Zamora Flora: Beginning Flower Farm
Donation protected
Business Description
Zamora Flora is a veteran owned, family run specialty cut flower business that will produce arrangements for local florists with the Farmer Veteran Coalition “Homegrown by Heroes” label as well as wholesale flower production and a weekly flower CSA. Visit our website for more information: www.ZamoraFlora.com
Mission Statement
It is our mission to provide the Yolo-Solano communities with high quality specialty cut flowers while improving the quality of our soils. We hope that this enterprise will one day support a sustainable poultry enterprise to provide integrated pest management for orchards and other farms. These enterprises will support our further mission of providing quality protein (meat and eggs) to underserved populations without readily available food access.
Values, Goals, and Personal History
Values
We value the health of the soil and the ecosystems around us and the health and strength of the community in which we live. We want to help educate the public about the importance of small scale sustainable farming as it relates to food security and climate change. We advocate for a thriving local economy in which everyone has access to good food and farm products grown and produced by their neighbors.
Farming Sustainably
We use organic farming practices and keep track of the soil and water quality of our farm. We will use the results of soil and water tests to track the long-term changes that our farming practices have on the immediate area. We aim to increase the organic matter content of our soil as well as biological diversity in the soil and in the arthropod community.
Food Security and Social Justice
We plan to expand into chickens for meat and eggs in the long term. We would like to have profits from our combined enterprises support donations of meat birds and eggs to charitable organizations that feed food insecure and at risk communities including homeless veterans and youth.
Goals
Short-Term Goals
-Leasing ¼ an acre to grow annual flowers/tender perennials/greenery for the first year of production to test varieties and farming/harvesting/marketing strategies
-Leasing more land with a longer term lease (3 - 5 years) to incorporate perennial cut flowers and greenery
-Farming adequate acreage to employ one farmer (Aubrianne) full time and provide a living wage while allowing the company to save for expansion into other enterprises
-Acquire a Pack-n-Cool trailer for postharvest storage and transportation of flowers and bouquets
Personal History
Cal
Cal grew up in the foothills of Tulare County on a small homestead. He was involved in 4-H and took care of chickens and one goat he showed in the county fair. With his family he helped plant and maintain a small citrus orchard. After high school he joined the US Marine Corps. While enlisted he visited several countries and gained a wider view of the world outside California. His deployment to Iraq exposed him to a country ravaged by war and centuries of environmental degradation. This experience more than any other has imparted to him the extreme importance of careful management of natural resources. After transitioning to civilian life he took a job working for the Department of Veterans Affairs at the National Cemetery in Dixon, California. This is job affords him a chance to provide a service to veterans and their families. He sees farming as a way of continuing that service to the larger community.
Aubrianne
Aubrianne recently earned a MS degree in Horticulture and Agronomy from the University of California, Davis (2016) and also holds a BS in Rangeland Resource Science from Humboldt State University (2011). Because she grew up in a food insecure household, she is highly motivated to increase food security in the local community by providing high quality protein to underserved communities including homeless veterans and youth.
Beginning Our Family and Our Farm
We met in 2008 while attending Intro to Soil Science at Sierra College and soon began planning our future farm and ranch. We learned about the Center for Land Based Learning’s California Farm Academy in the fall of 2015 and decided to start the program to make our dreams a reality. After much soul searching, we decided to start their agricultural career in specialty cut flowers and are hoping to expand into poultry production and integrated pest management services to support donations of meat and eggs to local non-profit organizations that feed underserved communities.
Marketing Plan
Our farm will market itself mostly by face to face contact with florists and free initial samples of our product. We have already spoken with florists in the area and there is an interest in locally produced veteran grown flowers.
-Deliveries to florists of pre made bouquets and bulk flowers will be made twice weekly or as needed (minimum order size for as needed orders TBD).
