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Showing posts with label Floral industry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Floral industry. Show all posts

Oct 18, 2016

PMA Picture Book

Hey there Flower Friends,  we just returned from Orlando, Florida where we attended the Produce Marketing Association's annual trade show, "Fresh Summit." This is one of the most fun, diverse, and colorful trade shows of the year--over 20,000 attendees come to check out booths by flower farmers, produce farmers, shippers, suppliers, buyers, and everyone in between--yes, it all comes together at PMA's Fresh Summit.


We covered our booth in rustic wooden signs, lights, and thousands of American-grown flowers--our own World of Color set to wow the crowd.  Our booth was styled after a Farmer's Market with three distinct themes:
  •  4th Generation Flower Farmers: Lane comes from four generations of tulip farmers, and this honors that tradition with Tulips, Iris and Lilies.

  • Sun Valley Flower Patch: Our Flower Patch featured a huge collection of flowers and botanicals, such as matsumoto asters, delphinium, cotinus, and ilex.  We pick our farm-fresh products regularly and have an amazing selection of flowers available every day of the week.

  •  WildFlower Bouquets: Our wildflower bouquets our created at our Oxnard farm.  At PMA, we featured seasonal bouquets with a range of price points and recipes, and all consistently styled in a way that consumers love. This display in particular had people oohing and ahhing all day!
 But enough talk! Let's take a look through our 2016 PMA Picture Book:


Sun Valley's Farmer's Market

Some of our wooden Farmer's Market signage



Time for Iris
   
Tulips from a 4th generation flower farmer
Just 7 more weeks until December! 
 
Wildflower Bouquets

 The Big Picture 


Sun Valley Booth

Bird's Eye View of the Floral Pavilion


Sun Valley PMA Dream Team
This trade show was full of ideas, education, and resources about the future of the floral landscape, but what we really loved was the joining of experts, leaders and decision makers from every link of the fresh supply chain. Trade shows like this give all of us  the opportunity  learn from each other and be inspired by what we all bring to the table.  We hope you enjoyed this Fresh Summit Picture Book as much as we enjoyed being there!










Aug 18, 2011

A newsletter worth blogging about: CCFC's Field Notes


It has recently come to our attention that the California Cut Flower Commission (let's call 'em CCFC from here on out) is going to be releasing their first issue of Field Notes in the very near future. Our Team has had the great fortune of working with the CCFC on a number of levels, from small promotions to congressional hearings on issues facing the California cut flower industry, so we know they'll deliver the freshest California flower facts in their newsletter! Whether you're a grower, retailer, designer or just someone who loves flowers (read: if you're a person), Field Notes will clue you in to the latest news, floral business tips, industry profiles, and quite a lot more.

[On a personal note, I've been following the CCFC blog for awhile now, and I've found the information nothing short of enlightening. I trust that Field Notes will be of the same calibre.]

Make sure you don't miss the first issue of Field Notes! Subscribe here: http://www.ccfc.org/fieldnotes

Aug 3, 2011

Do you QR?


I spend a lot of time talking about our flowers, how they're grown, their vase life and that kind of thing, but I'm switching gears today. I'm talking about the phenomenon that occurs when flowers, which have been around since the dawn of time, meet cutting-edge, "futuristic" technology. I'm talking QR codes.

Quick Response codes, called QR codes by those in the know, aren't really the latest technology out there today by techie standards, but they're still taking some time to infiltrate into everyday life. Sun Valley used the nifty matrix barcodes for the first time at the IFE trade show in June, and now we're looking for new ways to implement them. That's why I want to know a few things from you:

Let's start simple. Do you know what a QR code is?
For those who don't, here's what it looks like...



For more information on QR codes, scan the image above (you need a smart phone to do this). Here's how:

1. Install a QR reader app on your phone, which you can search for in your app store by typing "QR reader" 2. Scan the code above by holding the phone up to it (you have to be in the app when you do this)
3. See where it takes you!

Moving on...

Do you scan QR codes?
When you see them in magazines, on posters, or on packaging, do you feel the urge to scan them to see what they're all about?

Do you use QR codes?
For those of you in the flower business, do you use them in any of your promotional materials? What kinds of things do you link them to? Do you find them useful and/or successful?

