Wholehearted Blooms, Inc.

Wholehearted Blooms, Inc. West Sacramento urban boutique flower farm My growing practices are rooted in sustainability and I’m really looking forward to getting involved in my community.

After becoming an empty nester and a really long 5 year journey with breast cancer, I decided to follow my dreams and give flower farming all my time and energy. I grow flowers and herbs and sell them on my farm every Saturday. This is my second year farming so I’m still trying to figure it all out. I will be offering u-picks and weekly bouquet subscriptions at some point. Nothing excites me more than providing locally grown flowers for those special events and moments in your life.

Need veggie starts and all the green goodness to get your garden growing?One of the best parts of living in West Sacrame...
04/25/2025

Need veggie starts and all the green goodness to get your garden growing?

One of the best parts of living in West Sacramento is being part of a community where we support each other and share what we grow.

My amazing neighbor, Jenny, is having a plant sale tomorrow, Saturday, April 26th, just down the street from me!

Soon, I’ll be joining in too—with a little farm stand of my own, selling the flowers I grow right here at my home!

If you stop by you’ll see the progress I’ve made on my “Front Farm” aka front yard. It’s just compost now and a few sweet peas but it’s looking good.

Happy Growing!!

A Day in the Life of a Flower Farmer.That’s the name of the mini-series I’m teaching at American River College (ARC) for...
04/18/2025

A Day in the Life of a Flower Farmer.

That’s the name of the mini-series I’m teaching at American River College (ARC) for a Horticulture Skills class. I’m no expert, but I’ve learned a lot the past three years and somehow they’re letting me share what I’ve learned.

The department wants more flowers.

I have the time.

They have the space.

Good combo. Great opportunity. Even if only for a month or so.

Last October, I had a minor emotional meltdown and bought 1,100 lisianthus plugs—one small detail: I no longer have a farm to plant them on. But hey, who needs space when you’ve got floral FOMO and flawless logic?

Miraculously, it worked out. I offloaded them to a flower farmer, a client, and now the Horticulture Dept. at ARC. Lisisnthus crises averted.

The students plants over 600 zinnias and lisianthus and did a great job.

It feels really good knowing that some of the plants I’ve tended to over the past three years—ones I can no longer use—a...
04/18/2025

It feels really good knowing that some of the plants I’ve tended to over the past three years—ones I can no longer use—are finding a new home.

Recently, West Sacramento Parks and Recreation dug up some perennials to plant at Patwin Park as part of an Arbor Day Celebration. They've teamed up with local Girl Scout troops, the California Native Plant Society, and West Coast Arborists, Inc. to help beautify the park through this collaborative effort.

It would have been a lot easier to just purchase new plants for the event but they didn’t and that means the world to me. There’s something comforting knowing a small piece of my farm is living somewhere else in town.

It’s becoming clear that the opportunities bringing me the most joy are rooted in acts of service and giving back. Interesting how this farming adventure is evolving. So grateful I’m in a place to be able to do this.

Today was tough but necessary — 75% of the farm was mowed down. Most of it had been overtaken by w**ds, though a few res...
04/11/2025

Today was tough but necessary — 75% of the farm was mowed down. Most of it had been overtaken by w**ds, though a few resilient flowers still managed to bloom.

Those few hardy flowers that were still hanging on, kept me hanging on and coming back for more. I’d been dreading this day, but now that it’s done, I feel a strange sense of relief.

Turns out, closing the farm has taken more out of me than I imagined so I’ve decided not to rush into anything.

Right now I’m actually quite busy and content with misc. farming related projects and that’s honestly all I can handle right now.

I wish I could just snap my fingers and be more settled with where my next gig will be, but that’s not how life happens.

I’m starting a fun new flower project on Friday that I’ll be sharing so stay tuned.

Glorious W**ds (that’s what Kate calls the w**ds on my farm).As the farm shuts down, the bare soil is quickly being over...
03/18/2025

Glorious W**ds (that’s what Kate calls the w**ds on my farm).

As the farm shuts down, the bare soil is quickly being overtaken by fast-growing w**ds. I swear I can see them grow right before my eyes.

It’s hard watching them take over what was once a field of beauty, but what makes it a little less painful is the fact that some of my w**ds actually have value.

