Being a florist, flowers jumped to mind right away. “(F)lowers are like food for the soul. They brighten people’s day and I think they really showcase the potential and beauty in Mother Nature,” she says.

Mother Nature hadn’t yet graced Nikki’s farm with flowers, so she decided to raise $200 to order flowers from the city and deliver them to Paintearth Lodge. Within a couple of days, she received $1,000 in donations. “The community really rallied around this cause. There's not a lot we can do out here,” says Nikki. Initially, she thought she would distribute any of the donations over $200 to organizations or charities working on COVID-19. “But then I thought it’s nice to keep the money in the community and just keep spreading a little bit of cheer.”

With the money she’s raised, Nikki’s able to spread that cheer further than she imagined. She’s expanded her flower recipients to include local health care workers, group home residents and teachers. It’s been good for Nikki as well, giving her purpose before her time becomes completely devoted to her farm again. “It’s a nice way to give back because I enjoy what I'm doing,” she says.

Nikki’s uncertain what the coming months will bring. But she does know how important it is to reach out and support people in your community, from elderly folks to farmers like herself, she says: “A lot of farms are small businesses and we're going to be hit really, really hard by everything going on. So if people can find a way to reach out to their local farmer and just ask, ‘How can I support you during this time?' It would mean the world.” Just like Nikki’s flowers have meant the world to so many in her small town of Castor.