I have always loved flowers, just ask my boyfriend. hehe. Every holiday, anniversary, any small occasion honestly, all I would want is a fresh bouquet of flowers. I loved putting them in my dorm room on display and the sweet fragrance reminded me of my home in the California countryside where I grew up. The aroma would fill the room and instantly take me back to my happy place, home. Which, as a first-year college student, was comforting. But come on, who doesn't love flowers?
Back in March, my mom called me while I was at school and boldly stated, "I want to start a flower farm." When she mentioned this I responded without hesitation that I would help her, we could be partners, and she wasn't alone. She had been doing some research on her own about the costs, time, profit, and other factors one should consider when taking the risk of starting a new business. Together we began planning.
I get my love of gardening and flowers from my mom; she has always had the biggest green thumb. Her garden every year explodes with flowers and summertime vegetables. And really, whats better than fresh fruit and vegetables during the summer?
My parents always said you need to find what you are passionate about. When you do what you love, you will never work a day in your life. I never actually thought that could become a reality for me. But how lucky am I to say that I am doing exactly that. I always knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur like my dad and have the luxury to raise kids at home like my mom. Their two jobs morphed into one is what I always dreamed of. But then what passion did I have that I could develop and learn about further? What interest could I expand into a career? My simple love and admiration of flowers was not something that could be a business. Or, could it? This journey with my parents has brought us closer even though most of the year I live on my own at school. Being partners with my mom and learning how to run a business from my dad is truly a gift and I will cherish this time with them forever.
Now that you have a glimpse as to how this all started, on to the fun stuff...THE FLOWER FARM! We are only a little over 5 months into this startup business. We have read, absorbed, and watched more articles and videos on flower farming than I can count. There is a wonderful community of flower farmers across the United States that are willing to help, share, and question what they are doing on their own farm, which has helped us tremendously! We have started small with about 25 rows of perennials and annuals. We have planted a lot of warm flowers in the ground but because we just decided to make this happen a few months ago; the flowers will be ready between the end of the summer and the beginning of fall. But, we found that we have run out of space very quickly, working in the garage and planting in spaces that surround our house. So what did we do? We leased 4 1/2 acres located right next to our farm stand to plant more flowers! This flower farm is truly a passion of ours and we are dedicated to keeping this business long-term.
Where is the farm stand and new land at? Our farm stand is located right off Hwy 120 and River Road in a shared parking lot with the Oakdale Cheese and Specialties Factory. We are renovating that building and will use it to sell our fresh cut flowers, succulents, African Violets and pumpkins (during the fall). We are so excited for the renovation to be finished and open it to the public. We rented the land and decided immediately to start preparing the soil (disking, ripping, and spreading manure.) If you drive by on Hwy 120 towards Escalon you have probably seem some of the soil preparation take place. We will put hoop houses our there for our fall time planting so our ranunculus, anemone, and snapdragons are protected properly during the winter months and able to thrive for early spring time harvest. Having the space will allow us to plant a larger quantity of flowers for optimal blooming times and meet the demand of the flower market in our area. We are so thrilled at the response we have gotten. Our family, friends, and potential customers are what have pushed us and encouraged us to pursue this fully. Thank you for all your love and support!
