Keith Pierpont fell in love with farming when he was a young boy in Riverhead in the 1950’s.
Pierpoint’s family lived near Sound Avenue and he had befriended a pair of Polish brothers who worked on a farm. One day when he was around 10 years old, the farmers were complaining about having to plow a field. He told them he would do it and hopped on the tractor and had 100 acres plowed in no time.
He wouldn’t take any money for the deed, but told them he wanted a chicken that would lay eggs so he could give it to his mother. Later they gave him a small strip of land on their farm and a bunch of seeds for him to plant. And so his love of farming took root.
Since 1996 he has grown flowering shrubs and bushes for cut flowers at Pierpont’s Blossom Farm, a small four-acre plot on Sound Avenue in Baiting Hollow. He sells the flowers at eight farmers markets on the South and North forks and to 20 florists on Long Island and in New York City.
When asked about the rules to his success over the past 19 years, Keith pointed out that honesty, integrity, follow through and that the love of flowers were key.
“Flowers are zenful. They make people smile,” he said.
Your North Fork Sunday Scene features weekly snap shots of life on Long Island’s top fork.
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Previously:
Hello from this North Fork mama and her babies
Aquebogue peacocks with spring fever
Baby doll sheep at Jason’s Vineyard
