Floral arranger May Zegarelli’s day starts early at Ocean Fog Farm in Eastport. Wandering through raised beds and meticulously designed, home-grownflower fields with clippers, she harvests veronica, snapdragons and lavender blue scabiosa blooms with the focus of an experienced gardener. “We have a lot of scabiosa this year,” she says of the flower also known as a pincushion, due to its spiky, ball shape. “We plan on using it in our C.S.A. [community supported agriculture] program, and for our wholesale accounts.”
Zegarelli and her husband, Tommy, moved to the hamlet of Eastport in 2016, looking to grow their family. “When we discovered our house in Eastport, it immediately felt like home,” she recounts. “We knew we wanted to make it into a small farm and thought about turning my passion for growing flowers into a business.” After months of renovations that included Tommy sourcing local farm equipment, installing posts and building all the raised beds, the couple found inspiration for the business name from nature and their proximity to the Atlantic Ocean fog that sometimes rolls into the flower fields. “Since then, we have loved expanding on the branding of Ocean Fog Farm and the beautiful contrast that flowers can bring to a cloudy, foggy day,” says Zegarelli.
The flower stand at the farm’s entrance carries grab-and-go seasonal bouquets made from the morning’s cuttings.
Foxgloves are staked to prevent stem breakage.
Harvesting blooms for wholesale bouquets begins early in the morning.
Bouquets are designed freehand, wrapped in craft paper and tied with simple twine.
After a busy morning of harvesting, freshly cut flowers are placed into buckets of water and into a cooler so that they can drink. “We want to make sure they’re completely hydrated and happy before we start making arrangements,” explains Zegarelli, a tip she picked up gardening as a child with her grandfather. Using a handheld technique, Zegarelli quickly gathers flowers of contrasting colors and textures to create lovely seasonal bouquets wrapped in brown craft paper and twine. “The idea of the grab-and-go bouquet concept started at the Eastport General Store here in town,” says Zegarelli, “then I had a friendship base that inspired me to strive for more.” That friendly push has now made Ocean Fog Farm a sought-after florist both for weddings, as well as supplying seasonal cuttings to wellness properties such as Shou Sugi Ban House in Water Mill and Wolffer Estate in Sagaponack. Considering environmentally friendly practices is equally crucial to Zegarelli’s free-form floral arrangements, such as using Holly Chapple pillows (placed in a container to allow airy designs with height, cascade and width), chicken wire or tape. “We took a pledge to use no floral foam,” reiterates Zegarelli, “so we find other alternatives to make sure that all of our designs are somewhat of a sustainable practice.
Applying proper growing techniques, such as succession planting, allowing for continuous blooms and experimenting with overwintering dahlias, Zegarelli still finds inspiration foraging in the fields, evident in the charming flower stand at the entrance to Ocean Fog Farm. “Eastport has generations of farmers, and we want to continue that tradition with our seasonally inspired bouquets. It’s amazing to take every single season and embrace it.”