Hummingbird Hill Flower Farm a peaceful oasis near Shreve
The fields of flowers at sunset can be breathtaking at Hummingbird Hill Flower Farm near Shreve.
People go on vacations to relax or to see and experience new and different parts of the world, and for years Joe and Gina Morbitzer came to the area to camp and to destress from living in Columbus.
Attracted to the slower pace and simpler way of life, they finally bought a farm in Shreve.
“We lived for our camping weekends where the stress and worries just melted away. There is something inherently charming about sharing the roads with horses and buggies and having access to unlimited organic goods,” said Gina Morbitzer, who along with Joe owns Hummingbird Hill Flower Farm, located just west of Shreve at 10055 S. Funk Road.
As they were working at the farm they purchased in 2018, people began to stop and take photos of the grounds or inquire about the farm. The couple started inviting people in to tour the grounds, and in 2020 Hummingbird Hill Flower Farm was established.
Over the few years the farm has been opened, they've added more and more events and opportunities for people to experience their 6 acres.
The next event scheduled at the farm is the eco-printing workshop Flowers for & Petals on Saturday, July 27 from noon to 4 p.m. The cost is $75 per person, and participants will be able to collect their desired flowers from the farm and then create their own print on silk fabric. Pieces are commonly used as a table runner or accessory. The class will be led by Pat Kresty of Pat Kresty Designs, who will lead a second class on Saturday, Aug. 31 from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
“Pat visited us at the farm and brought a sample of her products,” Gina Morbitzer said. “We were blown away at their beauty and uniqueness, (and) we aren't the only ones. She won Best of Show at Stan Hywet's Ohio Mart one year.”
Other events upcoming include the following:
—Sunset Dinner on Saturday, Aug. 3, $100 per person, rain or shine.
—Sunset Yoga on Saturday, Aug. 10 from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
—Fall Wreath Workshop on Saturday, Sept. 7 from 2-4 p.m.
—Wayne County Farm Tour Oct. 4-5.
—Holiday Photo mini-sessions Nov. 2 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“Our Sunset Dinner is especially a favorite. We have repeat customers that come in from out of state to attend,” Gina Morbitzer said, “We still have a few tickets left for the 2024 dinner on Aug. 3.”
The dinner will go from 6-8:30 p.m. and will include flowers, a meal prepared by OTR Catering and live music.
Hummingbird Hill Flower Farm also hosts weddings, micro-weddings and elopements and also provides proposal/engagement services.
“We limit ourselves to 10 weddings per year and intentionally keep things very economical with packaged pricing based on number of attendees,” Gina Morbitzer said. “We have officiant services available too.
“Our proposal service is one of our favorite things. You call us, tell us your specifics, and we make your dreams into reality. We do everything from flowers and photography, to staged decor, to picnics and beyond. If you can dream it, we can set everything up for a no-hassle experience. We've even had a white horse for Prince Charming to ride in on for a photo session.”
Something new the Morbitzers are adding this year is overnight accommodations. Next year they plan to add a memorial garden and a Japanese garden.
Morbitzer said their biggest dream is to partner with mission-driven organizations to help bring healing to others.
“We're especially drawn to serving first responders, mental health, grief and suicide prevention organizations, domestic violence shelters, and the special needs community,” Gina Morbitzer said. “We currently work with several special needs organizations and love sharing our time and farm with their residents. We welcome organizations that are interested in exploring opportunities for partnership to reach out.”
For any upcoming event, visit www.hummingbirdhillflowerfarm.com for more details.
General admission to the farm is $5 while children under 10 get in free, and the admission cost is credited toward any same-day purchase of $20 or more. Hummingbird Hill Flower Farm is open Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m.
“By far our greatest joy is the people we meet and the stories they share about their lives,” Gina Morbitzer said. “We never intended on opening a flower farm but realized it was an opportunity for outreach and connecting about the important things in life.
“Our motto is 'Planting Hope & Creating Joy,' because even during the hard times in your life, beauty can still bloom. With every seed planted, we hope to give a little joy to our sometimes weary world. In return we hope to listen to limitless nostalgic stories of how certain blooms remind someone of a loved one.”