When it first began nine years ago, Brick Kiln Farm dealt mainly with landscaping companies, designing and supplying installations. It wasn't until co-owner Michael Navickas faced a serious health issue four years ago that the farm's current open-to-the-public model began to evolve.
Before that, says the farm's other co-owner, and Michael's wife, Teri Navickas, selling to the general public was a long-term goal. “We thought it could be something we could work toward.”
But the situation dictated that the transition take place ahead of schedule. The accumulated profits the farm had generated in its earlier incarnation allowed the Navickases to weather the crisis, and, when the dust had settled, Brick Kiln Farm had been transformed (and Teri had donated a kidney to Michael).
Since then, the farm's inventory and scope have continued to grow, eventually reaching its current state of overflowing abundance. Flowers, vegetables, and plants of every kind fill the grounds and its two greenhouses, along with accessories and gifts for gardeners.
Since the farm's establishment, the Navickases have made a conscious effort to balance its sprawling variety with its decidedly local philosophy.
“We needed to represent the farming community that this has always been,” Teri says. That local feel has made an impression on gardeners from Falmouth, and the entire the Cape. “There's an energy here that they really like.”
At the same time, Brick Kiln Farm offers plants from all over the world, including kale and other Portuguese favorites, an effort to reflect the large local population from that country. And the grounds are always changing, shifting with the seasons, necessitating a lot of advanced planning. For example, plants destined to be used in Christmas displays are already busy growing, in mid July.
Michael's horticultural education is ideally suited to the farming life. Teri's background in applied design has proven just as useful, allowing for creative and surprising arrangements and installations. Working with plants is a departure from her earlier focus as a craftsperson, but Teri has embraced the challenges inherent in working with living things.
“You have a vague idea of what it's going to do, but then nature takes over,” Teri says. In the end, though, the same basic rules of design apply. “An artistic composition is an artistic composition.”
The farm relies mostly on word of mouth to attract new customers. That has worked out well, Teri says. “It allowed it to grow in a way we could handle.”
Teri says that growth has just about reached its limit. Much more, and the farm would likely need to expand to another location, a step the Navickases are hesitant to take.
“I don't think we want to get bigger,” Teri says. “The bigger you get, the less control you have over quality.”
That dedication to quality is evident in every square foot of Brick Kiln Farm's verdant property, and it stems not from a business strategy, but a genuine obsession with making the farm the best it can be.
“We can't figure out how to take a day off,” Teri says. The schedule can be grueling, but also rewarding. “You can't do it if you don't love it.”