Guest post from uBloom's JMH Schwanke!

J Schwanke visits our Sun Valley Arcata farm!

In light of our Arcata uBloom video release (coming today!), I asked my friend JMH Schwanke to do a guest post on our blog to tell us about his trip out here and whatever else his heart desired! Here is what he had to say:

My Friend Lily SunValley and I were chatting the other day... and Lily asked if I would like to be a guest blogger for Sun Valley! It was perfect timing... as our uBloom Team was readying themselves for the Sun Valley Arcata Premiere on the CA Grown Experience!

This was the JTV Crew's Second Visit to a Sun Valley Location... (we visited Sun Valley Oxnard Last September to see where Lily was born and also the Matsumoto flower fields and the Largest Cooler I have ever seen in my Life! Check it out on the CA Grown Experience visits Sun Valley Oxnard on uBloom.com)...and let me tell you... Oxnard and Arcata are Two Different Worlds!

This April we kicked off our Second Visit to the CA Flower Farmers with a Stop in Arcata CA at The Sun Valley Group! I can only begin to tell you how fascinating this trip was... and what an honor to be on a guided tour with Lane DeVries... CA Flower Farmer and owner of Sun Valley!

As a Flower Designer... I've always enjoyed creating with Sun Valley Flowers... they are simply... The Finest Quality Flowers and they NEVER Ever Disappoint... the Colors, the Varieties, the Long Lasting Performance... the List goes on and on!

But this was a different take for me... Our Visit focused on the Growing Process! The steps that Sun Valley takes to make typical seasonal flowers available everyday... Tulips 24/7!

It's pretty remarkable when you get to walk with a farmer through his fields as he shares his unique perspective and passion.... one on one! I liken it to "Singing with Tony Bennett" , "Dancing with Ginger Rogers" or "Painting with Monet"... you're side by side with the "expert"... those opportunities don't come around too often... and I was enthralled!

J and Lane talking flowers

I'll Admit it... I'm a HUGE Lane DeVries Fan! (A "groupie" if you will...) Lane amazes me... his Passion for Flowers is infectious... his Dedication...Limitless, and he's Compelling! I listened to every word... every second... knowing full well that his goal.. (and the goal of Sun Valley) is "Never be satisfied"! The message is clear... For Lane... it's all about the FLOWERS!

This "municipality"... Yes Sun Valley Group is just like it's own flower village... Street Signs, Transportation (in the Dutch tradition... bikes stand by to get quickly from one spot to another)... and topography...( The "Mountain" of Compost Rich Soil...)...the locations... 70+ Coolers (and heaters... Did you know that IRIS Bulbs are held dormant HEAT rather than cold temperatures? Surpise!)... The "residents" are Harvesting, Processing and Packaging... is like a finely tuned orchestra... each team member delivering their specific talent in unison to create the Sun Valley Flower "Symphony"! This is one well-oiled machine!

Crossroads at Sun Valley Arcata farm

It starts with Tons of Dirt (that Very Special "Humboldt Gold")... Millions of bulbs... Cooler after cooler... dedicated to scientifically delivering Soil Grown Tulips year round... for Flower Lovers Everywhere! It's staggers the Mind... and electrifies the senses! Degree by degree... breath by breath... drop by drop...Sun Valley coaxes and cares for each and every flower... from Bulb to Bloom!

Tulip bulbs ready for planting

Tulips just sprouting up

Parrot Tulips ready to go to their new home

It's an adventure... the Sun Valley Adventure... working with Nature to provide (year round) those fleeting Spring Flowers... Tulips, Hyacinth Iris... Ohhh BTW... The IRIS... Recently I attended the International Floral Expo in Miami and Sun Valley was there with Carts of IRIS... (and Loads of LILIES)... sharing their Passion for Flowers in True Sun Valley Style! Remember I told you... It's ALL about the Flowers!!

Carts full of Telstar Iris

Sumatra Lilies at IFE - Wow!

And that being said... it's Easy to see... Sun Valley is still a Flower Farm... Man working with Nature... side by side... with respect and admiration! Bulbs are planted... roots are established... leaves appear and flowers bloom... day in day out... Planting, Growing, and Harvesting... the process is never ending... and Thank Goodness because the Flower Keep Coming... thanks to our Local Flower Farmers!

Rows of Tulips in one of the Greenhouses

Lane among the tulips

The opportunity I've been afforded creating the CA Grown Experience has been Life Changing... I realize I look at Flower Differently NOW... (and I'm a 4th Generation Florist... Designer, Store Owner, TV Host, Flower Expert... ) but it took this experience of Traveling from CA Flower Farm to CA Flower Farm... meeting the Farmers to realize that it's not merely a bucket of Tulips...NOW It's a Bucket of Lane's Tulips... (or a Bucket of Chad's Roses... or Mel's Protea)... because it's Personal! I Know First Hand "Where my Flowers come from!"... and that is very VERY Special!

We look to Our Flowers for their Beauty, their fragrance... and even their Healing properties... because of the CA Grown Experience... Now I look a little further... to the Flower Farmer... who had the vision to plant the Flowers I love so very much!

Thanks Lane... for being my Flower Farmer... and my Friend! I love Flowers... I love Tulips and I Love Sun Valley! Thanks for the Memories!!!

J, Lane & the uBloom Crew

Take Care Lily!!! Thanks for asking me Guest Blog... and Did I mention you look particularly AWESOME in that Color??! and That you Smell especially Wonderful Today?

XXOO!

Everything Flowers at http://www.ubloom.com/!

Gosh J, thanks for the flattering words! More importantly, thanks for your support of our farms and the floral industry as a whole. So excited for the Sun Valley Arcata video and videos to come!

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