I’ve been to a lot of baby showers where everything feels very decorated. Like, too perfect. This one was the opposite. It felt calm. Homey. There were crates with apples and jars with mint. I don’t know, it just felt like someone cared without trying too hard.
It was soft. Nothing big. But it stayed with me. So if you’re planning something like that, you don’t need much. Just a few things that feel real. Things that feel close to home.
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You Don’t Need a Farm
People hear “locally grown” and they think: barn, garden, big setup. You don’t need any of that. One friend did it in her kitchen. Another in a small yard with two trees. That was enough.
She had a table with some lemons in a basket. A sign that said “A little sprout is coming.” Just handwritten, with a marker. Nothing printed. It was kind of crooked. But it looked sweet.
Someone brought folding chairs. Another brought herbs from home. That was the vibe. It felt like a group effort. Like everyone brought a little something. That’s what made it feel special.
Invites Can Be Simple
You really don’t need to spend much here. A simple photo sent on WhatsApp or email works. But if you like printed ones, you can find designs with carrots, oranges, flowers, even tiny watering cans. It doesn’t have to say anything fancy.
Just something like:
“We’re growing something sweet”
“A little one is blooming soon”
“Or even just “Come celebrate with us”
One invite I saw was on brown paper. Tied with string. That’s it. Someone had stuck a small dried flower inside. It looked so thoughtful, but took two minutes to put together. It doesn’t need to be perfect. Just honest.
Decorations That Don’t Feel Like Decorations
At this shower, I didn’t even realize things were decorated at first. It just looked like… someone’s backyard. But the more you looked, the more little things popped out.
There were herbs in jars, rosemary, mint, even a little lavender. You could smell them as you walked by. On one table, they had a wooden box with rolled napkins and some apples. That was it.
Tiny chalkboards said “Mom’s Market” or “Locally Grown.” One basket had strawberries and a note: “Take one home.” It felt warm. Like a mix of garden and love.
You don’t need banners or balloons. Just use what’s already beautiful.
Tables Don’t Have to Match
At the last baby shower I went to, the tables were totally random. One was wooden, another was a plastic folding table with a plain white cloth on top. Nobody cared. Actually, it looked kind of nice like that. Like a big backyard dinner with people you love.
In the middle of the table, they had a long wooden runner with jars of carrots and tulips, fresh apples, beet leaves, and even seed packets, it looked like a tiny farmers’ market right in the dining room.
At each plate there was a tiny thank-you card and a packet of flower seeds. It said “Watch love grow.” It was small, but it felt sweet. Not store-bought fancy, just real.
Keep the Food Simple (and Seasonal)
Nobody was waiting on a five-course meal. The food was really casual, but it all disappeared because it was good.
There were bowls of fruit, some fresh bread, herbed butter, little jars of salad, and those mini veggie quiches that always go first.
Someone brought lemonade with mint, and another person made strawberry spritzers in mason jars. No matching glasses. No matching plates. It didn’t matter.
Hand-decorated with a flourish, they were works of art in their own right: miniature market stands, overflowing baskets of carrots and radishes, gingham bows, daisies with piped petals so delicate you almost didn’t want to eat them.
Someone had clearly labored over them with love, and plenty of time.
For dessert, there were cupcakes with little candy carrots on top. And someone made a tiny carrot cake with “Locally Grown” written on it in crooked frosting. It looked homemade, and honestly, that’s what made it perfect.
The Cake Doesn’t Need to Be Fancy
Seriously. If you’re stressing about the cake, don’t. One shower I saw had no cake at all. Just a few little pies and donuts in a wooden crate. People loved it.
But if you do want a cake, you can go for something plain. Like a naked cake with herbs or edible flowers on top. Nothing glossy. Nothing overdone.
A friend once brought a cake with baby vegetables made out of fondant. It looked silly but everyone kept taking pictures of it. It didn’t look like Pinterest, but it felt personal. And that’s way better.
Games That Actually Feel Fun
Let’s be honest, not everyone is into baby shower games. Some feel forced, some are just… too much. But the best ones are the quiet ones, the ones that don’t need a host yelling instructions every five minutes.
At one shower, they had a basket filled with little cloth bags. Inside each was a fruit or veggie, and guests had to guess what was inside just by feeling it. No prizes, no pressure, just some laughs around the table.
