By Jessica O’Riley
About 15 years ago, I remember hearing about Miss Effie’s Country Flowers near Donahue for the first time and thinking, “Wait. Someone does all the work to grow flowers and I can just show up and pick them? How soon can I visit?”
The farm near the Quad Cities started in 2002 with a 20-by-20-foot patch, making it Iowa’s OG flower farm.
“We quickly realized that we needed more flowers, places for people to sit and relax and a place that was dedicated to creating and selling homegrown and handmade items,” said owner Cathy Lafrenz (yeah, not Effie — more on that later).
Today the farm includes a “corn-zebo,” a converted corn crib that is the perfect spot for a relaxing picnic lunch. The FarmHers Market, held 4-7 p.m. Wednesdays from May through September, features handmade soap, jam, fresh eggs, handspun yarn, vegetables, honey and jewelry.
Lafrenz offers a variety of cooking classes throughout the year, including soups, breads, canning and pasta making. The farm is also available to rent for camping (find it on Hipcamp), photo sessions and special events like bridal showers and weddings.
And, yes: You can pick flowers, Mother Nature permitting. The you-pick season normally opens mid-June. You’ll be given a gallon jug and some snips and told to have at it. Any of the daisies, lisianthuses, zinnias, snapdragons and loads of flowers I can’t name are all fair game. And if you don’t fill your jug enough, Lafrenz may send you back out to cut some more. Pro tip: Bring a 5-gallon bucket along to put your jug in to prevent spills in your car’s back seat.
Visiting Miss Effie’s is an annual trek for me. I’ve introduced all sorts of family members to the farm over the years, including my mom, husband, children, cousins and sister-in-law. My daughter is a big fan of the many farm cats. For me, Miss Effie’s is one of those places where I can take a deep breath, feel the tension of the world melt away and fully relax. In short, it’s magical.
Back to where the name Miss Effie originated: “We wanted to name the farm after a little old woman,” Lafrenz said. “What would they do to support themselves during the Depression? They would sell flowers, make jam and sell eggs like my grandmothers did. But one grandmother’s name was Georgia and the other was Gladys. Neither had the right ring. So we didn’t think we would offend anyone with Effie.”
Years later Cathy discovered the great aunt she always referred to as Nora was actually named Effie! She now has a handwritten recipe for Effie’s Salad framed in her kitchen.
Miss Effie’s is located at 27387 130th Ave., Donahue. It’s open for you-pick flower harvesting Wednesday through Saturday during the growing season. It’s best to check the Facebook page before traveling to make sure the weather hasn’t affected hours of operation.
Contributing writer Jessica O’Riley of Pleasant Hill worked for nearly 20 years with Travel Iowa, the state tourism office, after a previous stint with the Iowa State Fair.
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