About Us

Welcome to Black River Ranch.

My name is Jessica. My path to flower farming is deeply rooted in science, care, and evidence-based practice. As a former dental hygienist, my work was grounded in infection control, prevention, and meticulous attention to detail — principles that continue to guide the way I farm today. That clinical foundation shaped my understanding of sanitation, observation, and early intervention, all of which are essential to growing healthy plants and maintaining resilient systems.

Transitioning to flower farming allowed me to apply that same scientific mindset to the soil and the field, pairing careful monitoring with organic, research-supported growing practices. From tool sanitation and plant health management to soil nourishment and integrated pest control, every decision is made thoughtfully and with intention. This farm is built on the belief that care, when informed by knowledge and respect for natural systems, creates something both beautiful and enduring.

For many years, I dedicated my career to caring for people as a dental hygienist. While that work was meaningful, and I loved it, I eventually realized, as many of us do, that I had neglected a need within myself. Gardening and growing flowers became a way to reconnect with the land, with creativity, and with a more balanced way of life.

I still work in public health and serve my community,  but after years of caring for others as a clinician, I felt a quiet pull toward something slower, more grounded, and deeply nourishing in a different way. Flower farming became my answer — a way to continue giving, growing, and learning, but through beauty, seasonality, and connection to the earth. 

This farm is also deeply personal. My daughter lives with Type 1 diabetes and uses a wheelchair due to an undiagnosed demyelinating neuromuscular condition. Our days, like farming, are shaped by attentiveness — careful monitoring, early intervention, resilience, and adaptation. In many ways, the same principles that guide my clinical background and my farming practices guide our life at home: observation, patience, flexibility, and hope.

One of my long-term dreams is to grow this farm into something sustainable enough to support her health journey and to create meaningful, flexible work she can step into when she feels up to it. While flowers may not have been her original passion, photography is — and she now lends her creative eye to our images and social media (which is a blessing, because I am far better at soil science than algorithms).

What began as a personal healing journey has grown into a small farm rooted in intention, creativity, and care — not just for the land, but for family and community. Each bloom is grown with the same attentiveness I once gave my patients, now offered as a reminder to pause, breathe, and find joy in life’s simple moments.

When you support this farm, you are supporting more than flowers. You are investing in local agriculture, thoughtful growing practices, and a family building something enduring — season by season.

Our Mission

Born from a lifelong commitment to caring for others, our flower farm exists to provide beauty grown with integrity. We are dedicated to mindful growing practices, plant health, and sustainability, offering flowers that you can feel good about bringing into your home with practices that are backed by science, and reflect patience, balance, and the quiet power of nature.

Sanitation Practices

Sanitation and plant health are central to the way I farm. To prevent the spread of disease, all snips and cutting tools are regularly sanitized using a 10% bleach solution, and tools are changed and sanitized between plants. Each planting is carefully observed throughout the season, and any plants showing signs of disease or abnormal growth are promptly removed to protect the surrounding crops.

Pest pressure is managed proactively through the timed release of beneficial insects and companion planting methods that support a balanced, resilient ecosystem. I rely on organic gardening practices to nourish the soil and plants, including wool pellets for moisture retention and slow nutrient release, along with fish fertilizer and bone meal to promote strong, healthy growth — ensuring flowers are grown responsibly, sustainably, and with care from the soil up.