Flowers are all about Experience

Flowers are all about Experience

camera Emerson experience flower experience flower power flowers kids and flowers Thoreau

“Where the most beautiful wild flowers grow, there mans spirit is fed and poets grow.”
                                                                                       -Henry David Thoreau

Working with flowers all day we sometimes forget the magic they possess. It only takes a child‘s wonder to remind you.

Last week a neighbor handed down an outdated digital camera to our 6 year old. Immediately, we had to go on a photo safari across the neighborhood. I was happy to oblige and off we went, my son clicking away at whatever caught his eye.  I decided not to intervene with my expert advice and just see what we came back with…this was harder than it sounds!

A couple gigabytes later, we returned home and stuck the memory card in the computer. What happened next was truly surprising. Literally, 100 percent of the photos were of flowers. Not just big bloomed dahlias and poppies leaning out to the curb, but tiny flowers on a bush, which I’d never noticed, dandelions in a neighbor’s unkempt yard, little scruffy blooms on ornamental foliages;  nothing else seemed to captivate his attention.

We all start with this intrinsic fascination with flowers. It’s hard wired in to our being. The cyclic nature of cultural trends, leads to this attraction coming back into vogue again and again. Whether it was Thoreau and Emerson turning their backs on the conforming demands of society to find simplicity in nature, or hippies of the 60’s finding solace and peace in “flower power.” We are currently on the edge of a resurgence of this idea, as millennials push back on the disposable culture embraced by their parents and embrace the idea that experiences are more valuable than material possessions.

Flowers are all about the experience. Sure, they are doing a biological action to reproduce, but the flair with which they accomplish this act is truly amazing.  They draw you in and demand your attention.

Is anything on earth as universally loved and appreciated as flowers?

Perhaps this is why we share them in joy and in sorrow and why we cultivate them in our gardens and pick up an eye catching bouquet at the store.  This is why we name our children after them, hang paintings of them on our walls, and even use them as screen savers on our computers, and why when a child is given a camera and freedom, the first thing they photograph is a flower.

We all need the experience flowers give us.

*All photos taken by a six year old.

Fading flowers

Fading flowers

flowers

Fading sunflowers remind me of Grandma's old summer dresses hanging out to dry on a clothesline, faded by the sun.   They have seen a better day.

On these late summer days, I walk through the garden deciding which flowers to deadhead and which to let fade to a lovely aged patina, befitting a fall garden.

How do I decide what to cut and what to leave alone?

At this point, I'm deadheading

What's the Story Behind Your Flowers?

What's the Story Behind Your Flowers?

#americangrown dinner party entertaining field to fork field to vase flowers J Schwanke Tulips uBloom

"At a dinner party one should eat wisely but not too well, and talk well but not too wisely.
                                                                                                             -W.  Somerset Maugham

They say you eat with your eyes first. The appearance of food plated at a restaurant or at home is the first experience a diner has with the meal, long before smell, and even longer before taste.

Amber Waves

However, I would argue that the experience starts before that. The table, the room, the music, the conversation and of course, the flowers, all compliment or detract from the food. These impact our senses before the food or drink is served. It is ironic that people throw a “dinner party,” when really it could be an “ambiance party” or a “flower party” or even a “conversation party.”

Redwood Tulips

With the Field To Fork movement about as hip as dinner can get right now, and the Field To Vase movement close on its heels, we are lucky to experience this wave of farmers market inspired dinners and flowers, this didn’t exist ten years ago.

The interesting thing about flowers as a centerpiece, arranged around the room or in the kitchen is that as the food gets eaten, wine bottles get emptied, plates cleared and conversation creates its own path among friends and family, what stays on the table?

 The flowers.

Tulip Dream

Chairs get pushed back, napkins folder into odd shapes, candles burn down, but the flowers remain. It is the flowers that stay as the focal, starting before the food comes and remaining after the waiter has brought the check, or your host has stacked the plates in the sink.

The flowers often become a conversation piece in themselves, and especially now, as the story of where your flowers came from is just as important as who grew your lettuce or vinted your wine. Do you know your flower farmer personally? Do you know the farm where they grew?  Are they grown in the United States?

