Page 32 - The Hunt - Summer 2023

Peonies earmarked to be shipped later are cut before the hard bud opens,
then put in cold storage prior to shipment. When florists receive the flowers, they’re told to cut the end of the stem at a 45-degree angle and put the flowers in water. About two hours later, they completely open up.
now for 15 to 20 years,” says Mowday of the stretch of fields and woods that were once part of the old Hill Girt Farm. “The blooming period lasts from mid-May to early June. Some people come more than once each season because the show of colors is always changing.”
May 18-28, the Styer’s Festival of the
Peony is expected to draw hundreds of paying visitors, who are free to drive or walk through the property. It’s open daily during blooming period from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.—rain or shine. “Even if there’s a storm, we stay open,” Mowday says. “If we close the gates, the cars back up on Route 100, waiting to get in.”
During the pandemic, the festival was crowded with stay-in-the-car visitors. “We were the only public event in the region that was allowed to go on,” Mowday notes.
Most visitors arrive in a buying mood. “We sell about 40% straight out of the fields, while the other 60% is sold locally or stored and shipped to florists,” says Mowday.
30 THE HUNT MAGAZINE summer 2023