Apr 28, 2024

Exploring Delight Flower Farm in Champaign, IL - A WWOOFing Experience

Delight Flower Farm
1472 County Road 500 E, Champaign, IL 61822
(402) 432-9342

The owner of this flower farm started it in 2011 because she cared a lot about the earth. We grow many types of flowers to meet the needs of people in the area who want to buy cut flowers. We sell to a wide range of customers, from big companies and resellers to farmer's markets and CSA members. Cannabis (CBD) oil, tasty flowers, and plants that are good for you are what we grow from spring to fall. As winter draws near, you can buy our fir cone wreaths that were made by hand. Our classes have a lot of different topics all year long. Some of them are herbal yoga, flower design, and farming.

The paid staff, interns, and volunteers all work together to keep the neighborhood garden in good shape and grow herbs and flowers that are good for you. We really like working in a place where everyone gets along and it's quiet. This is a real farm, so people who come to WWOOF should do whatever they can to help. On a real farm, you'll feel like you're in the middle of everything.

We have grown up and learned a lot in the fourteen seasons that have passed. Reading and going to classes are very important to us because we want to teach and help farms learn how to be teachers. This 5-acre piece of land is much better than the farming places we've had before. Because there are so many people in central Illinois who want our flowers, we are growing to cope.

You won't need to know anything about it to join; we'll teach you everything. People who aren't willing to work hard, love gardening, and enjoy being outside aren't being considered. We have ducks and chicks on our farm, but what we really love to do is grow flowers. Some WWOOFers may find that as the season goes on, it gets easier for them to do more and more jobs. This depends on their skills and hobbies. Folks here speak English most of the time, but some of them are also very good at Spanish.

You should be able to stay for two or three weeks.

Working seven days a week. We got the most done when we worked five six-hour shifts, with a 30-minute lunch break between each one.

A small cottage is right next to the main house, about fifty feet away. Guests can use it as an extra place to stay. Our tiny house is now fixed up and sealed. You can sleep in the loft, but you'll need to know how to climb a ladder to get there. The main floor is light and has everything you need. Air will not be put in to cool or heat the room. Couples who want a quiet place to stay might love this room. A small kitchen is on the other side of the shared room. There is a range, an oven, a toaster, a mini-fridge, and a microwave. The porch of the smaller house faces the porch of the bigger house, even though they are next to each other. There is a bathroom close by for workers that has a shower and a water faucet. If you want to live in the country, you need to be ready for dogs, bugs, and bad weather.

Guests can get a free breakfast every morning that includes farm-fresh eggs, veggies, and other things. People are given money to pay for their food.

We'll need a car because it's a long way from the town center.

Natural ways of doing things. We can help you take care of your land in many ways, such as through cover crops, crop rotation, composting, mulching, and permaculture planning.

Our skills show that we really want to protect Mother Earth through the way we grow. We want to show others how to farm in a way that doesn't hurt the earth.

You will plant seeds, move them to new spots, pull weeds, spread mulch, pick flowers, give them to people who need them, and sell them on a normal day on the farm, at least at first.

If you don't want to use the computer, you can bring your own books, art tools, and pictures.

Learning opportunities
Poultry farming
Pig farming
Flower farming
Aromatic and medicinal plants, teas
Beer, cider, wine, juice making
Natural cosmetics fabrication
Arts & crafts
Green Building
Yoga & meditation

Methods used
Biological pest control
No-till farming
Holistic management
Permaculture
Regenerative agriculture

Mentoring opportunities
LGBTQ+-operated
Woman-operated

Host type
Production farm
2 Hectares | 5 Acres

Accommodation
2 WWOOFers
Cabin / Mobile-home
Children not accepted
Pets accepted

Meals
Omnivore

Length of stay
1-2 weeks
3-4 weeks

Maggie

Member since 2019

Languages spoken: English, SpanishResponse rate: 43%Response time: typically within 5 days

Reviews

Raquel

United States • October 2023

I had an amazing experience with this farm in September of 2023 as my first time WWOOFing. Maggie and her team are a beautiful bunch of caring, inviting, and dedicated individuals who shared with me their knowledge and advice as I had no prior farming experience before arriving. Their farm is not only a serene and delightful physical space, but the energy they all cultivate there makes the farm an artistic and charming safe space that has a wonderful family dynamic. I loved my time at Delight, and could not recommend WWOOFing here enough!!

Monique

United States • July 2022

I really enjoyed my time spent at Delight Flower Farm! The entire property is so picturesque. The little cottage I got to stay in felt like an Airbnb. The crew on staff were all really fun to work with too. Maggie did a great job of hiring people who not only work hard and keep positive, but are a joy to be around. Everyone felt like friends! Great food and shops nearby, and I highly suggest visiting Homer Lake if you're in the area. I went a couple times and had almost the entire place to myself. While staying at the farm I saw gorgeous sunrises, fireflies at night, so many toads, I even saw a large turtle taking a stroll down the street. The whole experience was truly rewarding. I appreciated that Maggie paid attention to my interests and placed me in jobs that were suited to them. Weekly meetings were fun to observe too, I learned some of the different considerations of running a business and what goes on behind the scenes. Everything is very well run and organized. I would be happy to visit again!

Leslie

United States • June 2022

My experience with Maggie and her team at Delight Flower Farm was exceptional. My accommodations were clean and comfortable. The setting is beautiful. Everything I needed was at the farm. Maggie was a wonderful host and a fantastic boss. She answered all my questions, provided me with all of the tools and instruction I needed for my stay. We had regular check in's. I felt like part of the farm team as soon as I arrived. I would highly recommend Delight Flower Farm to any and all WOOFer's interested in small, family owned and run, sustainable flower farming.

Roan

United States • June 2021

I was so lucky to have been able to stay at Delight for a whole month, and I couldn't have asked for a better first wwoofing experience. This is a working flower farm that is a part of the community here and is helping to build up the market for local, seasonal flowers. Everyone who comes into contact with the farm loves it and the people that work and live here are truly wonderful - I hope to return soon to see them again! The work is real farm work, and Illinois weather has it all - get ready for hot days in the summer, cold in the winter/spring, and lots of wind. Like I said I got to stay for a whole month, and got to be a part of the whole operation, but now it seems to be set up for shorter stays and more specific projects. The tiny house was just the right size, with enough privacy yet not too isolated, and having the breezeway space after hours was really nice. The town of Champaign-Urbana has a wide variety of shops and you're sure to find everything you need. Maggie is very respectful and conscious of wwoofer's space and her own. Overall she was a wonderful host and made sure I had everything I needed, even with the fast pace of her farm business. Totally recommend to new and old wwoofers alike!

Lauren

United States • October 2020

Delight Flower Farm perfectly emulates its name. Despite being nestled in with larger agriculture farms, Delight brings its own warm energy to anyone who visits. As a WWOOFer, I had the opportunity to participate in daily structures like harvesting and weeding, but also retained freedom to work on independent projects. While I was there I made a cob oven for baking pizza and bread. This object now stands permanently to further foster a community of nourishment and care for its residents, staff, and patrons. Maggie and her staff helped me feel welcome, and also provided gentle guidance to make my stay as impactful as possible.