Hardest Working Women in Flowers...

Grandma Kitayama and Farm Girl

Grandma Kitayama worked till the day she died at 85. She passed away during the morning break from grading carnations. Grandma raised 6 children in a country she couldn't speak the language and who put her and the family into concentration camps during WWII. However, she told her kids this was a good place and to work hard and it would be "daijobu" OK. Grandma's boys build greenhouses and grandma graded carnations and made sure everyone got along.  She was given her own color rubber band to grade carnations, she would grade every bunch "Fancy" because we could charge the most money for Fancys. I am reminded of Grandma Kitayama when I went to visit Christina Stembel AKA Farm Girl over Valentine's Day. Here is another woman who works very hard, every day to fulfill her dreams.

Grandma Kitayama on the rare day she wasn't working.

Once upon a time Kitayama Brothers would start at 4;30am and work until midnight during Valentine's Day. That was when we grew roses and carnations and stored them and then shipped thousands of boxes. However, now we are older and lazier. This holiday we went home around 5:00 PM, we did work 21 days straight (can't do that anymore in CA after this year). On February 13th I drove to San Francisco to deliver kale and visit with our great customer Farmgirl Flowers. She did not have time to chat with me, she was too busy working her butt off to get out hundreds more orders before cut off. She had just done a 24 hour shift. I love KB but I haven't worked 24 hours ever. Not only is Christina the hardest working women I have met since Grandma she also supports KB flowers almost as much as grandma. Christina buys as many California flowers as she possibly can and she doesn't get enough credit for doing so. From KB, "Thank You", get a little rest, and then get back out there! 

Farm Girl at Valentines Day, "no time to talk" 

PS: March 8th Women's Day. 

Women buy 85% of all flowers, 

please give you favorite female some flowers!

Robert Kitayama

Valentine's 2014 from the SF Market

The Kitayama Family has been very involved with the San Francisco Market for over 100 years. On my mother’s side, the Domoto family owned the flower shop that was the first location for the SF Market. 

For the past 65 years, KB has supplied flowers to various vendors in the market who are not only customers but friends.   

Below is a short video from my walk around the market on February 12, 2014.  There were a lot of buyers and a lot of flowers.  Almost nothing in the flower business matches the energy and atmosphere of the SF Market when it is “jumping” before the holiday.  

I enjoy talking to some of the old timers like Don Garibaldi and Rich Gatti, and at the same time admire the new energy and ideas of recent tenants such as Christina Stembel of FarmGirl Flowers.

I travel across the country visiting flower companies and flower markets.  

Hands down - San Francisco still has the best market.  

Northern Californians take the SF Market for granted, but I would embrace it.

It might not be here forever.