What can our QR code do for you?
If we were to stick a QR code on, say, a bunch of 10 stem tulips, what would you want it to link to? For example, do you think your customers would be interested in learning more about our farm by watching our uBloom videos (Arcata and Oxnard)? Or what about linking them to an informational page (Tulip Care Tips or Tulip Resource Page)? How about coupons or contests? Any other suggestions?

The graph below shows the most common reasons consumers scan QR codes, according to a recent study by MGH.

(Source: MGH 2011)
I would really apprectiate some feedback on these questions. If you've got any input, please leave it in the Comments, or talk to your sales rep about it. Until then...


Fun facts and clever uses for QR codes


Qr code stats revealed (MGH Study 2011)
 


Jul 11, 2011

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!

J

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!

Jul 8, 2011

Lily's Boots: Drawing names out of a boot

Lily's Boots: Drawing names out of a boot

It's not always easy returning to work right after a three-day weekend, but we've made it to Friday, and now some of us will be glad we did! We've finally chosen the three Ipad2 winners, and I'm announcing them right here, right now. Watch the video below to find out if you're one of them!



(I sincerely apologize if I butchered any names in the video.)

In case you have trouble uploading the video or understanding my Chicago accent, the winners are:

Joe Don Zetsche
Peter Hrycaj
Lilly Dwyer

Congratulations, folks! We will be in contact with you in the near future for shipping information.

Jun 24, 2011

Lily's Boots: The top 5 things I learned at Social Media School for Farmers


Have you heard the one about the flower farmer who started a blog?

Despite what it sounds like, this isn't a joke. It's KnowaCaliforniaFarmer.com, and it's the growing reality for farmers of all types. Today's consumers are demanding more and more information about where their everything comes from. Meanwhile, producers of everything are trying to find efficient ways to tell those consumers just where their bit of everything comes from. Enter Social Media, the ever-evolving online networking realm once utilized exclusively by techies and teenagers.

Now Social Media is used by just about everyone from your family dentist to your 87-year-old grandmother. And because they're all there, folks in the farming industry (yes, this includes flower farmers) have considerable potential to reach them. However, social networking doesn't just magically click for most, especially when you spend more time in the field than at a desk. That's precisely why Know a California Farmer created a series of workshops designed to teach farmers how to share their farming stories through the use of platforms like Facebook, Twitter, blogs and of course, the KnowaCaliforniaFarmer.com website.

And that, my friends, is where my boots went this week: down to the lovely and scenic Bakersfield, California, where the most recent Know a California Farmer Social Media Workshop was held.

Here were my top 5 takeaways from this workshop:

1. People like stories. I'm not referring to Dr. Seuss here (although people do like his stories). When it comes to business, people want to know the personal story behind the business. Where do you come from? Why do you do what you do? Tell people about it. They want to know.

2. The days of talking AT people are gone. Old school marketing = tell them you're the biggest and the best and they'll buy your products. Social Media marketing = develop relationships within your community and maybe they'll keep your products in their consideration set.

3. You can run, but you can't hide! "Transparency" is a word that gets bounced around a lot in the world of social media, and it basically means that being open and honest with your audience is much more conducive to building relationships than trying to keep things from them. Tell 'em where that tulip comes from and how you grow it. They'll thank you for it.

4. We're in this together, folks. The more we as farmers, whether harvesting carrots or irises, work together to share our stories, the stronger we as an overall industry become. Rather than focusing on other farms, think of your competition today as all of those voices on the web that might be speaking out against what your industry is trying to accomplish. Now set the public straight by telling them the truth about what you do! 

5. The more we talk, the more they'll listen. I'm particularly fond of this idea, since talking is one of my favorite pastimes. But what this basically means is that more social media content produced by California farmers equates to more opportunities for our consumers to get to know us. The more they know us, the more they like us! So let's get talking!

There were several more social media tips and tricks that I learned from this workshop, but these were the overarching themes that I felt were most relevant to the California farming industry as a whole. Thank you to Know a California Farmer for the education and inspiration!


Now tell me, what's your farming story?

Jun 18, 2011

Lily's Boots: Flowers, boots and the Miami heat


I'm here in the midst of the third and final day of the International Floriculture Expo - Miami edition. I have been preparing for this event for what feels like a very long time, and while I think i was well-prepared for the goings-on in our booth, I was in no way prepared for the floral extravaganza that is the IFE: the Disneyland for floral enthusiasts, the Mecca of all things new and remarkable in the floral industry, the land where working is downright fun.

