We were lucky to catch up with Kimberly Johnston recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kimberly, appreciate you joining us today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

GRACE BLOOM FARM

Naming a business is a nuanced and personal process, and for me, it’s deeply intertwined with my life story. My husband, who was my boyfriend at the time, gave me the nickname “Grace” after an incident during “Senior Skip Day.” I tripped and tumbled down the porch stairs, breaking my arm just before my high school graduation and SATs. To lighten the moment, he jokingly said, “Way to go, Grace!”—and the name stuck. Now, more than 36 years later, it remains a special moniker for both my husband and me, symbolizing my (often) clumsy nature. But that’s not the only reason I chose to name the farm Grace Bloom Farm.

The inspiration also comes from my mother, who passed away after a long battle with ovarian cancer. Just a year after her diagnosis, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. We fought together, and her love for flowers was a constant part of her life. Even when she was too weak to work in the garden, she would take photos of her house plants and the flowers on her porch. I remember being too busy with my own young children and a full-time job to truly appreciate the time spent with her, but after her passing, I found myself drawn to the field. I needed to heal, and I found peace in planting flowers—many of which reminded me of my childhood and the gardens my mother and grandmother tended to. That’s where “Bloom” comes from. In my garden, I watched tiny seeds grow into stunning flowers—dahlias, zinnias, cosmos, and more—and I realized that, just like these flowers, healing could bloom as well. Now, I’m able to witness that healing in others, too, as their faces light up at the sight of fields full of vibrant flowers. The farm provides an escape where the worries of life slip away, and smiles bloom in the process.

Lastly, “Farm” is an action word. I wanted to create a farm run by women, a place that is both inclusive and welcoming to the community. I also strive to donate as many flowers as I sell to local shut-ins, churches, hospitals, and cancer patients. This is my way of giving back, in gratitude for the second chance I’ve had as a cancer survivor.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I own and run a small flower farm in the scenic New River Valley of Southwest Virginia, where I grow all of my flowers as organically as possible. They are cultivated from seeds, bulbs, or corms and are all unique varieties that are difficult to find unless you’re purchasing directly from a flower farm. Since shipping our flowers is challenging, we sell them locally. What started as a single small field in our first year has now expanded to five fields and a high tunnel, with over 500 dahlias planted last year.

My journey began in 2020, like many others during the pandemic, when my two children married and left home. For the first time in years, I had the space to reflect on what I was truly missing. Although I had a rewarding career as an academic advisor and adjunct faculty member, something was still lacking, and my heart carried the weight of losing my mother over four years prior.

I watched a show called Finding Florets, which many people have seen. It resonated deeply with me, evoking memories of simpler, kinder times and connecting with my artistic side as an amateur writer, artist, and musician. I thought, “I can do this—I can start a small flower farm.” I enrolled in a class to refresh the gardening skills I learned as a child, and four years later, here I am, still learning and loving every moment. It’s hard work, but the sight of a new bloom or a smile makes it all worthwhile, and it’s allowed my creative side to flourish. I absolutely love it!

In 2021, I began growing heirloom flowers like zinnias, cosmos, snapdragons, strawflowers, celosia, and many more. These flowers are used for cut flower bouquets, arrangements, or harvested by clients at our U-Pick events. We also invite photographers to capture stunning images on the farm. I host workshops on how to start seeds, grow cut flowers, care for the fields, become an organic grower, and properly process and care for dahlias.

Dahlias and growing dahlia tubers have become a true passion of mine. We started with just 32 dahlias and now grow over 192 varieties. We sell dahlia tubers online and locally and offer support to fellow growers who have questions about their dahlias.

We were honored to receive an award from Virginia Living Magazine, named as one of “Virginia Living Weddings’ Top Wedding Vendors 2025” for our unique offerings to brides. We provide DIY brides with “Blooms by the Buckets” for styling their weddings at an affordable price. We also offer Bridal Party U-Pick events and Petal Parties for bridal showers, which were a huge success last season, and I expect this year to be even better!

