Dayla Ulrich: Farmowner, Educator, and Community Builder
- Dayla Ulrich owns Sweet Pea Farm and Orchard in southern Utah.
- Her farm hosts community events, promoting agriculture and farm-to-table experiences.
- Ulrich also teaches horticulture at Southern Utah University, inspiring women in agriculture.
PAROWAN, Iron County — Being a female business owner isn't unusual for Dayla Ulrich of Parowan; owning a farm, however, feels a little outside the box.
"It's interesting because so many of our small businesses in town are owned by women, so in Parowan, it actually feels really natural," she said. "Farming-wise, there's always the occasional comment of, 'How's your garden doing?'"
For the past 12 years, Ulrich has owned and operated Sweet Pea Farm and Orchard, which sits on three acres producing a variety of produce and flowers. She shares her passion for gardening, having learned from her grandmother and later pursuing degrees in agriculture.
"I went back to college once my kids got into high school. I thought that I'd just get an ag degree because it would make me a better gardener. That was really important to me. I was feeding my family, and I loved the process of growing our food."
She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from Southern Utah University, focusing on sustainable food systems.
"I was just really passionate about small-scale agriculture and having small farms and communities. When I got the degree, I thought someday I could get into higher education and teach it, but I knew that I wanted to have the experience of a grower. So, we bought a small piece of land, and I just started growing on it."
Her farm-to-table business expanded from local farmers' markets to community breakfasts on the farm, fostering a strong community connection.
"It really just became a place that the community started to gather, and over the years, it's become the main thing that we do on the farm — which has been to create a place for people to come and interact and experience agriculture. Women, historically, have been growing food in this way. We've tended gardens and fed our families, so feeding communities is a really natural extension of that."
Ulrich's success has been recognized by platforms like FarmHER + RanchHER and RFD-TV, which featured her on their shows. She encourages women to join the agricultural community and provides support through her teaching.
"There are so many women who are starting small farms and microfarms in their backyards, and it's an awesome community. There's so much support, and everyone's always super willing to give advice and give input. It's a really rewarding job."