Tiffany Heater, our NJ Mompreneur of the Week, has always liked getting her hands dirty—the smell of soil and plants in the air is her happy place. She’s dedicated her career to gardening, and when it came time to start a family, she and her husband, John, knew they needed to find a place that had space to grow their own food and flowers. When an abundance of veggies and flowers gave her the idea to sell her surplus to the community, Pretty Bird Farm, a stand specializing in gorgeous cut blooms and heirloom tomatoes, was born. That was ten years ago, and since then, Tiffany has been providing her flower arrangements to local businesses, expanding the produce and products available at the farm, and hosting groups and classes. We caught up with this very busy Delaware Township mom of two who also works full-time with a seed company to find out about her family’s 15 minutes of fame on a famous kids’ show, the small steps she takes to make the outdoors extra special for her children, and the farmers’ market she’s excited opening about this spring.
Please share a bit about yourself and your family. My husband, John Kafarskis, and I live in Delaware Township with our two children, Violet, 8, and Wyatt, 7. Before the kids were born, we lived outside Rutgers but knew we wanted more space for a garden to feed us. We ended up buying our current home in Delaware Township for the fresh air, privacy, and nature all around, and the expansive 4 ½ acres gave us limitless space to create the garden of our dreams. Our first garden was 80’ x 80’, and we planted tomatoes, peppers, and vine cucumbers in plots with grass pathways. Just a month or two later, we were shocked at our abundance of produce and how it was so much more than we could consume. We started selling it locally, and in the 10 years we’ve been in business, our garden size and offerings have grown exponentially.
How do you and your husband share the business’ responsibilities? When we first started Pretty Bird Farm, we’d do everything together, but now that we’re parents of children who are pretty active in the community, it works best for us to divide and conquer. John handles most of the paperwork, while I care for most of the artistic side of things. I also do a lot of flower cutting and arrangement, and John does a lot of planting and the heavy lifting. Though I was always the veggie person, he’s now taken over the tomatoes and virtually all the decisions regarding them.
How do Violet and Wyatt contribute? Year-round, both kids help with the planting and love picking flowers and making little arrangements. Wyatt loves planting bulbs, and Violet is very hands-on with the chickens.
What makes Pretty Bird Farm unique? I’m proud that we’ve always been able to rely on our own resources. We’re a low-use water and pesticide-free site, and though we’re not certified organic, that is how we grow everything. We do things the long way by hand, have never installed an irrigation system, don’t run a sprinkler, and have always worked with what we have to be as earth-friendly as possible. We also plant things a certain way with pathways that prevent erosion. I like that we keep everything as “clean” as possible because our garden and property are our children’s play space, but it’s also vital for the bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
What is the most rewarding thing about owning Pretty Bird Farm? We’ve built this beautiful secret garden paradise—it’s truly a sanctuary! When I’m working on it, I’m usually focusing on just a tiny part of the whole, but when I step back for a moment, either through my own or someone else’s eyes, it’s always a real “wow moment,” and I recognize just how spectacular it is. Two summers ago, Sesame Street was looking for a local family farm to shoot at, and they chose us for a Sesame Street in Communities segment. We talked about how food grows and how you can do it on a small scale on windowsills for those who don’t have a large yard. And we showed the kids helping out in the garden and gathering eggs from our chickens. It was such a memorable experience for all of us.
Is there a customer that stands out for whatever reason? Soon after we planted our food garden and found ourselves with an overabundance of produce, my parents came for a visit. My mom suggested we put some tomatoes and a sign on a table by the side of the road and sell our surplus to our community. I was sure no one would buy them, but we put four quarts of tomatoes out and left them there so we could enjoy the garden together. A few hours passed, and when I went to check, I was pleasantly surprised that two of the quarts were gone, and $10 was left behind! Then, I noticed a small piece of paper on the ground, and when I picked it up, I saw it was a gas receipt from Howell, an hour and a half away, where my parents live. The jig was up. I let my dad keep his little secret for a while, but I love that he snuck down there to buy two quarts as a show of support, and I love it even more that he was my first customer.
Are there any causes or charities that are important to you? I’ve been a Girl Scout leader for the past 4 years—it’s not surprising that I gravitate towards helping the kids earn their nature and plant badges. I’m also involved with the Roxey Ballet organization. The kids started lessons a few years ago and have been performing age-appropriate Nutcracker roles each year. When they were at the party scene a few years ago, John and I decided to join in, too, because they needed adults. We spent a lot of time practicing Victorian dancing and loved participating in it. Also, because this ballet is community-run, parents help, and at the spring show, we sell cut flower bouquets as a fundraiser for them. I’m also very involved in the Hunterdon Community Farmer’s Market. I am so excited because we’re launching a new non-profit to manage, maintain, and grow this farmer’s market and keep it going well into the future. We’re scheduled to open May 1st.
Tell us about some of your favorite NJ businesses and local spots and why you love them. I love local businesses that love local businesses. Basil Bandwagon is a unique grocery store packed with products like different cheeses, mushrooms, and other produce from local shops in our area. I also love Union Coffee, a community-oriented coffee shop with perfect coffee and delicious pastries, and Honeymoon Bakery & Pizzeria for its beautiful and delicious pastries and cakes, which are often decorated with Pretty Bird Farm flowers. Their pizza is also so good.
What’s your best practical advice for a mompreneur just starting? Do more of what works for you, and let go of those things that don’t bring you joy. There are some flowers that I know people love and would sell well, but they’re a chore to grow, so I don’t grow them–I’d rather work with flowers that I love growing. Also, it’s essential to be open to change. The business I have now is not what I thought I’d have when we first launched it 10 years ago—it’s evolved to meet the needs of my family and the needs of the community.
For more information on Tiffany Heater and Pretty Bird Farm, please see their website, Facebook, and Instagram pages.
