Art + Science Meet: Farm & Studio
The journey begins long before harvest, rooted in the farm’s diverse glacial soils and our personal collection of heirlooms. We thoughtfully select varieties – including many rescued from the historic perennial gardens here, as well as favorites transplanted from our previous garden – for their natural predisposition to preserve form, color, and structure when dried. New candidates are trialed in small plots across different microclimates on the property, observed over multiple seasons for growth habits and post-harvest performance. Only those that prove reliable and true to their beauty advance to larger production. This patient, place-based approach creates a distinctive palette of textures and tones you won’t find in mass-produced offerings
Timing is everything, and for dried flowers, it’s markedly different from fresh cuts. We harvest during a precise “golden window” when physiological maturity, moisture levels, and weather align to lock in vibrant, lasting color and fullness. Drawing on years of observation, trial, and intimate knowledge of each variety (including our rescued perennials and wild natives), we make stem-by-stem decisions in the field. This blend of data-informed insight and intuitive artistry ensures every bunch captures the peak expression of the bloom, straight from the meadows and gardens that have grown here over generations.
Once harvested, the flowers move to our purpose-built drying space, affectionately called “The DryMaster,” now in its fifth generation of refinements. This dark, temperature- and humidity-controlled barn environment, with carefully calibrated airflow, allows natural preservation without compromise. Individual stems or small, hand-curated bundles are hung on custom sliding racks (ingeniously fashioned from garage-door tracks and rollers) to promote even circulation and prevent any crushing or mold. Delicate varieties like dahlias are gently rotated – sometimes upright, sometimes inverted – to maintain petal shape and volumetric beauty. We inspect visually each day, adjusting as needed. The process, lasting days to weeks depending on the bloom, safeguards against UV fade and fungal risks while coaxing out rich, enduring hues and textures that feel alive.
Every preserved botanical receives a meticulous final review by hand. We assess structural integrity, color fidelity, and overall presence to confirm it has achieved full, permanent stabilization and is ready to withstand the demands of professional installations, from grand events to intimate designs. Only pieces meeting our exacting standards become part of our collections. This personal touch ensures each stem carries the authentic spirit of the farm: heirloom grace, natural resilience, and quiet luxury that elevates any creative vision.
Standing proudly on historic Thompson Road in Bull Valley, Illinois, our farm – originally known as Meadowbrook and lovingly called the “Big House” – has been a place of remarkable lives and enduring beauty since 1892. Herbert and Cora Thompson built this gracious home on their thriving dairy operation, raising their family here through more than sixty-five years of marriage. A 1900 photograph captures them with young Susie and Loren in front of the house.
Over the decades, the farm welcomed larger-than-life characters: a notorious associate of Chicago gangsters in the 1930s and ’40s (whose dramatic downfall made headlines and left behind tales of hidden tommy guns); the owner of an iconic Chicago restaurant who trucked in steer manure by night to enrich his mother’s garden next to Lake Michigan; a 1941 champion Chicago Bear who lived here while coaching high school football; and the Jung family, whose forty-year stewardship transformed the grounds into a showplace of perennial gardens.
The house itself feels like a favorite relative, a grand old lady. Old friends and former residents still stop by to share memories, from lightning strikes that nearly claimed the kitchen to hurried treks across 400 acres for a farm manager’s wife’s legendary meals. We’ve had the joy of connecting with these families, weaving their stories back into the fabric of this special place.
For us – John and Nicola – this chapter began as a long-held dream. Although we met in the city, we discovered a shared desire to return to country childhood roots (John on this side of the Atlantic, Nicola in England). In the 1990s, we built a home nearby, filling our two acres with flowers, a vineyard, fruit bushes, vegetable gardens, a pond, woodland paths… we just kept going until we ran out of room! While running our small business, I pursued fine art still-life photography, studying the style of the Dutch Masters, and won several juried shows through Deo Gloria Studio – named to bring glory to God by celebrating His exquisite creation.
We endlessly browsed old farms for sale, looking for the perfect historic property in need of restoration, but life kept practicality in the way. Then in 2016, this farm came on the market. We visited immediately, felt its pull, and an old farm and an old dream came together.
We dove into a four-year renovation, top to bottom, often down to the studs, full of surprises, doing much ourselves with help from skilled hands. Horses Curly and Ace joined the family; a resident barn cat (Miss Tibs) stayed on, and amid the work (and the challenges of moving in during late 2020’s height of Covid), we grew flowers everywhere and started clearing away the overgrowth. The farm became a haven: hosting floral design and photography workshops, we were blessed to be able to offer escape and inspiration during uncertain times.
What started as blooms for our studio evolved into something deeper. We’ve always enjoyed the process of drying flowers, preserving ephemeral petals, seed pods, and foraged treasures. Here, on glacial soils ranging from gravelly hills to rich peat and heavy clay, God gifted us an incredibly diverse ecosystem. Wildflowers blanket the meadows, alive with bees and butterflies.
Beyond our sustainable harvest of native and wild species, we carefully saved many of the old perennial varieties from the farm’s historic gardens, including heirlooms that had graced these grounds for decades under previous stewards. We also brought favorites from our own previous garden and trialed many new flowers. This intentional, personal approach yields a unique variety and character not found in purely commercial operations: it’s a combination that reflects the farm’s authentic history rather than standardized production.
Today, we harvest, dry, and curate these flowers into collections that capture the farm’s enduring spirit: heirloom grace, natural depth, and seasonal palettes ideal for luxurious, long-lasting installations by discerning designers and event planners.
From historic roots to modern creativity, this land has always nurtured bold dreams as well as quiet wonders. We’re honored to steward it now, growing not just flowers, but connections, inspiration, and pieces of lasting beauty for those who value the extraordinary in the everyday.
Welcome to Deo Gloria Farm. We’re so glad you’ve found us.
Owner
Owner
Next Generations
Foraging Buddy
Haflinger Horse
Haflinger Horse
Barn Cat
Barn Cat
Farmhands Extraordinaire