Dee Dee Grooms is a very familiar name in Plant City and is almost always linked to her husband, Carl Grooms. Together the iconic duo has been quietly but studiously shaping their community into one in which they hope future generations will choose and prosper.
Fancy Farms evolved through many years of dreams and many decades of hard work and has left a lasting mark on the Plant City community. Truly astonishing are the many lives touched by the Grooms’ passion for agricultural education and excellence as well as by their deep-rooted desire to see their community flourish.
“Our mindset has always been to give back,” Dee Dee said. “We’ve been very blessed and we are able to share and so, of course, that is what we have always done.”
Although they have a variety of interests, the Grooms care deeply about youth, stating the future of the community lies with its children. For that reason they often focus on activities and organizations like 4-H and FFA. Working with teachers and conducting farm tours for groups promotes agritourism as well as teaching others more about the importance of agriculture.
If there’s an FFA banquet or agriculture show in town or even just a local student requesting an interview about the strawberry industry, the Grooms never fail to provide the opportunity to share. Dee Dee jokes that during the annual FFA banquets cake auctions they always go home with at least one dessert.
“These activities help the students realize that they are recognized and supported,” Dee Dee says, “But it’s also about preserving American agriculture. Today we face a real threat with crop imports and this results in an uncertain future for the growers. I really hope that Plant City will be the winter strawberry capital of the world for decades to come, but that is only going to happen if our children also share a passion for berry farming and fight to remain competitive.”
Although Dee Dee is well known in the community, she herself actually prefers to remain out of the spotlight, choosing instead to work behind the scenes and quietly do her part in making Plant City a better place.
Part of her passion lies in serving with her church, GraceWay Church of Plant City. Ever since moving as a family to Springhead they have poured back into their church. Dee Dee has done everything from teaching at Bible school to working in the nursery and joining gate choir for the leadership team.
It takes time, but Dee Dee said the church is the center of a community and plays an unparalleled role in shaping the lives of the younger generations.
Outside of agriculture events and organizations, Dee Dee and Carl are also involved in supporting local highlights like Diamonds & Denim and Dancing with the Locals. This past February, they even donned their aprons and chefs’ hats and cooked up a dessert for the annual United Food Bank of Plant City Celebrity Chef, which raised nearly $100,000. Cooking is DeeDee’s love language. She cooks for her family as well as friends and is a five time grand champion winner from the Florida Strawberry Festival’s many food contests. Her expertise in the kitchen is truly inarguable.
“I would hope that my legacy would be that I helped make Plant City a better place for future generations,” Dee Dee said. “I hope that in every way possible, we helped Plant City to be a better community, a better place to live and to work for all those who come after us. I think that when all is said and done, people will know that we cared for this community, that we loved this community and that we fought very hard for the children and youth in our town.”
Dee Dee was born in Plant City. She grew up in Dover and Turkey Creek and graduated from the former Turkey Creek High School in 1972.
As a child, her grandparents had a small farm and grew strawberries until she was in her later years of elementary school. She watched and realized the hard work that it took to keep the farm afloat and vowed to never marry a farmer. Then Carl Grooms entered her world.
“Well, I guess I’ve learned to never say never,” Dee Dee jokes.
The Grooms have always operated under one simple philosophy: Work hard and respect others. When the legendary Fancy Farms first evolved, it was on a small leased property. The couple did much of the work themselves – along with their family and neighbors who would pitch in and help – eventually the opportunity arose to expand and find a larger property to firmly establish the business.
Any work that the Grooms would ask of their workers, they also did themselves. Although the work was exhausting, it was their life and livelihood so they kept moving forward. Their daughter Kristi was born in 1977 and their son Dustin in 1981 to complete their family. The unique and special memories the Grooms created growing up among the strawberry rows are ones that they will cherish for the rest of their lives.
And their family became more than just those who shared their blood. Those who lived on their property quickly laid claim to their hearts as well. Dee Dee said that they had a deep love for their community and, eventually, much of Plant City became family too.
“This community is special,” Dee Dee says. “I think everyone who chooses to live here says and believes that because it is true. It’s a family; it’s our family. There is a closeness here that you just don’t feel anywhere else.
