Who We Are
Meet the farmer and his team!
We are a flower farm located in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley of Central California
Our mission is to inspire the joy of flowers and offer resources for people to learn how to incorporate farming into their own lives - from the smallest pot of herbs to a community garden plot. Whether you are simply looking to learn more about flower farming, want to see the magic of what is growing in the fields, or looking to source curated cut flowers for your next design project, The Starter Farm is the perfect place to begin your journey.
Mark Donofrio
F A R M E R & C R O P D E S I G N M A N A G E R
Farmer and Crop Design Manager Mark has always known he was a farmer. From planting tomatoes with his Italian grandfather in suburban NJ to tending an urban garden in downtown Los Angeles, growing has always been in his blood. In 2011, he bought The Starter Farm to finally realize his lifelong dream of having a farm.
Mark has a culinary background and was formerly a restaurant owner. His cooking is inspired by the seasonality that the farm provides. Mark spent years working for the agricultural company Tomatomania where he helped create educational programs teaching the home gardener how to have success in growing produce and the benefits of permaculture farming. The pull of growing flowers has now come full circle as he works to provide unusual and top-quality cut flowers to the community. His passion for growing beautiful things and how they make people happy drive his work. He also serves as comic relief for the crew.
M E E T T H E T E A M
Carlos Torres
O P E R A T I O N S M A N A G E R
With many years spent working in almost every aspect of the agriculture world, Carlos joined The Starter Farm to help Mark expand its offerings. Carlos helps manage our growing operation by incorporating an organic approach through permaculture, responsible regenerative soil management, and testing and introduction of new flower varieties on the farm. Carlos and Mark work together in all aspects of the farm to ensure beautifully curated flowers. Carlos also serves as the scapegoat we blame when things go wrong.
Mary Ann Samson
H E A D O F A N I M A L C A R E
Healthy soils require the grazing and rotation of animals on pasture. Mary Ann is our innovator on the farm with her construction of effective pest management techniques and responsible farm practices. Her hands-on experience and background in agriculture make The Starter Farm possible and her skills as our Head Mixologist help keep us all sane.