The Connection Between Fall Equinox and Farmers

The Connection Between Fall Equinox and Farmers

Autumnal equinox fall Fall Colors fall equinox 2016 fall flower farming Fall Flowers farming Harvest Moon

The Fall Equinox of 2016 is this Thursday, September 22nd, and is one of the most significant days of the year for the farmer.  Everything about the Fall Equinox revolves around farmers and their bounty.  It makes sense doesn't it? Our ancestors' survival absolutely depended upon their crops, and their winter survival was determined by their fall-season harvest. 

These agricultural aspects of the Autumnal Equinox are celebrated in one way or another by almost every culture on earth:

•  In China, they celebrate the equinox with the Moon Festival, a traditional celebration that dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907) which is dedicated to celebrating the abundance of summer's harvest.  
• In Korea, they have Chuseok, a major harvest festival and three-day holiday in which people travel to their hometowns to pay respects to their ancestors, to whom successful harvest crops are attributed.  
• In Europe and elsewhere, there are traditional harvest festivals around the September full moon, celebrations of Pomona (goddess of fruits and growing things), and neo-pagans celebrate Mabon, a harvest celebration encouraging people to reflect on the year and "reap what they sow."

This fall, we are reaping heaps of autumn-hued Royal Lilies

In the same week of the Autumnal Equinox comes the full moon of September, called the Harvest Moon (and also, the Full Corn Moon).  Again, in the theme of changing seasons, the Harvest Moon is named for late-summer harvest, and was believed to be the brightest full moons of all (by the way, it's not)--so bright, in fact, that farmers could work by the light of it.
 

Harvest Moon

Regardless of location, culture, and semantics, what all these Autumnal Equinox festivals have in common is the celebration of the end-of-summer harvest, reflection of what crops, projects, or ideas did or did not come to fruition, as well as preparation for the coming winter.  It is a time to give thanks for the sunlight of summer as well as respect the shift to the darkness of winter. 

In the flower world, the Autumnal Equinox is a time for us to express gratitude and honor a moment of balance as night and day stand in mostly equal duration.  So what crops are we celebrating here at Sun Valley? What are we currently reaping which we sowed weeks and weeks ago?

Fall French Tulips

Clearwater Tulip

Well, we are forever thankful for our fresh Fall French tulips, made possible only through our bulb connections with our Southern Hemisphere partners (who are about to go through their Spring Equinox, a whole other seasonal celebration).  One French Tulip that we are really celebrating is our pristine, white Clearwater Tulips, which look like little full harvest moons atop strong, green stems.
 

In Oxnard, the heat and light of the dry Southern California summer has given us our second flush of lovely, layered Lisianthus.  We planted the original plugs about a year ago, and it's wonderful to see this beautiful crop come full circle.

And of course, our Royal Lilies (LA Hybrids) are perfect for fall, coming in the warm oranges, yellow and reds that everyone loves for their autumnal bouquets.  We have been picking these for several weeks and will continue through the end of the year! 

After the Autumnal Equinox, the days will get shorter until the winter solstice in December, and the light will begin its slow journey back to spring and summer days.  And while we flower farmers don't work by the light of the Harvest Moon, we will be doing our planting and picking by the light of the greenhouse while the Autumn Moon shines on. Happy Fall!

LA Hybrids: Bred To Please Consumers

LA Hybrids: Bred To Please Consumers

#CAGrown Fall Colors LA Hybrid Lilies Royal Lilies

Our own Bill Prescott recently contributed an article to the Produce News highlighting LA Hybrids for fall. These amazing lilies are coming in strong on our farm. - Lily


People buy cut flowers to enjoy their full splendor, yet it is intrinsic in the very nature of flowers that they bloom, and then the blooms fade. When I talk to consumers about flowers, the one phrase I hear again and again is that,“They don’t last.” Frankly, I’m glad they don’t last; flowers perform a single, unrepeatable act of beauty for every person willing to spend a couple dollars or plant a garden.

