On Anna Nicholson's mixed beef and crop farm, a small plot of land is blooming bright. Her garden beds stand out from the bush landscape she farms on, about 60 kilometers outside Clermont, a town in central Queensland known for its cattle and coal.
Ms. Nicholson has jumped on the micro flower farm trend, planting a garden of flowers not just for her personal enjoyment but to sell. The beds are filled with dahlias, snapdragons, ranunculus, and more. Micro-farming is about creating small economies — growing local to sell locally.
And the Australian flower industry is hoping small operations like Ms. Nicholson's could help the domestic industry bloom again and restore it to its former glory.
Two decades ago, the majority of cut flowers in Australia were grown domestically. But then import restrictions loosened for internationally grown flowers, and they flooded the market, offering cheaper alternatives to Aussie-grown blooms.
Read more at abc.net.au