-Bouquets for the flower CSA will be picked up weekly at a central location (TBD) by customers. Locations will require a minimum of 5 subscribers and be no farther than 30 minutes driving time from the farm
One additional outlet for our products may be table decorations for restaurants. If supplies allow, prior to Memorial Day we will approach local restaurants to carry our veteran grown arrangements of fresh flowers. Because Veteran’s Day falls outside of our growing season, dried arrangements would have to be used for that holiday until we are able to produce flowers year v
Marketing Outlets
Flower CSA
Bouquets of fresh cut flowers will be provided to members of our flower CSA on a weekly or bi-monthly basis. CSA members will pick up their bouquets at a predetermined location and pay for their flower subscriptions once monthly before bouquets are delivered. Drop off locations will require a minimum of 5 subscribers and will be no farther than 30 minutes (one direction) from that farm.
Flower Arrangements - Homegrown by Heroes
We design bouquets that are sold at local florists under the Homegrown by Heroes label. Bouquets will be available at three different price points as described in the budget, and will be delivered to florists twice weekly or upon request (minimum order TBD).
Wholesale Flowers
Flowers not sold in our CSA or as bouquets will are sold wholesale to local florists. We deliver these flowers on a set schedule once weekly to a select group of florists within 45 minutes (one direction, the majority within 30 minutes) of the farm.
Dried Flowers
Any flowers that are unsold in the above markets will be evaluated for their utility as dried flowers. These flower will then be dried and used in future arrangements.
Production System
Flowers will be produced with annual row production unless or until more permanent land becomes available at which we will include perennial flowers and shrubs to serve as greenery for bouquets.
Flowers will be produced on leased land using organic farming methods and practices. Flowers will not necessarily be marketed as organic, however we will produce media to educate our buyers about the importance of organic farming practices.
How Funds Will be Used
-To pay for the required licenses and permits for operating a farm business
-To hire a farm accountant and tax manager
-To pay for soil and water tests
-To purchase hand tools, buckets, and other required items
-To purchase seed
-To purchase larger tools including a Pack-n-Cool trailer
-To develop promotional and marketing materials including but not limited to a website, letterhead, business cards, and "farm swag" including canvass tote bags
Zamora Flora is a veteran owned, family run specialty cut flower business that will produce arrangements for local florists with the Farmer Veteran Coalition “Homegrown by Heroes” label as well as wholesale flower production and a weekly flower CSA. Visit our website for more information: www.ZamoraFlora.com
Mission Statement
It is our mission to provide the Yolo-Solano communities with high quality specialty cut flowers while improving the quality of our soils. We hope that this enterprise will one day support a sustainable poultry enterprise to provide integrated pest management for orchards and other farms. These enterprises will support our further mission of providing quality protein (meat and eggs) to underserved populations without readily available food access.
Values, Goals, and Personal History
Values
We value the health of the soil and the ecosystems around us and the health and strength of the community in which we live. We want to help educate the public about the importance of small scale sustainable farming as it relates to food security and climate change. We advocate for a thriving local economy in which everyone has access to good food and farm products grown and produced by their neighbors.
Farming Sustainably
We use organic farming practices and keep track of the soil and water quality of our farm. We will use the results of soil and water tests to track the long-term changes that our farming practices have on the immediate area. We aim to increase the organic matter content of our soil as well as biological diversity in the soil and in the arthropod community.
Food Security and Social Justice
We plan to expand into chickens for meat and eggs in the long term. We would like to have profits from our combined enterprises support donations of meat birds and eggs to charitable organizations that feed food insecure and at risk communities including homeless veterans and youth.