Watching the progression of a lily opening up over the course of days fills me with joy and appreciation. In this respect, flowers are much like snowflakes- no two are truly the same. There are no digital copies, you can’t copy and paste flowers.

You must grow them.

The new breeds of Longiflorum Asiatic Hybrids (LA Hybrids) are redefining the often sticky subject of “vase life.” This isn’t by accident or coincidence. The breeders in Holland have been working with these hybrids to focus on not only rich colors, a wide ranging color palette, and thick healthy petals, but unparalleled vase life.

When consumers can take home a bunch of lilies and have them last two weeks in their home, we are expanding the value proposition of our flowers. If a consumer does a weekly grocery trip, imagine as they walk past the floral department, and think,“the lilies I bought last week still look great, I will get more next week.”

This level of performance builds long term sales and trust from consumers. Vase life is a holy grail of the flower industry, and it is equated to value in the consumers mind. No matter how beautiful a flower is, if it wilts and dies quickly, consumers are disappointed. LA Hybrids are the cure for this issue.

LA Hybrids also break the traditional thinking of lilies, because they have virtually no scent. Though many people love the intoxicating fragrance of an Oriental, they are potentially inappropriate for some social situations, such as taking flowers to a dinner party.

When I show a consumer that these lilies don’t have a scent, they immediately start taking about the family member or friend that loves lilies, but can’t handle the fragrance.  This lily solves a problem for our customers.

Lilies have universal year round appeal- however, autumn just seems to resonate with lily lovers. LA Hybrids are perfect for fall, coming in the warm oranges, yellow and reds that consumers love for September, October and November.

As flower farmers, we are growing and nurturing these wonderful creations so they will perform at the highest level for consumers.  As an industry, we all understand that creating the optimum experience for our customers is the key to our success and the continued support of our sales partners.

If you are not offering LA Hybrid lilies to your customers, this fall is the perfect time highlight these warm toned lilies with a class leading vase life and the added benefit of no scent.

Autumn's Eye Candy

Autumn's Eye Candy

Autumn Colors fall arrangements Fall Colors flower trends Lady Aster Marsala Orange Art

The days are getting shorter, Halloween is around the corner, and my heater kicks on every morning--yes, I think it's safe to say that Fall has arrived.  And with its arrival, so comes new and brilliant floral eye candy.  So as it gets cold, let's take a look at what’s hot in the world of flowers.  

Orange Art Tango Lilies

Color-wise, Fall 2015 is looking lush and radiant.  Traditional autumnal colors of orange, yellow, rust, and gold are always favored, and fire-hued blooms are…well… on fire. My favorite is the vivid coloration of  “flame” zantedeschia.  

Flame Calla bouquet with Protea (photo from Tucker and Marks Design)

Orange and yellow parrot tulips with red ilex (The Best of Flowersand Fall 2015)

The Pantone color-of-the-year, Marsala, is also fully coming into its own this autumn. Its "robust and earthly shade of wine-red" resonates with the naturally changing ambiance.  Many Sun Valley flowers achieve this rich color--Sumatra lilies, Royal Lilies, wine dahlias, mahogany sunflowers, and deep red rosehips are just a few that we offer.  And don't forget the burgundy-hued Royal Purple Cotinus, whose dark color provides a great backdrop while also pairing perfectly with warmer autumnal shades.   

Royal Sunset lilies, cotinus, and montbretia pods

 

Rosehips, Cotinus, and Roses make for an elegant look (Fiori by Lynn)

 This year has also seen the rise of super bright, fresh green hues to evoke the fall season—think green trick dianthus, bright green hypericum, and flowering kale.  

Hypericum, dianthus, limes, and artichokes come together for a fashionably green centerpiece (Flowersand)

For advice on what textural pieces are hot this autumn, we asked our friend and floral expert, J Schwanke of uBloom.  “Anything Lacinated!” was his reply.  The “shredded” appearance of lacinated petals adds focal interest, color, and is a perfect Halloween flower. Some prime examples are dahlias, gerbera daisies, spider mums, and the super-trendy protea—look for these in interesting autumn colors, such as flame, lime green, bronze, and marsala.  

