Bloch’s Farm
by Kyle Jacobson You’re cruisin’ down Highway 23. Top down, electric motor humming, Talking Heads “Nothing But Flowers” pumping out the speakers because you’re all about that sustainability lifestyle. A familiar sign pops up—“Bloch’s Farm Just Ahead.” It’s a nice day, you got nowhere else to be, so you decide to check it
out. You pull in and, suddenly, you’re Dorothy in technicolor. Vibrant greens, bright whites, sharp reds and purples, and brick landscaping to the Emerald City. Is this a dream? This must be new. Actually, no. “We’ve been in business for 35 years,” says Sue Ellen Bloch, who
owns the business with her husband, John. “We’re the oldest landscaping firm in the area.” More than that, with two horticulturists on staff, one assistant grower, and a cutting-edge landscape designer with a top-notch crew, The Farm sets a high bar for quality products and innovation in concept. “We have a magnificent buyer and visual designer here, Lee Katherine Baird. She keeps up on trends big time.” It’s not uncommon to see people inspired by and taking pictures of the ornamentations and layouts Lee Katherine creates throughout the property. The results of The Farm’s efforts are all around Green Lake. “We do the bridge flowers downtown, and we either donate or sell to many of the local fundraisers. ... We continually support the community with charitable acts and hiring local people to do quality work.” To Sue Ellen and John, keeping dollars circulating locally is part of their beautification mission, and their obsession with doing things right is as much a part of their contributions to the area as it is in all aspects of Bloch’s Farm. In their minds, you can’t do things right if you don’t surround yourself
10 | Green Lake magazine 2020
