I run Brave Blooms alongside my husband, Matt, and our son. We are a Native-owned flower farm and licensed Washington State nursery in Rochester, Washington, growing premium, pesticide-free flowers for our farm stand, seasonal CSA, and thoughtfully designed event florals. We also maintain a small but deeply meaningful flower breeding program, where we develope new dahlia and specialty cut flower varieties with distinctive color and form. Through our online shop, we offer the same dahlia tubers, ranunculus corms, peony roots, live plants, and hand-selected seeds that we grow here on the farm.

Working with plants is both my life’s calling and my healing path. My son and I are enrolled members of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, and our farm sits near our ancestral homelands, a region stretching from the base of Mount Rainier to the banks of the Columbia River. Our ancestors have stewarded Western Washington since time immemorial, and I strive to honor that legacy by farming with reciprocity and care, growing with the seasons, nurturing the soil, and creating habitat that supports pollinators and wildlife. Simply being here as an Indigenous woman, mother, farmer, and scientist is part of that legacy. Our existence today is a living testament to the strength of our ancestors and all they endured so future generations could still call this place home.

With a background in environmental science and deep roots in my culture, I have always felt called to understand and care for the Earth. Flower farming became the place where those parts of my identity could meet, blending scientific knowledge with ancestral teachings about reciprocity and respect for the land. Every decision on our farm reflects that balance.

Native American farmers make up less than 2 percent of all U.S. farmers, and Native flower farmers are even fewer. In an industry that often prioritizes uniformity and scale, my cultural teachings remind me that diversity is the truest form of abundance. We focus on biodiversity, growing a wide range of flowers that support pollinators, restore soil health, and strengthen the ecosystem as a whole.

Thank you for supporting our farm, our family, and our culture. I hope our flowers bring beauty, warmth, and a sense of connection into your life.

With love,
Iesha