A customer recently spotted mallow (cheese w**d) driving by the farm and asked if she could do a little “urban foraging.” Of course any help at this point is welcome, and she ended up harvesting several grocery bags full of it and made delicious vegetarian fritters.

She informed me that mallow, a relative of okra, is used in traditional Egyptian and Eastern European recipes and can be used as a thickener in soups and stews.

Thanks Kate!

Not long after that, a fellow flower farmer stopped by new farm (aka front yard) an it’s full of cleaver (sticky w**d). Just as I was complaining about this clingy troublemaker, she asks if she can harvest some. What? Turns out it’s packed with healing properties and she will be drying it and using it in her apothecary.

Thanks Sylvia

In just one month, I was an eager student attending a workshop learning all ways to mitigate, eradicate and manage w**ds, to learning how those same plants can be of benefit to others.

I’m a firm believer in the healing properties of plants but lost site of that as a beginning farmer who put a lot of time, energy and money into managing them so the flowers could thrive.

This farmers nemesis is another persons botanical treasure and that makes me feel good.

With only three years of flower farming experience, I'm still in the early stages of this demanding profession. The firs...
03/18/2025

With only three years of flower farming experience, I'm still in the early stages of this demanding profession. The first 10 years are often considered the "start-up" phase, and the more I learn, the more I realize how little I know.

As I wind down my current farm, I now have more time to reflect and dive into farming topics I know little about — one of which is w**d management.

Organic w**d management is a critical and complex aspect of organic farming because it directly impacts crop health, yield, and overall farm productivity — without relying on synthetic herbicides.

This week I was humbled to attend an organic W**d Management Workshop put on by the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources UC Cooperative Extension.

At the workshop, farm advisors and w**d scientists discussed seed biology, managing seed banks, and various growing strategies and the day concluded with a panel of experienced growers and equipment demonstrations, showcasing everything from small hand tools to large farming equipment.

As if Integrated Pest Management wasn't already overwhelming, it looks like I now need to dive into Integrated W**d Management as well.

My mind is on overload, but I'm excited to apply this new knowledge to my next (much smaller) farm

Love is the answer. Every. Single. Time. Love is messy. Life is messy. Every day my heart is broken and every day my ...
02/14/2025

Love is the answer. Every. Single. Time.

Love is messy. Life is messy.

Every day my heart is broken and every day my heart is full.

Sometimes love means walking away. Sometimes we hurt the ones we love the most.

Let’s celebrate love in all its forms—nature, pets, family, friends, chocolate, health, sunsets, and all the little things that bring joy to our hearts. 💕

I love the planet I live on. I love my family. I love growing flowers. I love being of service and I love being here after cancer to be able to work through my own human messiness.

What do you love?

PSA: West Sacramento residents, if you still need flowers for your loved ones, please buy from Nugget! They prioritize sourcing locally, and they support local farms whenever possible.

Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

What are my future farming plans? I don’t know (yet). I’m still working on being patient, trusting that the right timi...
01/20/2025

What are my future farming plans? I don’t know (yet).

I’m still working on being patient, trusting that the right timing will bring clarity about land and a business plan.

Locally grown flowers are the result of thoughtful planning and hard work, often requiring 6 months to a year to produce a single bloom.

I think it’s safe to say that not much will be happening this year and it will probably take some time to sort things out.

I still have my backyard, which is where this dream started, although it’s now half the size it originally was because we’re in the process of building an ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit), a smaller, additional living space on the same lot as a single-family home.

While I’m in the midst of significant life changes, it hardly seems like a hardship with all the devastation and suffering the fire victims in LA are facing.

In the meantime, I’m still having conversations about potential growing opportunities in town and wrapping up operations at the Lake Washington Farm by continuing to care for the land that has given me so much.

WHY in the world would I want to become a flower farmer just shy of turning 60?On my bad days, I ask myself that with a ...
01/16/2025

WHY in the world would I want to become a flower farmer just shy of turning 60?

On my bad days, I ask myself that with a few expletives thrown into the question but I KNOW EXACTLY WHY I’M A FLOWER FARMER.

By the end of 2020, after immersing myself in gardening during the lockdown, I realized flower farming was the path I needed to rebuild my life after breast cancer.

