Sunset Retreat: Your VIP Evening Tour at PepperHarrow
Nestled amidst the rolling hills of Madison County lies PepperHarrow, a flower farm that’s a sanctuary for hundreds of varieties of flowers, birds, pollinators and local wildlife. Its stunning beauty and serenity is a treasure waiting to be explored. For folks looking for a memorable experience focused on nature's beauty, our popular VIP Sunset Retreat is an evening like no other.
Can you imagine yourself here? As the sun casts its westerly golden glow upon the landscape, your eyes are treated to that gorgeous golden hour light, which enhances the vibrant colors of the flowers in the fields. It’s nothing short of magical!
There are stunningly gorgeous, fragrant lavender fields in bloom at the end of June that are sure to make you question whether you’re in Iowa or France. And acres of dahlia blooms bursting in September. There’s an opportunity to experience flowers in bloom during the tours, but there’s always something just a little special to see depending on the time of year.
We’re Jenn and Adam, the owners of PepperHarrow, and more importantly, the stewards tending to 20 acres of beautiful land. We’ll be your guides throughout this unforgettable evening, sharing the story of how our big dream blossomed into reality. You’ll love hearing how we dreamed of this farm for over ten years before we even ended up here. Now, we’re 13 years into living our dream, doing what we love: nurturing, putting in the hard work and growing beautiful flowers on our little farm.
Photo Credit: Aly Carroll
About the VIP Sunset Retreat Experience
When you arrive at the farm, you’ll be personally greeted and welcomed into our event space, where we’ll gather to socialize together as a group. You’ll be offered a beverage of your choice, and you’ll also have a delicious charcuterie table to graze on from our friends at Get on Board DSM. With these special touches setting the stage, you know this will be an evening to remember!
After everyone arrives, we’ll walk out into the flower- covered lands for a walking tour of our nine-and-a-half acres of flowers. During this time, you can expect to learn more about the different varieties of flowers we grow. From annual flowers that we plant each year and perennials that return each year on their own to specialty fruiting and flowering trees, you’ll be amazed by the abundance and variety of flowers we’re growing.
During the walking tour, you’ll get a good understanding for the layout of our land and how we’re utilizing different areas of our property for different things, including two glamping tent areas in secluded areas of the property, where we host guests visiting the farm for a unique farm stay experience from May – October.
The highlight of the walking tour might just be our sprawling wildflower and lavender fields, but everyone seems to find something special they love most during the tour. During this time, you’ll also have plenty of opportunities to snap incredible photos and ask as many questions as you’d like.
The walking tour of the farm generally takes about 45 minutes, but this can be shorter or longer depending on our guests and their preferences. Since guests will be walking on different terrain around the farm, we always recommend guests wear comfortable, stable footwear. Pro-tip: while walking, guests take note of special flowers they're drawn to and want to cut later for their bouquets or go back to for pictures.
After the walking tour is completed, guests are released off on their own to explore and enjoy the flower fields with a pail of water and a pair of flower snips to cut their own bouquet. It's around the time of day when the sun begins to set and the true magic happens. With hues of orange and pink painting the sky, you'll have the opportunity to capture the ‘magic hour’ light, take in breathtaking views and create memories to last a lifetime.
There’s no better way to commemorate this experience than by crafting your own bouquet from our abundance of blooms! Once guests have their blooms gathered, they reconvene in the event space to begin putting their blooms together in a vase. It’s a joy seeing friends, couples, families and other guests putting their bouquets together, enjoying the beautiful flowers and sometimes even having a friendly competition to see who can put together the most beautiful vase of flowers. It’s such a fun time!
Before everyone leaves for the evening, guests are always welcomed to explore the farm store located inside the event space, where they can shop for our small batch made, specialty lavender products. Beyond lavender, we have a variety of other farm made and locally sourced goods, including artisanal soaps, hand poured soy candles and so much more.
We invite you to join us at PepperHarrow for an evening that promises to be as unforgettable as the sunset itself. Whether you're a flower enthusiast, a nature lover or simply seeking a tranquil escape, our VIP Sunset Retreat offers a perfect blend of beauty, connection, relaxation and hands-on experience. Secure your spot today and immerse yourself in the splendor of our flower farm, creating cherished memories and a personalized bouquet to take home. At PepperHarrow, we believe in the power of flowers to bring beauty, wellness and connection to people's lives. Our farm is a place of inspiration and connection to the natural world and we can’t wait to share it with you!
Mark your calendars for our exclusive Sunset Retreat at PepperHarrow, taking place on Thursday, June 27, Friday, June 28 and Saturday, June 29 as well as Saturday, Aug. 10. Secure your spot for an evening of magic amidst the blossoms and golden hues of the setting sun.
Alongside the captivating Sunset Retreat, PepperHarrow offers a variety of unique experiences, including:
Friday, June 21 from 6 p.m. - Sunset
Our three lavender fields will be in full bloom for this dinner. It’s a sight to be seen, smelled and experienced you’re not soon to forget.
Thursday, June 20, Thursday, June 27, Saturday, Aug. 24, Saturday, Sept. 7 and Saturday, Sept. 28
Join us for a day of inspiration, artistic expression and joy of designing with your own hand-picked flowers.
Indulge in luxury amidst the scenic hills and vibrant flower fields with PepperHarrow's exclusive glamping experience. Nestled within our sprawling 20-acre flower farm, our luxurious tent offers a serene escape surrounded by 8.5 acres of breathtaking blooms.
The Greater Des Moines Partnership calendar of events is a one-stop resource for activities taking place throughout the region. Find networking information for Greater Des Moines (DSM) businesses, including Chamber luncheons, roundtables and ribbon cuttings. You can also find live music happening each week thanks to the “Live Music This Week in DSM” blog series.
Adam and Jenn O'Neal
Adam and Jenn O’Neal are local, hard-working flower farmers that cultivate fresh flowers at PepperHarrow in Winterset, Iowa, a 20-acre farm cozied among the historic covered bridges and gorgeous rolling hills of Madison County, located 30 minutes southwest of Des Moines. They are also co-authors of "Small Farms, Big Dreams."