Dahlia and hypericum centerpiece (image found at The Flower Shoppe)

Marsala-hued and lacinated bouquets by MarthaStewart.com

 An element that most of these fall arrangements share are pops of color provided by hypericum berries, rosehips, and ilex.  These focal points are tried-and-true seasonal favorites which come in a variety of colors to add just the touch you need.

Iconic sunflowers rest on a bed of autumn leaves and rosehips. (photo courtesy of flowersand) 

Charming fall bouquet featuring green hypericum and mini yellow gerberas (photo courtesy of Loyalist Flowers).

If you incorporate pumpkins into your fall designs this year, J recommends that you look beyond the typical orange pumpkin—use white, grey, taupe, and lavender.  And the wartier the better! Stacking pumpkins on your front porch or yard is also very hip, and lends a look that is rustic, bucolic, and classy.
 

Stacked Cinderella Pumpkin by LLH Designs

Ornamental Kale and Cinderella pumpkin centerpiece (photo from Kirby and Kraut)

In closing, look for outstanding texture in the form of berries, lacinated petals, mossy dianthus, and specialty branches.  For pivotal color, try fire-hued blooms, bright green accents, and the color-of-the-year, Marsala, and you will be ready for Fall 2015.

Rosehips: Autumn's Darling

Rosehips: Autumn's Darling

American Grown bees CA Grown fall arrangements Fall Colors Lady Aster Rose Hips roses Willow Creek

Rosehips: the plant of a million uses.  Well, maybe not a million, but its reputation as a great source of Vitamin C precedes it by centuries with ancient and modern use in tinctures, jellies, wine, and more.  Take a walk down your local grocery tea aisle and you'll be sure to find some herbal rosehip tea.  

However, rosehips are not just for flavoring foods, they are also for spicing up bouquets.  And in the world of Sun Valley, rosehips are through and through a fall specialty branch!   

 
So what exactly is a rosehip? Is it a rose or isn't it?  Scientifically speaking, the rosehip is the swollen ovary that contains the rose seeds.  It is the "fruit" of the rose.  If you cut open a rosehip you will find it is full of reproductive seeds.  
 

Rosehip bloom being pollinated

Rosehips develop on wild roses as the petals drop off.   These wild roses may not look like the "traditional" roses you are accustomed to, but they are indeed classified as roses (and aren't they pretty?).  The species of Rosa we use are specifically bred to create big, beautiful hips, which is why the regular rosebushes in your neighborhood will not produce anything quite like them. 





We grow these plants at our inland Willow Creek Farm, which is located 45-minutes away from coastal Arcata.  This canyon in the hills provides an ideal climate of early springs, hot summers, and an extended autumn which gives rosehips plenty of time to mature.

Rosehip blooms in summer

We prune our rosehip bushes down to the ground every winter, and then we wait.  As the weather begins to warm in late winter/early spring, they begin to grow back  and by summer, the flowers are blooming and the bees are buzzing.  We maintain bee boxes from a local keeper on the farm, so the bees are happy and our rose hips are happy!

Bee Box with protective wires to keep the bears out!

Once the flowers are pollinated, the pink bloom falls off and the seed pod (the hip!) begins to form. 
 
We harvest rosehips as early as August and as late as Christmas, and the month of harvest determines the color of the berry. Early in the season, they start out green; as they progress, they begin to resemble Fuji apples--partially green with reddish swirls; then they develop a beautiful reddish-orange hue and finally, a saturated cherry red. It's almost as if they know what colors are fashionable per season and act accordingly!   

Rosehips in Autumn

We have been growing and testing rosehips for many years, and have found that one variety in particular, called Amazing Fantasy, produces the strongest berry in our climate. Once cut, Amazing Fantasy Rosehips can keep their color, shape and luminosity for several weeks.

Our strong rosehip program is bolstered by the fact that agricultural restrictions forbid the importation of fresh rosehips into the United States.  We are proud to be one of the few producers of this truly American Grown crop,  and you too can feel good when you support this important agricultural movement.

