Story
Flower farmer Sharon Martin Kegerreis’ love of nature was sparked along the shores of Lake Charlevoix and Lake Michigan in Charlevoix. The scent of fresh-snipped roses in the spring was commonplace along with cherry picking in nearby orchards, swimming in the freshwater lakes and plucking fresh apples from the backyard tree.
Sharon’s adventurous spirit took her to Colorado and California after college before returning to her home state. Marketing and public relations were her background, before co-authoring two books on Michigan wine — one a 2008 Michigan Notable Book. She also authored a book on Michigan’s apple history for her second publisher.
After settling in Chelsea in 2003 with her family, Sharon’s gardens flourished with flowers and veggies. Years of dreaming about a flower stand culminated in the launch of Bluebird Blooms in 2018 after the sudden passing of her dad. That fall and winter, bulbs and seeds were planted, resulting in her first small-but-mighty flower crop for sale in the spring of 2019. The launch of Bluebird Blooms (originally Cheerful Nature) coincided with the opening of Agricole Farm Market in downtown Chelsea, a destination for farm-fresh flowers, veggies and artisan goods.
Sharon’s passion for growing fresh flowers evolved into a strong focus on providing fresh-cut flowers for weddings. Working with wedding designers, Sharon cuts flowers just days before weddings in the area. She also sells dried flowers by the stem for late fall/winter DIY clients.
Why Bluebird? Eastern bluebirds are frequent visitors in Sharon’s meadow. They represent happiness, hope, love and prosperity.
Where flowers bloom, so does hope. ~ Lady Bird Johnson