Of course it was great for the reasons I had anticipated: yesterday’s ceremony in which Lane named a lily for Stan Pohmer; featuring our fantastic flowers using materials from the farm (auction cart shelves, conveyor belt floor, greenhouse pipe chandelier); formally introducing All-In-One Vases and Upscale Vase Arrangements, and raffling off the much-coveted iPad2’s.

But here are some of the things that one simply can’t plan for or anticipate that made this show truly fantastic:

First of all, our team reconnected with old industry friends, and I got to make a lot of new ones. Maybe there’s something to this whole “flowers make you happy” thing because people within the floral industry are genuinely friendly and pleasant to be around – easy to befriend.

Second, I get to spend time with our flowers from the time they are babies until they are ready to make their way into the world on a daily basis, but here I get to see them in the world! Buckets upon buckets fully loaded with flowers are simply a stunning sight. It’s hard to say whether the two cartloads of Telstar Iris, the rainbow of soil-grown tulips, or the whole corner devoted to Lilies of all varieties (Royals, Lilytopias, Rose Lilies, oh my!) were more magnificent to take in. “Power in numbers” hit home with this display.

One last-minute inspired idea came to Lane last night when we found ourselves with a few extra tulips at the end of the day. He and another team member ended up handing out several bunches of tulips to unsuspecting people strolling around South Beach. Aside from a few “what’s the catch?” looks from suspicious passers-by, a lot of people walked away with bonus flowers and bonus smiles.



This morning’s highlight was getting a sneak peak of Rene van Rems’ new book Rene’s Bouquets for Brides, which is filled with creative and captivating wedding bouquets – some classic, some contemporary, and all made from flowers grown within the U.S. The photography perfectly captures the wide range of bouquets and “brides,” which a) make me want to get married one day so I can carry one of those masterpieces down the isle, and b) remind me that floral design of the caliber is a scientific art that is better left to the experts! For more information on Rene and his book, please click here. 

Finally, the icing on the IFE cake for me was the fact that our booth tied for Best Booth Design for the show. I think that the tulips-in-boots chandelier was a big hit, and the farm-like feel of the booth really resonated with people. The stunning flowers just might have had a little something to do with it as well. ;) (And yes, I wore my boots during the entire show along with my fellow team members!)


 Overall, this has been an amazing experience and one that I hope to repeat again and again. I couldn't possibly write about everything that I've experienced during this show (because you would eventually become overwhelmed or lose interest in my rambling), but let me say I'm humbled by the amount work that has gone into making this thriving floriculture industry into what it is today, and I'm happy to have met some of the folks who've contributed to it. Until next time, it's been a pleasure! 



May 14, 2011

Floral Knowledge= Lifetime of Enjoyment

Did you know that you should leave the bulb on the stem of a Hyacinth when you put it in a vase?  The basal plate at the bottom of the bulb continues to absorb water and nutrients and can prolong the beautiful blooms even longer.
Did you also know that Hyacinth has a powerful, sweet fragrance that's reminiscent of gardenia or plumeria?
hyacinth on the bulb basal plate
Well, I didn't either!

But I do now.  This little tidbit of floral education is just one of the many perks that happened when I joined the team at Sun Valley. I came into this business bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, with an average appreciation for flowers and a black thumb to boot. But all the flower knowledge I've gained has converted me into an avid lover of flowers and even inspired me to grow my own garden.

Through my personal transformation into a floral butterfly, I see an opportunity for the rest of the floral industry:

Gift a person flowers, they have a flowers for a week.  Teach them about flowers, and they enjoy them for a lifetime.

Like the old fishing adage, we can appeal to those who aren't already in love with flowers by educating them. Reach them by teaching them!

I'm walking (and talking) proof that an otherwise non-committal window shopper can be converted into a regular floral consumer just by learning a bit more about those pretty little mood enhancers. My romance with flowers is directly correlated to my increasing knowledge about them. And the more I know, the more I want to learn. The more I learn, the more I love flowers! This principle can be applied to all potential floral consumers. The tricky part is understanding what exactly they need or want to know to make the same transition.



People don't want to be left in the dark.  They want to know where their flowers come from, how they're grown and where they end up.  This is one of the reasons why the #Americangrown and #CAgrown movement, along with the Field-to-Vase aesthetic, is so strong.

