This farmer got her start farming in Costco of all places! A trip to the super store and a bag of Dahlia tubers had Amanda Kitaura of Bloom hooked on growing her own flowers.  Amanda owns and runs a floral design and subscription service in Sacramento, California where she delivers bouquets made from local flower farms and flowers she grows in her own backyard!

 CA GROWN:  What are you doing today? 

Amanda: This whole week we are prepping soil for cover crops. Since land is pretty expensive in California, I farm all of my flowers in different yards: my parents’ yards, a friend’s yard and my own yard. Today we are going to different sites, composting and making sure the soil is ready for planting.

CA GROWN:  What is your favorite part of farming?

Amanda: The moment when I realize the seeds I planted actually grew and didn’t die and I didn’t kill a whole tray of plants!  Every time I see the seeds take root and grow, I’m excited.  Either I did it right or nature took its course, either way, I’m thrilled. 

CA GROWN:  How do you give back to the community?

Amanda: We love fundraising for the community. We will donate a portion of the proceeds from each bouquet to those in need. We recently gave a portion of the proceeds ($15 per bouquet sold) from our bouquets for the fire relief effort in Northern California. 

CA GROWN:  What drew you into farming and floral design?

Amanda: I’ve always been interested in doing floral design work. I really enjoy designing with my mom, and she always came along with me to floral design workshops.  It’s something we’ve always done together. I wanted to be around and work with flowers all the time; it was a passion of mine that I turned into a business.

CA GROWN:  What are your hobbies or pastimes when you are not farming and working on your floral business?

I have a small jewelry business that takes up some of my time, and I go skiing.  My family owns a ski business, so that has always been a big part of our lives during the winter months. I’m into brush calligraphy.  I really enjoy hanging out with my husband and our dog.

CA GROWN:  What advice would you give to someone who wants to get into farming?

Amanda: Go for it, become involved in your local farming community and build relationships with other farmers.  They’ve been a wonderful support system for me and my growing business. Sometimes farmers need help on the farm, and that gives people who would like experience the opportunity to learn.  I’ve met a lot of people through social media. I would recommend reaching out to people who are doing similar work in the area and inviting them to grab a cup of coffee — I’ve done this and it’s led to great relationships. But my biggest advice for someone wanting to farm is to wear sunscreen!

To find out more about Amanda, visit her website here.