Fern + Fossil: The Plant that Grew from Concrete
At first, Fern and Fossil didn’t anticipate the impact it’d have as a purifying and plant caring solution business.
Fern and Fossil started its roots as a terrarium building workshop series that taught the importance of plant care and creativity. Sam, the owner of Fern and Fossil, found her inspiration for the craft on a research project during her Master's program.
“I created a series of agricultural products to get kids interested in growing products on their own. And when I left grad school I got back into teaching but I sort of asked myself what I wanted to do to kind of continue with my work and my research. I thought terrarium research was a great entry-level way of getting people interested in plants.”
It was through these workshops that Sam realized the significance of bringing this activity to life for their community- not just to the youth but to people who’ve been in their shoes.
“I grew up in Newark, in a household or environment where we didn’t have a lot of greenery around. During this research project, I was paired up with another partner who was brought up in a similar background--he grew up in Camden, NJ which in socio-economic ways is similar to Newark. We were working on this project about food security and we both had this moment where we realized that neither of us had cared for plants. Neither of us had planted anything from a seed before. And I think ultimately that was kind of the inspiration. The impetus was wanting to provide this service to my community. Seeing that-- I guess it was something I wish I had seen growing up; I wish there had been some kind of program or activity where I could’ve learned about plant care.”
As with any craft, terrarium building stretches your imagination but also gives you the essential understanding of one of our biggest and most important resources: plants. Their workshops and kits are appropriate for people at all stages of life. Fern and Fossil provides access to individuals curious about plant maintenance while also easing out the intimidation that often comes with learning something new or unfamiliar.
Sam too walked into new territory when deciding to take the business from a workshop-based series to a product-based company that provides plant kits and other home accessories. Sam delved into building her company with her own funds and arts teaching background at hand.
“I didn’t necessarily go a traditional route when it came to starting my business. I basically used whatever earnings I had from teaching to get the supplies necessary to start a workshop. I promoted the workshop through various channels like-- postcards or flyers and putting them around town and also using channels like Eventbrite and Facebook. I’m not sure if I was on Instagram at the time but essentially it started just by going for it with what I had in an attempt to make a little more money; to make it bigger and refine it over time.”
Fern and Fossil is definitely on the route to being bigger and better as their Newark-based shop is currently under construction. Sam shared how she manages her time as she balances all the new endeavors. A day in the life of the business can have many faces.
“As a small business owner, I recently was able to hire an assistant. A lot of my time is training her about the brand and how I do things. Every day is a little different. Some days like today, especially with setting up my brick-and-mortar store, I had to get here a little early so I could receive a shipment. Sometimes I'll start my day by waiting for a delivery, sometimes I start my day with social media, sometimes I start my day by fulfilling an order. It all depends on what the punch list is for that day.”
As Fern and Fossil builds their in-person shop, we’re excited to have them on board at the Makerhoods Market as they build their product line. We’re even more excited to share that experience with you in our upcoming Make with Makerhoods terrarium building workshop. In our interview, Sam gave us a rundown on what to expect:
“You’re going to have a lot of fun and you’ll learn how to do two things. One's how to make a terrarium. The other is how to make a very very simple macrame holder so once you experience this workshop you’ll essentially have these skills forever.”
Our workshops bring our community closer together while showcasing some of the incredible makers we’re happy to partner with. Make sure to purchase your packet by July 12th to receive all your items! We’ll see you soon.
Mercedes Samuels, Maker Success Associate
Mercedes is writer, artist, and business coordinator who recently graduated from Rutgers University (NB). With a passion for music, media, and tech, Mercedes has worked to blend her creative assets with her knack for business which led her success in the nonprofit world.
Photo Credits: @FernandFossil