"I've always dreamed of being able to visit a flower field and pick as much flowers as I wanted, but we didn't have anything like that in town so my husband and I decided we will start our own garden," said Kaoshoua Thao, In the Garden House.
[Ads /]
Thao is the owner of the small u-pick flower farm in Fresno County.
She started it after quitting her job as a social worker and turning her grief from the loss of her grandmother into a new business.
She got a little help from family.
"My father in law and mother in law are excellent farmers, but they only focus on Asian produce so this flower was a whole different ballgame for us and it was really hard at first because we had no idea what we were doing and we said hey let.s take a chance and wing it," Thao said.
While her family was confused as to why she would leave a steady office job for the field, she felt it was time to get rooted in the earth.
Kaoshoua took this empty field and planted a variety of different seeds. Within a matter of months, popped up beautiful flowers from gomphrenas, zinnias and more.
The half an acre field bloomed and Kaoshoua became a flower whisperer.
[Ads /]
"I think you've gotta talk to your flowers. A lot of people laugh about it. Talking is therapeutic in of itself, but seriously a lot of weed eating and a lot of water and patience," Thao said.
The small business became a huge hit thanks to Instagram, as people took family photos and picked their own colorful flowers.
While the season has closed, they've decided to donate remaining flowers to hospice and nursing homes around the Valley.
This year's season went so well, she plans to open a larger location next spring.
"When people come they love it just like my grandma would've loved the flowers. She would've been really proud to see how beautiful the garden is in honor of her," Thao said.
Spreading happiness one flower at a time.