Goals
Short-Term Goals
-Leasing ¼ an acre to grow annual flowers/tender perennials/greenery for the first year of production to test varieties and farming/harvesting/marketing strategies
-Leasing more land with a longer term lease (3 - 5 years) to incorporate perennial cut flowers and greenery
-Farming adequate acreage to employ one farmer (Aubrianne) full time and provide a living wage while allowing the company to save for expansion into other enterprises
-Acquire a Pack-n-Cool trailer for postharvest storage and transportation of flowers and bouquets
Personal History
Cal
Cal grew up in the foothills of Tulare County on a small homestead. He was involved in 4-H and took care of chickens and one goat he showed in the county fair. With his family he helped plant and maintain a small citrus orchard. After high school he joined the US Marine Corps. While enlisted he visited several countries and gained a wider view of the world outside California. His deployment to Iraq exposed him to a country ravaged by war and centuries of environmental degradation. This experience more than any other has imparted to him the extreme importance of careful management of natural resources. After transitioning to civilian life he took a job working for the Department of Veterans Affairs at the National Cemetery in Dixon, California. This is job affords him a chance to provide a service to veterans and their families. He sees farming as a way of continuing that service to the larger community.
Aubrianne
Aubrianne recently earned a MS degree in Horticulture and Agronomy from the University of California, Davis (2016) and also holds a BS in Rangeland Resource Science from Humboldt State University (2011). Because she grew up in a food insecure household, she is highly motivated to increase food security in the local community by providing high quality protein to underserved communities including homeless veterans and youth.
Beginning Our Family and Our Farm
We met in 2008 while attending Intro to Soil Science at Sierra College and soon began planning our future farm and ranch. We learned about the Center for Land Based Learning’s California Farm Academy in the fall of 2015 and decided to start the program to make our dreams a reality. After much soul searching, we decided to start their agricultural career in specialty cut flowers and are hoping to expand into poultry production and integrated pest management services to support donations of meat and eggs to local non-profit organizations that feed underserved communities.
Marketing Plan
Our farm will market itself mostly by face to face contact with florists and free initial samples of our product. We have already spoken with florists in the area and there is an interest in locally produced veteran grown flowers.
-Deliveries to florists of pre made bouquets and bulk flowers will be made twice weekly or as needed (minimum order size for as needed orders TBD).
-Bouquets for the flower CSA will be picked up weekly at a central location (TBD) by customers. Locations will require a minimum of 5 subscribers and be no farther than 30 minutes driving time from the farm
One additional outlet for our products may be table decorations for restaurants. If supplies allow, prior to Memorial Day we will approach local restaurants to carry our veteran grown arrangements of fresh flowers. Because Veteran’s Day falls outside of our growing season, dried arrangements would have to be used for that holiday until we are able to produce flowers year v
Marketing Outlets
Flower CSA
Bouquets of fresh cut flowers will be provided to members of our flower CSA on a weekly or bi-monthly basis. CSA members will pick up their bouquets at a predetermined location and pay for their flower subscriptions once monthly before bouquets are delivered. Drop off locations will require a minimum of 5 subscribers and will be no farther than 30 minutes (one direction) from that farm.
Flower Arrangements - Homegrown by Heroes
We design bouquets that are sold at local florists under the Homegrown by Heroes label. Bouquets will be available at three different price points as described in the budget, and will be delivered to florists twice weekly or upon request (minimum order TBD).
Wholesale Flowers
Flowers not sold in our CSA or as bouquets will are sold wholesale to local florists. We deliver these flowers on a set schedule once weekly to a select group of florists within 45 minutes (one direction, the majority within 30 minutes) of the farm.
Dried Flowers
Any flowers that are unsold in the above markets will be evaluated for their utility as dried flowers. These flower will then be dried and used in future arrangements.
Production System
Flowers will be produced with annual row production unless or until more permanent land becomes available at which we will include perennial flowers and shrubs to serve as greenery for bouquets.
Flowers will be produced on leased land using organic farming methods and practices. Flowers will not necessarily be marketed as organic, however we will produce media to educate our buyers about the importance of organic farming practices.
How Funds Will be Used
-To pay for the required licenses and permits for operating a farm business
-To hire a farm accountant and tax manager
-To pay for soil and water tests
-To purchase hand tools, buckets, and other required items
-To purchase seed
-To purchase larger tools including a Pack-n-Cool trailer
-To develop promotional and marketing materials including but not limited to a website, letterhead, business cards, and "farm swag" including canvass tote bags
Organizer
Aubrianne Zamora
Organizer
Vacaville, CA
