Labeled seed pods develop and mature in the propagation greenhouse at The Lily Farm on Thursday west of Center in Shelby County. Each pod, which may contain only one or 30 or more seeds, is one step in the process to bringing a new cultivar to the public, breeder and Lily Farm owner Mark Carpenter said. Andrew D. Brosig/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

CENTER – Daylily enthusiast Mark Carpenter, 53, is one of the lucky few who dared to set aside convention and cultivate his own field of dreams.

He’s the kind of guy who doesn’t covet a suit and tie career, or a windowless workspace with boring beige walls and humming fluorescent lights.

No, he wanted more out of life: dirty fingernails, grass-stained knees and the feel of a soft breeze on a hot afternoon.

A few years ago, he decided to take a break from the corporate grind and try something radically different – entrepreneurship.

Carpenter and his wife, Jill, purchased his uncle’s daylily farm outside Center, in neighboring Shelby County, to embark on a new life adventure: growing, propagating and selling Mother Nature’s bounty.

A whimsical, hand-crafted sign at the entrance of The Lily Farm seems to sum up their back-to-basics philosophy: “You are about to enter Heaven on earth.”

“This is a happy business,” Carpenter said, surrounded by four acres ablaze in colorful blooms.  “It’s impossible to be around all of this beauty and not be happy.”

DOWN ON THE FARM

It’s peak flowering time at The Lily Farm, 10056 Texas Highway 7 West, and for about the next two weeks, the public can visit and purchase a piece of daylily paradise.

More than 75,000 daylilies are in full bloom in a seemingly endless variety of colors, patterns and sizes.

This is Carpenter’s happy place.

“It’s an exciting time,” he said. “I guess we are living the dream. We are getting to do something we love. Money is important, but it’s hard to compare it to satisfaction.”

Carpenter can thank his Uncle Jack for planting the seed that a rich life isn’t always measured by the size of one’s corporate travel account.

The former travel weary Procter and Gamble employee wasn’t thinking about a career in plants when he first saw his uncle’s daylily farm.

Driving up its long, dusty driveway, he caught a glimpse of the kaleidoscope of colorful blooms and was instantly smitten.

It was vastly different from life in San Antonio, but the slower pace was appealing.

Carpenter started spending vacations there, enjoying time spent helping customers pick out their garden selections.

And when the opportunity arose in 2010 to purchase his uncle’s property, Carpenter tossed out the idea of reinventing to his wife and daughters, Kelsey and Lindsey.

With his family’s support, a purchase agreement was drafted and the rest, as they say, is history.

The family’s gradual transition from city dwelling to country living seems to suit them.

“It’s given us a whole new lifestyle,” Mrs. Carpenter said. “I think we were ready for a change. The city life had gotten where you were sitting at stop lights most of the day. … Just being able to enjoy life and not live in the hustle and bustle has been good.”

His uncle stayed a major stakeholder in the daylily world, saving back some varieties for hybridizing while the younger Carpenter took over daily operations and ownership.

“We prayed enormously about this move,” he said. “We are so proud of what my uncle built. … He started with 40 daylilies and now there are more than 100,000. He started all of this. … We feel like we are just the caretakers.”

 

‘LIKE CHRISTMAS’

The sky’s the limit for mixing and matching new varieties, keeping Carpenter’s imagination swirling with possibilities on color, hardiness and pattern.

He registered dozens of different kinds over the years, but remains super selective about the farm’s award-winning selections.

Making new discoveries never seems to get old.

“Literally, it’s like Christmas this time of year,” he said, eyes dancing with happiness. “We’re like the first people on earth to see that flower.”

One new specimen is named after loyal customer Virginia Shaver, of Louisiana, who has been shopping at the farm for about a decade.

On her most recent visit, Ms. Shaver showed up with a collection of church friends.

“This is next door to heaven,” she said. “They (daylilies) are so different, so well hybridized. … I come here two or three times a year.”

A new website and increased use of social media are helping draw a steady stream of customers to the locale.   

“You have to have a lot of perseverance,” Carpenter said. “With our location, we’re not near anything, so how do you get people to drive two or three hours? … You give them something they’ve never seen before.”

Operating hours during blooming seasons are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It will remain open throughout Memorial Day weekend.

For more information about specific operating hours, product availability, care tips and directions, visit www.lilyfarm.com, email thelilyfarm@gmail.com or call 936-572-1962.

TWITTER: @TMT_Jacque