How her passion for gardening during maternity leave blossomed into a flower farm
• The challenges and opportunities of farming in a cool, frosty climate
• Why dried flowers became a key part of her business model

• 
  

  The importance of community, mentorship, and investing in the business of farming
• Her biggest successes, learning curves, and advice for new growers

Belinda’s story is one of bravery, resilience, and building a business with heart. Whether you’re a grower, florist, or flower enthusiast, you’ll take away plenty of inspiration.

✨ Connect with The Flowering Field: @the_flowering_field

✨ Follow Dish the Dirt: @_dishthedirt_

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n this episode of Dish the Dirt, I chat with the inspiring Kathy from Plumtree Floral Farm in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales.

Kathy’s story is a reminder that it’s never too late to chase your dreams. After a long career in media and even a stint as Australia’s “shopping queen,” she traded city life for gumboots and flower fields. Since moving to the subtropics, Kathy and her husband have faced drought, floods, cyclones, and endless curveballs from the weather. But through resilience, adaptability, and passion, they’ve built a flourishing flower farm that continues to grow and evolve.

In our conversation, Kathy shares:
🌸 The bold decision to leave Sydney and start a new life on the land
🌸 How she fell in love with growing flowers (and why chrysanthemums have stolen her heart)
🌸 The challenges of farming in the subtropics and learning to adapt to climate extremes
🌸 Shifting from retail to wholesale and her vision for expanding the farm
🌸 Why she believes it’s so important to educate consumers about imported vs. local flowers

Kathy’s energy and honesty make this such a special episode—you’ll walk away feeling uplifted and inspired to follow what makes your heart sing.

Connect with Plumtree Floral Farm:

Instagram: @plumtreefloralfarm

Find out more about the Flower Summit @theflowersummit

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n this episode of Dish the Dirt, I sit down with Sarah from Quail Cottage and Ash, wedding florist Film and Foliage and founder of Wildflower Academy, to talk about The Harvest—a collection point that’s transforming the way florists and growers connect in the Hunter Valley and Newcastle region.

We dive into how a simple idea—bringing growers together under one roof—has grown into a supportive community that’s making local flowers more accessible, profitable, and sustainable. From collaborative crop planning to navigating pricing, mentoring new growers, and strengthening relationships between florists and farmers, Sarah and Ash share the challenges, wins, and unexpected joys of starting The Harvest.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• Sarah’s journey from a packet of zinnia seeds to a thriving micro flower farm.

• Ash’s path from weddings to coaching florists and championing local flowers.

• The origin story of The Harvest—how convenience sparked community.

• Why visual ordering platforms like Floralist are game-changing for florists.

• The importance of collaboration over competition in small-scale flower growing.

• How The Harvest is helping growers become more strategic, profitable, and connected.

• Environmental and creative impacts of choosing locally grown blooms.

• Practical advice for anyone wanting to set up a similar model in their own community.

Links & Resources Mentioned:

• Quail Cottage (Sarah’s flower farm) @quayle.cottage

• Film and Foliage (Ash’s Floristry Business) @filmandfoliage

• Floralist platform

✨ If you’ve ever dreamed of creating stronger connections between florists and growers—or are curious about how local flower collectives work—this episode is full of insight and inspiration.

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In this episode of Dish the Dirt, I chat with the vibrant and driven Hannah Urquhart, whose journey into the world of flowers began with a love for agriculture and a deep curiosity about how things grow. After completing her agricultural science studies, Hannah joined Bush Roses in New South Wales, where she now works full-time, surrounded by the beauty and challenges of flower farming.

Hannah’s enthusiasm for Australian natives, her involvement with Wildflowers Australia, and her commitment to sharing knowledge are shaping her into a strong voice for the future of the industry. We talk about:

• How her upbringing and education inspired her career in flowers

• Life and work at Bush Roses — from early mornings to busy harvests

• The unique beauty and value of Australian native flowers

• Her role in Walk on the Wild Side, an event connecting growers and florists

• Why collaboration and education are essential for the industry’s future

If you’re passionate about Australian-grown flowers, curious about how to start in the industry, or simply love hearing from people who are making a difference, you’ll find this conversation both inspiring and energising.

Links & Resources:

• Connect with Hannah on Instagram: @agriculturalife

• Learn more about Bush Roses: @bushroses

• Discover Wildflowers Australia: https://www.wildflowersaustralia.com.au/

• Event: Walk on the Wild Side – https://www.wildflowersaustralia.com.au/

Subscribe & Review:
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to Dish the Dirt and leave a review. Your support helps more people discover the incredible stories behind Australian flowers.

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