In addition to farming and growing practices, there is A LOT to know about flowers.  Six months ago I certainly couldn't have told you what each flower symbolizes, their history, their country of origin, or which ones were appropriate for certain occasions. On top of that, there are the more practical educational bits, such as: what prolongs vase life, which ones smell the strongest, and what the heck is Lisianthus, anyways?
Lisianthus
THIS is a lisianthus!

That's why it is important to reach out and offer information, photos, and educational tidbits about the flowers that we already love so much. These educational bites can be as simple as flower care tips or as complicated as a breakdown of the year-round tulip growing process. The point is to give people a sense of floral competency through the acquisition of knowledge.
 

Let's go one step further than telling people that flowers are great. Let's teach them about flowers, so they can bloom into flower enthusiasts as well!






If you have any questions about flowers, please let me know in the Comments!

May 5, 2011

Lily's Boots: The Chill from LAX to MIA


As promised last Friday, I am going to share a little ditty about my adventures in the Miami heat. Except I came to find that "Miami heat" may not be the best way to describe my adventures...

Last weekend, I left sunny Southern California for sunny Miami, from Bouquet Land to Flower Inspection Central. I traveled from arid heat to intense humidity to help inspect floral products going in and out of Miami, and here's what struck me as odd: I was cold. The whole time.

Cold weather boots
I needed a hoodie in the Sun Pacific Bouquet Department, and I added a jacket, gloves and warmer boots when I got to the distribution center in Miami. Fully swathed in cold weather gear, I worked with a team of floral reps to inspect flowers coming in from all over the globe, especially Colombia and Ecuador, and of course from Sun Valley. We spent a few hours opening boxes and pulling out bouquets, bunches and greens to inspect for quality issues, such as mold or bortrytis. I'm happy to report that we found nearly zero, nada, zilch issues with the products, which were most likely destined for deserving mothers. I'm also happy to say that we were able to take a few breaks to get out into the Miami sun, as we were downright cold in there!

Yet it turns out that being cold is a very, very good thing. For flowers, that is.

Just like a wheel of Gouda, flowers greatly benefit from staying cold from their inception to their reception. Playing it cool from farm to shop shelf ensures longer vase life and better floral quality, ultimately resulting in higher consumer satisfaction. This is why you'll hear phrases like "cold chain management" and "refrigerated trucking" a lot when listening in on a conversation about flower distribution. It's also why you'll find yourself in a chilly warehouse working in a Bouquet Department or in a nearly freezing DC inspecting floral products.

It's one thing to talk about cold chain management in theory, but it's quite another to actually experience two crucial (and chilly) steps of the process in person. My boots and I flew from one coast to the other to do just that.

Which is why I was so cold. The whole time.




For more information about cold chain managment click here.

Got a story about how cold chain management has affected your floral business (either positively or negatively)? Share it in the Comments!

Apr 27, 2011

Administrative Professionals Day, EVERY day

This year, in the wake of the economic recession and subsequent downsizing throughout the world, Administrative Professionals Day is celebrating ALL office professionals, whose tasks likely increased as office budgets tightened. These people are wearing more proverbial hats and working harder than ever to help achieve the their companies' goals. They rightfully deserve some recognition. And in some realms, they're getting it.

Someone somewhere has taken it upon himself to honor these hardworking people from one day per year to one whole week... out of 52 weeks. This is certainly a great thing, don't get me wrong. But here's what I don't get:

Why aren't we celebrating our administrative professionals every day? And what can we, the floral industry, do to 1) take this from a secondary floral holiday to a major one and 2) take this concept into the rest of the year?

I know many of us do some types of small promotions to drive floral sales for this special time of year, but perhaps we need a little more umph to really drive the industry. Maybe we need more advertising; maybe the day (or week) itself needs more awareness built up again; or maybe we need to talk directly to the HR director of every Fortune 500 company and remind them that happy, valued employees are good employees.

Whatever the magic solution may be, those of us in the flower business should work together to make sure that admin everywhere are feeling valued EVERY day.

And what better way to make them feel valued than with flowers?




To our Sun Valley Team Members, we salute you!

Got any ideas on how to take Administrative Professionals Day to the next floral level? Let me know here in the comments!
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