Southern Utah Farm Built From a Gardening Habit Takes the Screen

Dayla Ulrich will be featured in the Season 8 premiere of FarmHER + RanchHER, an episode that traces how she built Sweet Pea Farm & Orchard in Parowan, Utah, and how she runs it through drought, limited water, and a short growing season.

Ulrich's path to farming started with gardening. As her children grew older, she returned to school to finish a degree and then took on additional agricultural study. She pursued a master's degree in agriculture, and before completing it she had her husband buy a piece of property where she could start a small community farm. "I just thought, I'm not going to get a degree in agriculture because it'll be fun. It'll make me a better gardener," Ulrich said.

The operation grew around the people who came to it. Visitors walk the fields, see vegetables growing, and pick flowers. Ulrich said she was nervous before the FarmHER + RanchHER crew arrived to film, and that the day changed quickly. "It was so much fun," she said. "I think we laughed more that day than we ever have." Learning the farm would be featured also brought back memories of her aunt, who died that winter and who had watched the program and often called Ulrich a FarmHER.

Southern Utah's high-desert conditions shape how the farm operates. Water is a constant concern, the growing season is short, and weather shifts from year to year. "You know, we never know what the weather or Mother Nature is going to throw at us, and so we just kind of roll with it," Ulrich said.

Ulrich discusses the farm and her work on Market Day Report ahead of the Season 8 premiere. The episode covers how she started the farm, the limits imposed by water availability and drought, and the community visits that now take place at Sweet Pea Farm & Orchard. Visitors can walk through the fields, see vegetables growing, and pick flowers while learning where their food comes from. "It's one of the most rewarding aspects of what we do," Ulrich said. "Every weekend and every event, getting to see familiar faces and new faces." FarmHER + RanchHER Season 8, Episode 1 is scheduled to premiere.