This Columbus farm allows you to pick flowers for free 1 day per week
When Deborah Jordan wanted to surprise a friend on her birthday, she skipped the salon and florist, instead, she took her friend to a Columbus farm where people can create a free, personalized bouquet with flowers they pick themselves.
Jordan and her friend Tenathe Lane created their floral arrangements at MercyMed Farm, 3802 Second Ave. in Columbus, at the farm’s “You-Pick Flower Fridays” event.
“It’s really beautiful,” Lane said about the surprise. “It’s very thoughtful. I’ve never picked my own flowers before, so making my own bouquet out of a fresh garden is very nice.”
“There’s no cost to picking flowers,” Keith Sims, the MercyMed Farm manager, told the Ledger-Enquirer. “Our motto is: Flowers are priceless, so who are we to put a price on them?”
Sims said those wishing to make a donation to fund future efforts may do so, but it’s not required.
“There are no expectations to even leave a donation,” he said, “If you want to grab some flowers to put a smile on your kitchen table, we’d love for you to be here.”
Sims suggests people make their first you-pick experience at Farmstand Friday, on Friday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon at MercyMed Farm.
“Then after you come out on Farmstand Friday, if you see us out here working, you’re welcome to come pick while we’re working,” he said, “as long as you convey to Farmer Keith or Farmer Frank that you’re out here picking flowers and we know who’s on the property.”
Sims said the you-pick flowers program, which typically starts around Mother’s Day, was ramped up for this, its third, year.
“This year, we definitely have a lot more flowers growing because we saw the need from the community of people supporting this,” he said,
Sims said they have floral wax paper, rubber bands, flower snips and plant food available as well.
“You-Pick Flower Fridays” should continue until the first frost, Sims said.
“When you see the first frost is in the forecast, check back in with us because we’ll have a big flower-cutting bonanza where we want to get these flowers out of here,” he said, “because they’re all going to get snipped by the frost.”
This story was originally published June 4, 2026 at 5:50 PM.