As I started manifesting and planning with a sense of courage I’ve never felt before, I decided to take Erin Benzakein’s Flower Farming online workshop.

While the course offered extensive charts, information, and advice on growing flowers, the most valuable takeaway was the recommendation to read Simon Sinek's book Start with Why.

Turns out:

EVERY organization knows WHAT they do, which is the most basic and clear aspect of their identity.

SOME organizations understand HOW they do what they do, but can’t explain how something is different or better.

FEW organizations can articulate WHY they do what they do or know what their purpose, cause or belief is.

Why is this so important? Because people don’t buy WHAT you do, they buy WHY you do it so if I am not clear on my WHY, how will anyone else?

Since my new found farming career unexpectedly got cut short and I have more time now and I’ve never shared this with you stay tuned for all the reasons I’m here.

Thank you for taking the time to follow my flower farming journey as I navigate the loss of my farm and what to do next....
01/11/2025

Thank you for taking the time to follow my flower farming journey as I navigate the loss of my farm and what to do next.

While I currently have nothing to offer but my story and dreams, I remain hopeful that one day I’ll be able to share my love of flowers with my community again.

When I started flower farming, I learned quickly how delusional I was about soooo many things. The most important lesson was realizing that the heart of my business isn’t just growing flowers, it’s mastering the art of selling them.

Flowers don’t t sell themselves. Damn it!!

Being in the field is where I feel most comfortable. It’s only because of my love of growing the flowers, my desire to educate, donate and give back to my community am I willing to embrace the whole idea of putting myself “out there” on this thing called social media.

I’m fit and strong but old (for a farmer). So old my first Instagram post (ever) was just 3.5 years ago and I barely used Facebook when I started this business.

If you want to stay in touch and watch me fumble around a bit:

Sign up through Linktree in my bio to receive emails with more in-depth farm updates and insights into my search for land.

If you're curious about the daily adventures of this “farmless” flower farmer, you can follow my stories!

I’m blessed to have the family I was born into.I spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with my brother and sister-in-law...
12/27/2024

I’m blessed to have the family I was born into.

I spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with my brother and sister-in-law, which felt like the perfect way to close out this year and begin looking ahead with hope.

I learned how to make Bacalhau a Gomes de Sa (Portuguese salted cod), ate way too much homemade peppermint bark and made salmon eggs benedict with my mom's famous hollandaise sauce.

Since starting my farming 3 years ago, my life was anything but balanced. I was pretty one dimensional and neglected one of the most important things in life, my relationships.

While I don’t know what my future in farming will look like, I do know I’ll be spending more time and energy on what I hold near and dear to my heart, my family, friends.

Happy Holidays everyone. I wish you a safe, happy and peaceful New Year.

No more markets, no more sales, but my Monday deliveries to Sacramento Loaves & Fishes will continue. Loaves & Fishes i...
12/04/2024

No more markets, no more sales, but my Monday deliveries to Sacramento Loaves & Fishes will continue.

Loaves & Fishes is the largest homeless service provider in Sacramento. They serve over 130,000 meals annually in addition to, survival supplies, respite, and friendship.

Providing fresh flowers for their dining room tables is a small but intentional marker of radical hospitality and the wishes of the late founder, Chris Delany.

Since the flowers are no longer blooming, it’s time to get creative.

Today's delivery was a festive "mini Christmas tree in a vase," I created by using branches sourced from a local Christmas tree farm and then carefully processing them like I would any other flower or foliage. They’re not only cute but they smell amazing too!

A special shout out to Moonbelly Bakery for playing a pivotal role in making all of this possible through their efforts and sponsorship. After seeing an advertisement and connecting me with the dining room director, I’ve had the honor since August of sharing the labor of my love and the beauty of my flowers with those facing life's greatest challenges.

A big thanks also goes out to Sun and Soil Health for donating some of the glass jars that I use as flower vases. They are the perfect size and shape for the dining room—just the right height, the perfect size opening, and absolutely adorable with flowers in them.

While we patiently wait for the flowers to bloom again in the spring, the dining room will be adorned with fresh, local seasonal foliage and aromatic herbs for the next few months.

Address

1990 Lake Washington Boulevard
West Sacramento, CA
95691

Opening Hours

8am - 12pm

Website

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