Eastern River Farm Grows Wedding Flowers Without Pesticides in Pittston

Eastern River Farm is a family-run cut-flower farm and florist on the Eastern River in Pittston, established in 2018, according to its website. The business grows heirloom blooms using regenerative methods on land anchored by an old barn and fields that run down to the river, and its website says it uses no pesticides, herbicides or fungicides.

Three Years Searching, Two Years Clearing

The owners spent three years looking at properties before settling on the Pittston site, drawn to its sloping ground, its barn and the river running past the fields, according to the website. For two years afterward they drove up on weekends to clear the overgrown land and empty the barn while living elsewhere, the website says, and that structure now holds the studio where the farm's arrangements are put together.

The website describes the operation as a family affair. Jennifer Joray, identified as the farm's florist, holds a master's degree in flute performance and now spends most mornings cutting flowers rather than performing music, according to the website. A second owner brings a doctorate in inorganic polymer chemistry to the farm's soil and irrigation work, the website says, and the owners' daughters have handled seeding, cutting and quality control since the operation began.

Flowers Cut the Same Day They're Styled

Stems are picked shortly before they go into an arrangement, so each piece reflects whatever is in bloom at that moment, the website says. Its current offerings move from snapdragon, yarrow and phlox earlier in the season toward dahlias, foxglove and zinnia for late-summer weddings, according to the website.

For weddings, the farm offers two options, its website says. One, called Full Service, provides flowers raised specifically for the event along with design work for the ceremony and reception, table settings, delivery, and setup and teardown afterward. The other is sold à la carte, arriving pre-arranged in vases and ready to place on tables.

Open for Events, Not Daily Visits

Eastern River Farm also sells hourly consulting to other farmers and people hoping to start a farm, with longer packages available, according to its website. The property is not open to the public outside of weddings, workshops and special events, and the website says its busiest wedding season books 12 to 18 months ahead. The website lists a phone number for inquiries, (978) 766-9570.

More about the company at easternriverfarm.com.