On December 3, 2018, Dee Dee’s life changed forever.
Once again she chose to largely keep the experience to herself, never asking for help and never letting on that she was ill. She was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was contained in the duct and it was the same exact cancer with which her mother had been diagnosed at the age of 68. Dee Dee was diagnosed at 64.
To even get the initial diagnosis Dee Dee faced a plethora of hurdles. The first biopsy took three hours. The doctors were not certain if they had even removed enough tissue and warned her that round two was likely imminent.
She was prepped for surgery. The dye for the lymph nodes was injected and she went under the knife in January, 2019. Three lymph nodes were removed but the pain did not go away. During a follow up visit, she remembers the doctor pulling aside her gown and saying, “Oh no!”
Her body had suffered an allergic reaction to the dye. This resulted in a severe infection and there was a chance that she could be septic. A heavy dosage of antibiotics was prescribed along with the warning that it could get worse. It took 7 weeks to heal.
Because the tumor was rated a three they recommended 34 treatments of radiation. Eventually she overcame the countless hurdles and was finally able to “ring the bell.” It was one of the happiest moments of her life.
Soon afterwards, however, she developed a cough. It was eerily reminiscent of the cough she remembered her mother having. Dee Dee was treated for pneumonia. The cough did not go away. The words lung cancer were mentioned and batted around. There were no concrete answers. She struggled to breathe. Her doctor expressed no ideas but her gut feeling was that something was very wrong.
On November 13 Dee Dee went to the hospital for a seemingly endless number of tests. As she was leaving, the doctor remarked that her breathing issue more than likely stemmed from the fact that her lung had been compromised from the radiation. This was news to her.
After careful consideration Dee Dee changed doctors, choosing to trust her care to the same physician who had treated her mother. At this point in time, she was unable to walk around the room without oxygen. On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, she received a phone call from her new doctor who prescribed an oxygen tank. She remained on the tank for more than seven months.
The world entered a pandemic and an airborne one at that.
Dee Dee did not leave her house, although she refused to let fear rule her life and keep her down. Finally, after many months, Dee Dee received the call for which she had been praying – all was clear and she could finally live without the oxygen tank.
“I am thankful – It could have been so much worse,” Dee Dee said. “And, I just, well, I’m trying to think of how to say this. I wasn’t worried about me. No matter what happens – if I survive or if I die, I know that ultimately I will spend eternity in Heaven. During that time I was so worried about my family and tried to be strong for them – especially for my husband Carl. The biggest thing was to be strong for my family. And now, now I realize that maybe my story can inspire someone else. Maybe there’s a chance that I can help someone know that there is hope. Trust, faith and hope are the very best friends at a time like this.”
Dee Dee encourages women to trust their feelings and instincts. If the first opinion unsettles you and you feel that something just isn’t right, go get a second opinion. Trust yourself and do whatever you have to do to have peace of mind.
“Hope, that’s all we truly have,” Dee Dee says. “I went through a lot, but I know there are so many more women who go through even more than what I did. But if I can help and give just one person hope, it will be well worth sharing my story.”
Who is a woman who has inspired you?
- My mom who instilled in me strong Christian values by which to live my life. One of her Bible verse she lived by, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. Psalm 56:3”
What book are you currently reading?
- I read my Bible. For a quick devotional, I have a little journal that I read as well.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
- If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. My mom taught me that and I have lived by it.
If you had the power to change one thing in Plant City tomorrow, what would it be?
- I would love to revitalize our downtown so that we never lose that small hometown feeling for future generations. I’d love to see a lot of successful businesses in the heart of our community. This is something that people have been talking about for a long time.
What is the hardest life lesson you’ve learned?
- When I received my cancer diagnosis, I learned to not let it take over my life. I learned to let my faith guide me – to let my faith take charge and give me peace. I learned to keep moving forward.
What advice would you give to the next generation of women?
- Pray daily for God’s strength and wisdom in your life. We can not always control what happens in our lives, but we can control our destiny.
If you could have any actress play you in a movie about your life, whom would you pick?
- Jaclyn Smith: She has this very down to earth personality and always carries herself with grace. She truly is just a very classy lady. We also share a familiar life experience; she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003.