Design wise, rosehips are extremely versatile and fit into the fall and winter color palette perfectly.  Check out the dramatically beautiful autumnal arrangement created by floral designer,  Pieter Landman.  You can see how they add texture and a punch of focal color.

The "Dress This Nest" blog also featured our rosehips in a great DIY-tutorial in flower arranging.  Once you get started, you'll see that perhaps there ARE a million uses for rosehips!

What exactly is an OT Hybrid Lily (and what can it offer you)?

What exactly is an OT Hybrid Lily (and what can it offer you)?

African Lady Fall Colors Fall Flowers Lady Aster OT Hybrids Sonata Lilies

Did you know there are over 110 different species of the lily family?  In fact, new varieties and hybrids are constantly under development.  One very special mix, the OT Hybrid (also called an Orienpet), has been making quite the name for itself, and demand for this particular flora keeps climbing higher and higher.  

The satin-hued and aptly named Fall OT Hybrid, Yelloween

So what exactly is an OT Hybrid Lily and what can it offer you?

     An OT Hybrid is a breed created by crossing Oriental and Trumpet lily types.  These hybrids were originally developed to bring a more diverse color palette to traditional Oriental lilies. Before OT Hybrids, all Oriental lilies were white or pink, but these new OTs capture the wonderfully warm reds, oranges, and yellows of Trumpet lilies, with the shape, durability, and longevity of an Oriental.  These flowers maintain a delicate citrus-green scent, which is pleasantly light and not as powerful like some of their more aromatic sisters.

Creamy, apricot-hued Eudoxia

The "Sonata" Sun Valley Brand

     Sun Valley brands its OT Hybrids as "Sonata Lilies" and we've been growing these pretty things for over a decade.  We've spent the last 13 years perfecting our lighting, temperature control, as well as our planting density in order to get the best bud count possible.  By adjusting how many bulbs we plant per square foot of soil, we can grow our Sonataswith a healthy balance of bud size and bud count. This has given us amazing results, with noteworthy bloom sizes.  Their size goes hand in hand with thick petals, saturated colors, and subsequent long vase life.

 

Lane's Favorite Sonata, and a recent addition, African Lady

 Growing Great Lilies

     In order to grow quality Sonata lilies, we ensure the plants get sufficient heat and light throughout the entire growing cycle.  Sonatas require at least 16 hours of light a day!  This kind of light is easy to come by during the summertime, but how do we maintain their needs through the winter and falls seasons?  Well, as the days get shorter, our greenhouse lighting system comes into play.  These timed lights adjust to the sunrise and sunset, allowing for maximum light without wasting electricity by "doubling up."  Plenty of sunshine is what helps to form Sonatas' thick, sturdy stems--which is especially crucial since the flower blooms are so large.

  

   The steady use of lighting helps us keep to our year-round, 16-week growing cycle.  Every farmer's goal is consistency.  The more consistent and on-point our growing practices are, the more consistent our quality can continue to be.

Our Northwestern Climate does its part as well.  With an average yearly temperature between 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit, our cool (but not cold) evenings are essential for saturated colors in the petals.  The coastal cloud cover helps to diffuse the sun, providing an even light level, which these lilies love.
 

The demand for the colorful array of our Sonata lilies is large, and getting larger, so to meet the growing demand we have increased our Sonata program by 40% this year.  And while we do grow them year-round, we're picking up the pace through November to provide you with some beautiful Sonatas to color your fall bouquets.  

Creamy Colored Tollo

Two of the original Sonatas were Yelloweenand Shocking--these two have proven to be tried-and-true varieties and we STILL offer these powerhouses of color, one decade later.  Not only that, there are an array of varieties which circle back to the traditional Oriental palate, with pink and purple tones such as Table Dance, Timezone, and Candy Club. 

Shocking

Timezone

Candy Club

If haven’t yet treated yourself to some of our OT Hybrids yet, now is perfect time to start....go on, let the fall in with Sonatas!

Fall Season Sonata Consumer Bunches, L-R: Yelloween, Zambesi, and Sensi.