Another person set out a flower pot and some popsicle sticks, and guests wrote down baby name ideas and stuck them in like garden signs. Some of the names were totally wild, others were actually really cute. But it made for such a fun, easygoing moment.
There are a lot of games that can be played on locally grown baby shower, from diaper raffle to guessing the farm fresh items in a jar!
And there was this little corner table with empty pots, a bowl of soil, and packets of herb seeds. Everyone planted one and took it home. I still have the tiny basil from that day sitting on my windowsill. That one stayed with me.
Notes That Mean Something
I think the sweetest thing I saw at a baby shower wasn’t the food or the decorations, it was a table with some plain brown cards and pens. The sign said, “Write a message for baby to read someday.” And you could tell people really stopped to think before they wrote. It got quiet. In the best way.
Some wrote jokes. Some shared advice. One person wrote a little poem. It felt like you were part of something that would matter, not just for a day, but later, years later.
And on one wall, someone had taped up a “family tree” made of brown paper. Everyone wrote their name on a paper leaf and added it to the branches. That part stayed up long after the party ended. And honestly? It made the whole room feel warmer.
Party Favors That People Actually Take
You know when you get a favor and you don’t know what to do with it, so it ends up in a drawer? These weren’t like that.
There was a basket near the door, and inside were tiny jars of honey with little notes that said “Thanks for bee-ing here.” Another had small seed packets with “Watch love grow” printed in soft lettering. Nothing fancy, just thoughtful.
Some had homemade jam, others gave out little bundles of dried lavender wrapped in kraft paper. Every item felt like it had been picked, not ordered in bulk. And that’s probably why everyone took one home. It felt like someone had made it just for them.
It didn’t feel like a party. It felt like family.
Dress Code That Feels Right
You don’t need guests to show up in matching outfits. But a gentle dress suggestion can really tie things together, and make the photos so much sweeter.
Maybe it’s something simple like “earthy tones”, soft greens, creams, rust, terracotta, or even denim. One guest might show up in a linen dress, another in a cozy cardigan. It’s not about being stylish. It’s about looking like you belong in a garden.
You could even suggest florals or overalls, one shower had people come in their comfiest “farmer chic” look, and it honestly made the whole thing feel even cozier. Someone wore boots. Another wore a sunhat indoors. And it just worked.
If the mom-to-be wants to wear something special, a white dress with a floral crown always feels sweet. Or maybe she’s more into a cozy sweater and leggings, whatever makes her feel most herself.
A Quiet Corner for the Parents-to-Be
This was something I hadn’t seen before, but it stuck with me. A small chair, tucked into the corner, with a sign that said “A Moment for the Parents.”
It was a little place they could sit and take it all in. People stopped by to say hello, to hug, to share a memory. No pressure. No announcements. Just a space where love could happen quietly.
They had a pitcher of water, a little snack plate, and a photo album of baby pictures from their own childhoods. One of the parents said, “I needed that spot more than I thought I would.”
And honestly? It made me think about how special it is to be celebrated in such a simple, thoughtful way.
A “Fresh Market” Gift Table
Instead of a regular gift table, one host set up a “fresh market” corner, a wooden cart with little crates labeled “for baby,” “for mom,” and “just because.”
People placed gifts in whichever crate made sense. Some brought swaddle blankets and baby books. Others brought homemade cookies or a handwritten letter. One guest even dropped off a mason jar of soup mix “for those long nights.”
The labels weren’t just cute, they made guests think differently about what kind of gift to bring. And the parents ended up with things that were thoughtful, useful, and truly personal.
How It Ends Stays With You
At the end, people weren’t rushing to leave. The music was soft, the sun was lower in the sky, and someone put on a kettle for tea. People just stayed and talked.
The mom-to-be stood up without planning it and said a few words. She thanked everyone and said that the baby already felt surrounded by love, and she meant it.
The tablecloth had a stain. One of the signs was crooked. But it didn’t matter. What mattered was how full the room felt.
Just a Final Thought
This whole “Locally Grown” idea, it’s not about perfect matching plates or Pinterest-ready tables. It’s about slowing down, being present, and holding space for something beautiful that’s about to begin.
You don’t need a big backyard or a perfect guest list. If the room feels like love, you’ve done it right.
