Meet Sandie Dugas

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sandie Dugas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sandie, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
One of the most important factors in this business has been flexibility! When I started “The WInding Way Farm” in 2022, I thought that I would be selling local produce to my community. I added flowers as a last minute addition, and that ending up being the best seller! Then, at the very end of the season, I decided to try out having a Flower Bar. It was a huge success! In year two, I grew 10X the amount of flowers, and structured my business around Flower Bars. These were all very successful, and I was asked to host a private birthday party. That was my favorite event of the year! Last year was my 3rd year in business, and my goal was to increase the number of private events. I planned and hosted multiple parties, including a wedding reception, and loved every minute! In addition, I hosted many pulbic Flower Bars and workshops on the farm. Having the flexibility to try new things and even change course in my business model has led me to success and joy in this business.

What should our readers know about your business?
Here’s the blurb from my website- to give you an idea of what we do at The Winding Way Farm:

More than just a flower farm — we cultivate unforgettable experiences.

From seasonal flower bars and community events to private gatherings like bridal showers, garden teas, and birthdays, we handle every detail to craft thoughtfully designed celebrations, set against the natural beauty of the farm.

The turning point in this business was realizing what comes naturally to me, and is “life-giving,” and capitalizing on those strengths. Conversely, it has been helpful to recognize my weaknesses and try to minimize how this impacts my business.

For example, I love farming and teaching other people about gardening. My love for growing healthy and beautiful things and sharing that with my community was the catalyst for starting the business. However, I hate selling things! The irony! So, that first year of business was very difficult for me, in that I felt like I had grown all of these vegetables and flowers and needed to sell them!!! However, when I did my first Flower Bar, it was an instant success, because hosting a party comes naturally for me. It is pure joy for me to welcome women into my farm and host an evening or teach a class. I was able to use the flowers and my produce to make amazing food (another passion of mine is making healthy AND delicious food). I was able to curate a beautiful experience for my guests, and hosting these events is life-giving to me, a perfect fit.

Then, when I did my first private party, I realized that this was even more up my alley. I was able to plan and host a party (my natural strengths), but also got to create a personalized experience for my client. I love creating beautiful environments, and the farm has such a special ambience. A few special events from last year include a sixteenth birthday tea party and flower bar, a cozy succulent pumpkin workshop for a corporate client, and a family dinner on the farm for a couple who married without a big ceremony… It was so special, and such an honor to be a part of each special celebration. My goal is to shift The Winding Way Farm towards more and more of these private parties.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We’d have to take at least a day trip up to the mountains. Maybe an overnighter and a hike- there’s always a beautiful hike! While in Parker, we would sit on Mainstreet, I’d take her to Indochine (my favorite restaurant on Mainstreet) and then have some Swirls Yogurt as we people watch at O’Brien Park. We love the Cherry Creek Trail system, so we’d spend time walking the trails. The rest of the time, we would probably just sit in the Pavilion of the Farm and enjoy the sweetness of the Flower Farm. I know I live here on the farm, but the beauty just doesn’t get old!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My husband and my children have been so incredibly supportive of this business. When (not if) I am rushing around trying to get everything done before a big event, they are the first ones to step in and help with whatever I need, whether that means helping me harvest 1000 flowers or moving the furniture on the Event’s Patio just one more time!!

Website: https://www.thewindingwayfarm.com

Instagram: @thewindingwayfarm

Facebook: @thewindingwayfarm

Image Credits
Storyroad Photography