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On a sun-drenched morning in Pescadero’s “Sunshine Valley,” just inland enough to dodge the ever-present marine layer, Tammy Bloom bends over a row of Fewer Few flowers. Her many chickens chatter and squawk on the hill. A daily “cut list” is tucked into the pocket of her black and floral apron, her shears at the ready.
With a background in law and divorce mediation, Bloom is the unexpected but committed on-site steward of Forever Bloom Farm — a place where no two days, or strawflowers, look quite the same.
Before the dahlias, before the homemade farm stand sweets and annual wreath-making workshops, this 5-acre parcel of land was a lavender farm housing over 15,000 lavender plants. And before that, it held a sprawling greenhouse operation owned by the now defunct Bay City Flowers. But in 2013, Bloom stepped in with a different vision: a regenerative, small-scale cut flower farm rooted in sustainability, artistry and community.
It all started, improbably, with 1,000 dahlias that Bloom grew for her daughter’s wedding.
“If you would’ve asked me 10 or 20 years ago, I would’ve said, ‘I’m not creative at all,’” she said. “But man, you put some flowers in my hand and I can make beautiful things.”
She speaks with the energy of someone who’s found her medium — where the ephemeral beauty of a vibrant poppy rivals any legal argument, and a hand-tied bouquet offers the kind of fulfillment that outlasts courtroom victories.
“I don’t have to be jealous of all my friends who can draw,” she said with a laugh. “I create my own art.” And she does, season after season.
Today, Forever Bloom grows a range of almost 300 specialty flowers, including dahlias, delphinium, zinnias, garden roses, strawflower, cosmos and poppies — the kinds of blooms too short-lived and fragile to import or mass-produce. It’s no accident: Bloom believes the future of floral design lies in locality.
“Imported flowers might look good for a day or two,” she said, “but ours will last longer in your vase and are thoughtfully tended to by myself and my small team.” In previous years Bloom employed dozens to help her grow, harvest and sell her flowers, but in recent years she’s scaled back to a loyal few as demand has lessened and labor costs have increased.
At a time when nearly 80% of the cut flowers sold in the U.S. are imported — often from Colombia or Ecuador — Forever Bloom offers something more rare: a local alternative that reduces the carbon footprint associated with global shipping.
In fact, of the flowers that are domestically grown, 70% are cultivated in California. Historically, flower farming has been one of San Mateo County’s biggest industries, with floral and nursery crops accounting for 56% ($55.3 million) of the county’s agricultural production value in 2023. But those numbers pale in comparison to even a few decades ago: In 1993, the county’s total crop production value was over $200 million, with roughly $165 million from floral and nursery crops, according to annual crop report data.
Flowers are only part of the equation at Forever Bloom Farm. Bloom’s 24/7 farm stand, an unassuming roadside shed stocked with sweet treats, eggs, jams and seasonal produce, has become a small-town staple. Nearby, her 50 chickens wander freely, their eggs collected daily and nestled into cartons sold alongside blackberry preserves and fragrant hand-tied bouquets. The farm stand is run on the honor system and is nestled along a bottle-brush-lined country road; drive a little too fast and you might just miss it.
On-site workshops offer yet another amenity to community members: the opportunity to celebrate the land and its bounty through creativity. Whether it’s dried florals or pumpkin centerpieces in October or a winter wreath crafted from on-site pine and willow, the events often draw people from miles away.
“I have always enjoyed growing food for people, and the workshops are just one more thing I can give to others — the chance to make something beautiful and to feel creative, even if they don’t think they are,” Bloom said.
In addition to workshops and farm stand takeaways, Bloom also offers educational 90-minute farm tours on most Saturdays throughout the year. Guests will enjoy the sights and sounds of the farm, including a visit to the chicken coop, plant nursery and more. A set of snips and a bucket is also provided for each guest to clip their favorites as they peruse the grounds. Clippings are then transformed by Bloom herself into a lovely take-home bouquet. (These tours are also included with the workshops.)
When it comes to regenerative and sustainable farming practices, Bloom farms without tilling and uses almost no pesticides. Her on-site compost piles, fed by stems, flowers, weeds, food scraps and cardboard, are carefully tended over months or even years to prevent mold and bacteria.
“Compost is expensive, but with this, we get to make compost that is rich in nutrients and easy to redistribute throughout the farm, helping us stay green,” Bloom said. The oldest compost pile is almost three years old.
While she once sold flowers at high-end San Francisco shops and farmers markets, catering to brides all across the Bay Area, Bloom has since scaled back, preferring to open her gates to those willing to make the drive to her little slice of Sunshine Valley.
“We’re year-round,” she said, gesturing to a row of soon-to-be squash and pumpkins. “The flowers slow in winter, of course, but the produce and herbs keep going. Dahlias grow well into September! We’re very lucky to have such excellent growing conditions, allowing us to provide for and share with our community each and every season.”
A seasonal “bucket of blooms,” as Bloom calls them, is also a staple of this year-round operation; $150 gets you dozens of the farm’s most beautiful foxgloves, poppies, snapdragons, statice, eucalyptus and more.
From the first dahlia planted for her daughter’s wedding to the thousands of stems harvested each week, Bloom’s devotion to the farm and its gifts is a testament to reimagined creativity.
“I used to drive all over the Bay with buckets in the back seat,” Bloom said. “Now, I’m lucky to stay put and people come to me. What they leave with is a true moment in time, a snapshot of the season; no two flowers or bouquets are ever the same. I love how the prettiest blooms are also the most ephemeral, here for an artful moment and then gone.”
Forever Bloom Farm, 413 Dearborn Park Road, Pescadero; Instagram: @foreverbloomfarm. Visit their website for tour and workshop pricing and preregistration.
