Helen Skiba
Background: Helen served in the Peace Corps in Ecuador before returning to Colorado to begin farming. A first-generation farmer, she entered the field during a wave of small farm resurgence, piecing together knowledge through experiential learning and courses like those from Floret and Neversink Farm. Her parents worked in government and public service, but Helen found her calling in flowers and sustainable agriculture.
Current Ventures: Helen runs Artemis Flower Farm near Niwot, CO (since 2014), specializing in sustainably grown cut flowers. She sells flowers through wholesale to florists, a regional flower aggregator, farmers markets, on-farm workshops, and wedding floral design. In 2021, she joined the Treehouse Farm Collective, where she shares land with vegetable farmers and a vermicomposting operation, among others. She grows on about 2.5 acres and produced over 175,000 stems of more than 80 varieties of flowers in 2024.
Expertise: Specialty cut flower production, direct marketing, sustainable small-scale farming, employee and labor management, on-farm events and education, and collective organizing. Helen is also a regional director on the board of the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, where she helps organize farm tours and conferences.
Student Experience: Students working with Helen may visit her farms during the growing season and see how flower farming is managed from the ground up—from soil prep to sales. She’s passionate about sharing the realities of small-scale farming and may involve students in farm tours, on-farm workshops (like her”Flower Happy Hour” events), and broader industry connections through networks like the Flatirons Farmers Coalition.
Fun Fact: Helen enjoys growing and crafting with hard-shelled gourds.