Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tracy Yang. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Tracy, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

Growing up, my parents constantly stressed the importance of education and hard work. Of course, being a child, I didn’t understand what the big deal was. I also had no idea why I was being pushed so much because I felt like I was putting in my best effort already. As a child, I thought my parents were just being mean. Then in my late-20s, during dinner with my Mom, she told me about how life was for my parents growing up. My parents are Hmong immigrants from Thailand. Back in Thailand, it was hard for them to earn a living. There were little to no jobs available. They also did not have access to education. My dad finished high school in Laos, but my mom only attended school through the second grade. They came to America in 1979 post-Vietnam War with nothing more than the clothes on their backs and barely knowing any English. Life was still very hard coming to America, but they rested easier knowing that they were in a place where their children had easier access to education, healthcare, and employment. From hearing all of this, I realized that all these years my parents were teaching me how to build character, how to be curious, and what having a great work ethic looks like. They were also showing me that resilience, perseverance, and tenacity can take you far. Thanks Mom and Dad. Without your sacrifices, lessons, and willlingness to lead by example, I wouldn’t be the person that I am today.

Tracy, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hello! I am Tracy Yang, a first-generation Hmong American and second-generation flower farmer. My family was introduced to flower farming when my sister got married and moved to Seattle, WA. She married into a family of flower farmers. However, that’s not when I got into flower farming. I became a flower farmer by accident, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. Being out of a job and nothing to do, I helped my sister out by being her delivery driver. Then, when Mother’s Day rolled around, my boyfriend (and now business partner), Nick Songsangcharntara, came to help out. He had an absolute blast and mentioned to me that we should start our own flower farm. I turned down the idea right away because I knew how much work a farm requires. I was not sure I wanted to commit to that. After much convincing, I decided that we would give it a one-year trial run. If I didn’t like, then we would simply move on. From there, we became my mom’s apprentices. She gave us a crash course in farming that year. It was intense! However, despite the intensity, I decided to continue on and become a flower farmer. What changed my mind during the course of that year was the realization that farming was connecting me back to my roots, my Hmong heritage. On top of that, I was also getting the chance to reconnect with my mom and learn more about her. Aside from cultural connection, I also realized that our flowers were connecting us to the people in our community. I have always valued community so being able to connect with people really spoke to me.

Our flowers are organically grown. No pesticides, herbicides, or synthetic chemicals are used in our production. I also choose to grow flower varieties that are unique and/or difficult for the average consumer to source. We started off our business being a seasonal farm, but we are now pushing for year-round flower production. We are able to achieve this through bulb forcing, which is bringing bulb flowers into bloom earlier and/or later than when they would usually bloom. We decided to push for year-round production because we saw a need in our community for fresh flowers during the winter months. Now that we are producing flowers year-round, I have made it our mission to be a reliable supplier of fresh flowers to the Seattle metro area. I not only want to be able to supply retail customers, but also businesses – florists, restaurants, hotels, etc. Being able to supply my community with flowers means that I am helping people shop more sustainably. We offer a CSA in the Winter, Spring, and Fall seasons, which we love! We deliver our flowers right to our customer’s door and the smile on their faces when they see their delivery every week is simply priceless.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Consistency is key! I post consistently on my social media channels. When I say consistently, I don’t mean everyday. I do, however, post enough that I am still relevant in the minds of my audience. In addition to consistency, I am simply just, well, myself. I like being real with my audience. I share my struggles, my wins, and little about my personal life so they can get to know me. My advice to those just starting out is don’t be afraid to share your story! You are unique and that’s okay. Tell everyone about YOU!

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Attending lots of farmers markets, makers markets, large events, etc. It’s old school and a lot of work, but it is effective! Instead of making people come find us, we went to where people are. I also think the decision to grow unique flower varieties was a smart move. Having special, beautiful flowers definitely help us stand out in a crowd.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.jarncompany.com
• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/jarncoflowers
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jarncoflowers