Rows of thousands of blooms are open for the picking again at Timbuk Farms in Granville, where Caroline's Flower Fields runs through October 4 and lets visitors walk the fields, select individual stems, and build their own bouquets to take home. Admission runs $12.50 per person, with children younger than 2 admitted free.
The festival, covered by WSYX, kicked off August 28 and features themed weekends, behind-the-scenes tours, and workshops throughout its run. Timbuk Farms has said it will announce food trucks, workshops, and other special events on a weekly basis, so the lineup keeps shifting as the season progresses. Caroline's Flower Fields is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
This Weekend's Lineup
This weekend brings a full slate of live music and local vendors to the flower fields. Dan Orr performs Saturday, September 12, from noon to 3 p.m., while the farm also hosts the Soap Hut, KP Honey Farms, and beekeeping supplies vendors that same day, alongside Liberty Kettle Corn. On Sunday, September 13, Evan Flowers takes the noon-to-3 p.m. slot, with the Soap Hut returning alongside Liberty Kettle Corn, C34 Street Bites, and Rollin Drummies filling out the food offerings.
A Farm Rooted in Central Ohio History
Timbuk Farms traces its name to 1952, when the Schmidt family founded the property; making the trip from Columbus to Granville felt so remote at the time that they named it after Timbuktu, according to Timbuk Farms. Current owners Jim and LaVonda Gibson acquired the approximately 300-acre Christmas tree farm and greenhouse operations from the Schmidt family in 2004, taking over after 53 years of founding-family ownership, as reported by The Reporting Project.
The farm has weathered setbacks before. A major fire in March 2022 destroyed three barns spanning a football-field-length area, including the production barn, shipping area, soil room, and offices, according to 10TV. Fire departments from across Licking County battled the early morning blaze, and while it disrupted spring production, ownership vowed to rebuild and no injuries were reported.
A Year-Round Operation With National Reach
Timbuk Farms now has 24 employees in Licking County, supporting its dual role as a local agritourism destination and a national wholesale greenhouse supplier, per The Energy Cooperative. The farm also played a key role in developing the Canaan fir as a Christmas tree variety suited to Ohio's growing conditions, per the same account. That horticultural expertise sits within a county known for both trees and flowers: the 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture found Licking County generated more than $9.5 million in nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod sales, ranking 13th among Ohio's 88 counties, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The county also ranked 5th statewide for cultivated Christmas tree sales that year, the same census data shows.
Nationally, outdoor commercial flower cultivation and domestic cut-flower sales are part of the broader flower industry. Caroline's Flower Fields fits that broader pattern of direct-to-consumer agritourism. A statewide survey of Ohio agritourism operations found that direct consumer sales represent the single largest revenue category for participating farms, with most reporting 10 or fewer seasonal employees.
Timbuk Farms treats the fall flower field as one piece of a year-round strategy rather than a standalone event. The farm also hosts Lavender Days in June and a Tulip Festival in the spring, giving visitors reasons to return across multiple seasons. Timbuk Farms invites visitors to create their own custom bouquets throughout the flower festival's run, with the current season stretching into early October.
