2026 Fall Homeland | Petals on the prairie: Dahlia Valley Ranch provides fresh flowers to Sandhills communities 

The Sandhills of Nebraska are best known for their vast expanse of rolling prairie and sprawling cattle herds. Nestled on the southern edge of the Sandhills in the little town of Arnold, Dahlia Valley Ranch cultivates an unconventional crop for the region. Flowers of all kinds can be found in their fields and high tunnels.  

Lisa Nelson, Dahlia Valley’s owner, has been gracing Arnold with her floral flair for the past six years. She cultivates over 100 varieties on the ranch, including lilies, sunflowers, zinnias, tulips, and, of course, dahlias. This assortment of flowers in the middle of the Great American Desert is something Nelson takes great pride in and is always looking to expand. “I haven’t found an ugly flower yet,” she said with a laugh.  

While she’s always been an avid gardener, it wasn’t until the pandemic that the seed for this business was planted in her mind. “Just like most people during COVID, you have a little more time on your hands,” Nelson said. While looking for ways to stay occupied during the shutdowns, she came across a floriculture business called Floret Flowers that offered online workshops and webinars for people interested in flower farming and arranging.  

“It intrigued me, and I got to thinking, we don’t really have any florists in Arnold. Long story short, I was working in retail for 30 years and was ready to make a new chapter and start something different,” she said.  

She took Floret’s online course and learned about growing and marketing flowers, as well as catering to different events such as weddings and birthdays. Now in the middle of her sixth growing season, Nelson boasts a variety of services. She provides flowers for community events such as weddings, funerals, and birthdays, sells arrangements at the nearby North Platte farmer’s market every Saturday morning, invites visitors to pick their own bouquets on the ranch, and provides consulting for others considering taking the leap into their own floristry business.  

She brings years of experience to her consulting sessions, as well as ties to professional organizations that have helped her and others grow in the floriculture field. Nelson is a member of the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, an organization that connects small flower farmers around the US and provides them with educational materials and networking opportunities. Nelson said that this group is a great network for bouncing ideas off of other growers.  

She also participates in Rooted Farmers, a platform for specialty farmers like herself, connecting them to florists across the country who want to purchase their products. She is particularly a fan of this organization because they prioritize American-grown products- something that isn’t overly common in the floristry industry today. “A bunch of us flower farmers would like to get back to American-grown flowers,” shared Nelson. That’s part of her motivation for incorporating her community so heavily into her business, from the consultation sessions to the Sip n Snip sessions she hosts at the ranch. 

These U-Pick events are a big hit and one of her most popular services. Every Saturday evening during the growing season, people flock to the ranch to stroll the flower rows and cut their own bouquets. Guests are encouraged to bring their own beverages and some friends to spend a fun-filled evening basking in the beauty of the Sandhills. “We’re in a very beautiful spot here,” said Nelson, “and that attracts a lot of people from different areas.” People come from all over the state and beyond to fill a cup of flowers and spend some time in nature. “I think people are itching to get back into the country,” she said. These sessions last throughout her growing season, and visitors can enjoy a different assortment of flowers every time they visit.  

Nelson’s growing season lasts from February through October, no easy feat in central Nebraska. She’s achieved this length through the use of high tunnels and by cultivating flower varieties that can grow in cooler temperatures, such as the tulips she plants in February and the chrysanthemums that can withstand the crisp autumn air. She hopes to extend her growing season even further and is experimenting with some flowers in the Arnold Public School’s greenhouse. She has a partnership with the school, allowing the students there to visit her place and learn about floriculture while she makes use of the greenhouse. Her desire to innovate and connect with others has played a large role in her business’s success in a region that’s not easy for a business like this to thrive. 

Aside from being a small business and facing that set of challenges, Nelson also has to face the unique obstacles that come with growing flowers in the Sandhills- a region not renowned for its ease of cultivation. “It is 100% farming; you’re at the mercy of pests, weather, you name it,” said Nelson. She’s had to battle crop loss from hostile weather conditions, accidental herbicide drift, having to experiment with cultivation methods to protect her flowers. The high tunnels have increased her success drastically, extending her growing season by almost two months. She also tries to employ sustainable farming methods to protect the unique ecosystem around her.  

Dahlia Valley Ranch never uses chemical pesticides or herbicides, instead relying on methods such as hand-pulling weeds and employing predatory bugs for pest control. “We are a big proponent of taking care of the soil, just like regular row crop farmers,” Nelson said. She believes that taking care of the soil takes care of the plants, and that it’s her duty as an agriculturalist to protect the resources that provide for her business.  

All of this accounts for a lot of work for Nelson and her star employee, but they wouldn’t have it any other way. Nelson employs a freshman at the school in Arnold who helps out with everything on the ranch, from pulling weeds and washing vases to helping with sales at the farmer’s market.  

As Nelson puts it, “She takes care of the little minnows so I can fry the big fish.” This allows Nelson to focus on her favorite aspect of the business: growing the flowers themselves.  

“I love putting the seed in the ground and watching it flourish,” she said.  

This love is reflected throughout her business, from the way she connects with community members to the way she practices environmental consciousness. Her passion has allowed Dahlia Valley Ranch to meet great success, shipping flowers across the country and hosting hundreds of visitors each year.  

For more information about ordering flowers or planning a visit to the ranch, individuals can find more information at dahliavalleyranch.com.