What sets us apart is that we are a U-Pick farm. Many farms don’t have customers on-site, but we love being a part of our community and interacting with people in the fields where I feel happiest. It brings me joy to see the smiles of customers when they pick out a surprise bouquet or when children ask about the flowers during photoshoots. I thoroughly enjoy the process of creating, learning, and teaching, and now I’m able to do both in a new and fulfilling way.

I’m often surprised when someone tells me they follow me on Instagram or Facebook. It’s amazing to know that others are inspired by what I do, and it warms my heart. If I can help even one person heal, or inspire someone else to explore their own creative outlet, then I feel like I’ve fulfilled my purpose.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

The most challenging part of being a flower farmer has been finding the right resources to fund and support my growth. I was fortunate to have an innovation center in my county that provided assistance when I was starting out as a small business, including a $1000 grant to help me get going. However, I had to discover these resources on my own. I wish I had known about opportunities like USDA grants and other funding sources sooner. For the first three years, I couldn’t afford to extend my growing season, but I was determined to avoid debt and only operate on a cash-only basis. Starting a small farm when farming wasn’t a part of my life made it much harder to find these resources. My advice is to go out and meet farmers in your area—regardless of what they’re growing. They have a wealth of knowledge that can help guide you on your journey.

When it comes to actually growing flowers and running a small farm, the Florets Online Workshop was the best investment I’ve made. Erin, the instructor, teaches students how to farm efficiently, recycle, use organic practices, and avoid debt, giving you the flexibility to pivot if the direction of your business doesn’t align with your passion. I highly recommend it! Florets.com also offers an incredible library packed with information on nearly every cut flower you can grow, including tips on planting, growing, and harvesting. This resource didn’t exist when I started flower farming, and it’s been invaluable.

I’ve also found online communities, dahlia grower groups, and attended the Flower Farming Business Academy with Lennie Larkin, which has been instrumental in teaching me how to price my crops, including factoring in my creative labor. This is an essential step that many creatives avoid, but it’s necessary if you want your business to succeed and grow. My mission is to bring more happiness to people, encourage them to spend time outdoors, inspire them to create floral art, and help them smile more. To make this possible, I also have to take care of the business side of flower farming.

If you’re interested in wholesale purchasing or selling, reach out to flower exchanges in your area. As a flower farmer, I work with Stemz in North Carolina, but there is also two other locations, the Blue Ridge Flower Exchange and the Bristol Bloom Collective, within my area. These are excellent platforms for connecting with other flower farmers and becoming part of a supportive community.

I encourage you to creatively reach out to your local artist community and draw inspiration from their talents. I regularly visit farmers’ markets, art shows, street fairs, and small businesses. These artistic outlets help me when designing bouquets or even planning the best angles for photographers to photograph in the fields. Art is meant to be lived out loud, and I hope that the beauty of my flower fields does the same for those who visit the farm.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

The best advice I ever received was, “social media is rented space.” I use social media to share with others what I know about flowers—how to grow, pinch, fertilize, and harvest cut flowers—but I’m also aware that, at any time, I could be locked out or blocked for reasons beyond my control. This is what’s meant by “rented” space. What’s truly essential for growing your customer base is building an email list. I run a blog and a newsletter to stay in touch with my clients about sales, upcoming events, happenings on the farm and seasonal growing tips. While my Instagram and Facebook following helps people worldwide enjoy the beauty of my farm (and hopefully feel inspired), my sales are local, and since I don’t ship flowers, staying connected and engaged with my email list is key to the growth of Grace Bloom Farm.

Another tip I’ve found helpful is always going above and beyond when fulfilling a client’s order. I make sure to add extra flowers or include an additional bucket of fillers. One satisfied customer can bring you seven more, and that kind of personal touch helps build loyalty and word-of-mouth referrals.

In addition, at the start of each season, I make a point to visit local businesses, offering them a bouquet of flowers along with my business cards. Networking is incredibly valuable, as you never know when someone will say, “Wow! I’ve never seen tulips like these!” and the business owner will share that I’m a local flower farmer just up the road.

Growing a business takes time, so don’t lose hope. Take the time to find a strategy and a direction that what works for you.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://gracebloomfarm.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracebloomfarm/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gracebloomfarm

Image Credits

Kristin Jarrells
J Marie Photography
Grace Bloom Farm