First-generation farmer in Parowan encourages other women to start farming

PAROWAN, Iron County — Being a female business owner isn't unusual for Dayla Ulrich of Parowan; owning a farm, however, feels a little outside the box.

"It's interesting because so many of our small businesses in town are owned by women, so in Parowan, it actually feels really natural," she said. "Farming-wise, there's always the occasional comment of, 'How's your garden doing?'"

For the past 12 years, Ulrich has owned and operated Sweet Pea Farm and Orchard, which sits on three acres that produce a variety of produce and flowers. She said she had long enjoyed gardening as a stay-at-home mom, having learned a lot from her grandmother. However, as her children got older, she wanted to learn more.

"I went back to college once my kids got into high school," she said. "I thought that I'd just get an ag degree because it would make me a better gardener. That was really important to me. I was feeding my family, and I loved the process of growing our food."

She earned her bachelor's degree from Southern Utah University and wanted to learn more, so she went on to earn a master's degree in sustainable food systems.

"I was just really passionate about small-scale agriculture and having small farms and communities," Ulrich said. "When I got the degree, I thought someday I could get into higher education and teach it, but I knew that I wanted to have the experience of a grower. So, we bought a small piece of land, and I just started growing on it."

Things started out small, and like many first-generation farmers, Ulrich had to learn not only how to farm her land but also how to make a sustainable living from it. She began selling at local farmers' markets and found some success, but she also learned it came with challenges.

"I love doing farmers' markets, but it was really unpredictable how much you would sell," she said. "And no matter how much you sold, the prep work was the same. So, I just thought, 'Well, if I'm going to be marketing, I'd rather just have people come out to the farm.'"

About eight years ago, near the end of the season, Ulrich decided to take some of the bread that hadn't sold at the market and invite the community to the farm for a French toast breakfast, where she also made produce available for purchase. That idea turned into several more years of Saturday breakfasts on the farm.

"It really just became a place that the community started to gather, and over the years, it's become the main thing that we do on the farm — which has been to create a place for people to come and interact and experience agriculture," Ulrich said. "Women, historically, have been growing food in this way. We've tended gardens and fed our families, so feeding communities is a really natural extension of that."

Her growing farm-to-table business now has a certified kitchen where she and her team prepare food. As the business has grown within the Parowan community, Sweet Pea Farm and Orchard has also caught the attention of FarmHER + RanchHER, a platform that highlights women in agriculture.

An episode featuring Ulrich and her farm recently aired on RFD-TV, which focuses on rural America. Ulrich said she loves showing other women what is possible in agriculture and encourages those interested in getting into farming to "Come join us!"

"There are so many women who are starting small farms and microfarms in their backyards, and it's an awesome community," she said. "There's so much support, and everyone's always super willing to give advice and give input. It's a really rewarding job."

While Ulrich hopes her farm will inspire others to pursue farming and agriculture, she also wants to proactively give them the tools they need to succeed. That's why she has returned to the classroom — this time as a professor.

"I'm teaching adjunct right now at SUU, which was a long-term goal of mine," she said. "I'm super excited to have a class where I'm teaching horticulture to some students. It's super exciting and really fulfilling."

Sweet Pea Farm and Orchard is closed for the season, aside from selling seasonal pies. But as Ulrich puts the farm to bed for the winter, she said she is grateful for the community's support.

"I love getting to do what I get to do, and I love the support that our community shows us," she said. "It's just really a beautiful experience every time we get to create an opportunity for people to come and experience farming. Just being a part of it, I feel really lucky to be able to do that."