We recently connected with Amanda Roberts and have shared our conversation below.
Amanda, thanks for taking the time to share your lessons with our community today. So, let’s jump right in – one of the most essential skills for unlocking our potential is self-discipline. Where does your self-discipline come from?
People often ask where my self-discipline comes from — how I stay motivated to grow flowers all year long, even when the work never really ends. The truth is, discipline for me doesn’t come from some secret formula or morning routine. It comes from the land itself — from the quiet lessons that farming teaches you day after day, season after season.
Running a flower farm means there’s always something that needs tending. In the heat of summer, I’m harvesting before the sun rises. In the fall, I’m planting bulbs for next spring’s blooms. Winter brings planning, cleaning, and caring for overwintering crops in the high tunnel. And when spring finally arrives, it’s back to early mornings and long days filled with the sound of bees and the scent of soil. There are no shortcuts — flowers demand patience, persistence, and faith in the process.
Self-discipline, for me, has grown out of that rhythm. It’s in showing up when it’s cold and dark. It’s in doing the work when no one’s watching. It’s in trusting that every small effort — every seed planted, every weed pulled — adds up to something beautiful.
At BloomRidgeFarm, my motivation isn’t just about running a business. It’s about creating beauty that brings joy to others. When I see someone’s face light up as they build a bouquet from flowers I’ve nurtured since seed, it reminds me why the discipline matters.
Farming teaches you that consistency builds miracles. You can’t rush a bloom, but you can prepare for it, care for it, and believe in it. That’s what self-discipline means to me — showing up, day after day, with your hands in the dirt and your heart rooted in purpose.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
BloomRidgeFarm began as a small hobby — a simple love for growing flowers and spending time in the garden with my two young boys. What started as a few rows of blooms quickly grew into something much bigger than I ever imagined. Five years later, that hobby has blossomed into a thriving flower farm in Carbondale, Illinois, where we grow seasonal flowers year-round and share them with our community in all kinds of meaningful ways.
Our vintage Flower Truck has become a familiar sight at local farmers markets and special events, where visitors can build their own bouquets straight from the bed of the truck. Watching people light up as they create something beautiful from flowers we’ve grown is one of the greatest joys of what we do.
Over time, BloomRidgeFarm has continued to grow — quite literally. In 2025, we expanded our vision and opened The Venue by BloomRidgeFarm, a wedding and event venue located in Alto Pass, Illinois. Surrounded by scenic wine country and rows of lavender, the venue was built to offer couples a romantic and peaceful setting to celebrate life’s most special moments.
Whether we’re harvesting blooms, loading up the Flower Truck, or hosting weddings with a view of an outdoor metal chapel surrounded by lavender, everything we do at BloomRidgeFarm comes from a place of passion and purpose. It’s been five years of hard work, faith, and growth.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Looking back on my journey with BloomRidgeFarm and now The Venue by BloomRidgeFarm, there are three qualities that have made the biggest impact — perseverance, creativity, and vision.
Perseverance has carried me through every challenge, from unpredictable weather to long days in the field. Flower farming teaches you patience and endurance — that success comes from showing up every day, even when progress feels slow.
Creativity has been the heartbeat of everything we do. It’s what turns a vintage Flower Truck into a traveling bouquet bar and a patch of land into a place where people fall in love with flowers. It’s also what helped me design a wedding venue that reflects the same beauty and peace found on the farm.
And finally, vision — along with the willingness to adapt — has guided me forward. When I first started growing flowers as a hobby, I never imagined it would lead to a full-time business, farmers markets, and now a wedding destination in Alto Pass. Staying open to growth while keeping my heart rooted in purpose has made all the difference.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
None of this would be possible without my husband, Robert, who has been my biggest cheerleader from the very beginning. Through every early morning, late night, and growing season, he’s been right there beside me — lending a hand, offering encouragement, and reminding me why we started. He is truly the hardest working man I know, and his support has carried me through my biggest challenges and helped turn this dream into reality.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bloomRidgeFarm.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bloomridgefarm And https://www.instagram.com/thevenue_bybloomridgefarm
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bloomridgeflowerfarm
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