Life Lessons at Firefly Farms
The Dunagan family poses for a group photo. Image credit: Firefly Farms
Cody and Glenna Dunagan were sitting on the porch of the house nestled on their newly acquired 10-acre property in 2020, pondering a name for what would soon become a productive small farm, when a wave of fireflies arose from the grass as evening settled in.
“Cody said, ‘Why don't we just call it Firefly Farms?’, Glenna recalls. “So that's where the name originated. And the plural in the name is there because my parents still own a farm in Lutts, Tennessee.”
The Dunagans, including four children, were looking for land close enough to Cody's sales territory with Vulcan Materials, that would provide some logistical sense for his travel territory and a base for creating a productive, small-acre farm for the family.
Lauderdale County's Center Star community in northwest Alabama became the right choice for the family's work and school demands, and just the right amount of land for raising an abundant variety of food as well as creating a thriving business of growing flowers.
While the family sells a variety of vegetables at the nearby Killen Farmers Market, flowers are the star of Firefly Farms. The one-acre spread of flowers are close to the roadside, making a scene view for neighbors and others who drive by daily.
“A lot of people enjoy seeing the flowers and wave when they see us working, " Glenna says. “We grow a lot of sunflowers and zinnias as well as other varieties.”
The flowers are sold wholesale and through bouquet subscriptions The family also opens the farm for you-pick-'em days, which gives the community a chance to experience the life and productivity of a small farm. The Dunagans’ older daughter, Audrey, plays a key role in the retail side of the business by delivering bouquets in Killen and Florence.
Firefly Farms, in addition to flowers, produces vegetables, beef and poultry for the family and for sale at the farmers market.
“I grew up growing and canning on my parents’ farm, and that's something we continue here with our children,” says Glenna, who holds an Agriculture Business degree from the University Tennessee-Martin. “I felt I had to teach my children how to grow their own food. Food is everywhere, but there's little understanding of what it takes to produce it. I told our children we would grow it and go to market it and sell it. They get to split the money.”
At the end of the day, Firefly Farms is about education. Glenna says the teaching starts with her family, but the land also is a showcase for others who are interested in a sustainable lifestyle through responsible Lane usage.
“We want to instill a love of the land,” Glenna says. “Land has high value above money. It has the ability to sustain your whole life.”
Located at 20 County Road 415 in Killen, Alabama, anyone interested in Firefly Farms’ products and bouquet selections and deliveries, as well as the family's mission, can visit their website at thefireflyfarms.com, or call 1-256-810-7660 for additional insights.