Hot Property

Perhaps a good dinner party is really a “story party,” since this is what we talk about, the story of the recipe you used on the wild caught California Salmon, or perhaps how you developed the drink recipe for your signature cocktail, maybe how you toured the vineyard of the wine you are pouring.  Sure, we talk about family, work and topics of the day, but when you throw a dinner party you are sharing your home, your passions and your knowledge with your guests.
 
Make sure you have the story of your flowers in your repertoire, your guest will surely ask where they came from.

A big thanks to J Schwanke of uBloom.com for all the wonderful flower arrangements in this post.

The Controversial Violet

The Controversial Violet

flowers

Viola sp. grown from seed many years ago. 

Oh, the controversy over violets!

There are some people who consider violets of any species to be lawn and garden weeds which should be pulled out, or worse, obliterated with herbicides.

There are others, and I am in this group  of others, who think violets are the most charming of flowers, which should be allowed to flourish just about any place

Ode to Lawn Flowers

Ode to Lawn Flowers

fairies flowers lawns

Chionodoxa

I'm quite pleased with how the Chionodoxa have begun to flower in the lawn just as the Crocus are beginning to fade.

I like them so much I finally learned how to pronounce the name Chionodoxa - "key-own-a-dox-ah".

Or glory of the snow, if you prefer, but there is no snow around here so it seems to be a rather odd common name.

Key-own-a-dox-ah.

Most of what I planted last fall

Agriculture Business Ideas

Agriculture Business Ideas

Agri business agriculture business tips basket production bee keeping business ideas cashew nuts farming flowers hatchery organic vegetable farming

Agriculture Business requires knowledge of farming practices as well as some experience in developing a business.  If done properly Agriculture Businesses are the most lucrative business in this world.

Agriculture Business can be started in low-cost with some training.  Find below the methods to make money from Agriculture Business in short period.

Livestock Feed

Now a day’s lot of people are going for livestock farming like Pig Farming, Goat Farming, Cow Farming, Fish Farming and Poultry Farming.  As a smart business man you can start supplying the feed to the people to feed their livestock.  Ensure by research you are supplying the feed with rich nutrients that helps to grow their livestock healthy.

To start this business you need Grinding Machine, Weighing Machine, Packing Bags and Raw Materials for Production.

See also drip irrigation

Cashew Nuts and Ground Nut Processing

Raw Cashew Nuts and Ground Nuts are available in village farms and markets.  You can purchase them at low price and sell at profit by proper processing and packing.

Vegetable Farming

Mushroom Farming is a highly profitable business that can fetch you more than 300%.  Space is the key for Mushroom Farming, if available then you can have your own farm and supply it to Pharma Industries, Restaurants etc., If you are doing it in a big scale you can even export it to other countries.

Soya bean which is rich in nutrients can be grown and supplied in the market.  People with health conscious would definitely buy this.

Like this you can choose vegetables in demand and grow in your farm for commercial purpose.  Capital required to start this Agriculture Business is Very Low.

Flowers and Herbal Plants

Plants are the basis for Home, Landscape and Gardens. If you have space in your garden, growing different types of plants, herbs and sell them to make money

See also Sprinkler Irrigation

Coconut Juice

Coconut Flavor is a distinctive addition to sweet and savory recipes.  With proper business plan, packing and quantity you can sell to supermarkets with your brand name.  Good Marketing plan will fetch you lot of money in this business.

Flour Milling

By converting grains like Wheat, Millet, and Corns in to flour you can start your own Flour Milling business.  If you don’t have space, you can rent a small space and start from there and as your business expands, you can opt for a larger space.

Agriculture Brokerage

If you have good network, you can connect the growers with buyers and get commissions paid. No Investment Required.

Organic Farming

People are now showing more interest in Organic Foods.  Organic Fruits and Vegetable are appealing.  Farmers are selling their organic produce to hotels and restaurants.  

Running Organic farm needs special Skills, Equipment’s and Fertilizer.  It takes more time to combat Weeds and Bug Infestations according to strict Organic Standards

See also Mulching Sheets

Selling Fruit Juices

People dislike artificial juices because of the additives and slowly turning towards Fresh and Natural juice which is rich in Vitamins. If you have blenders and extractors, then there is a huge opportunity to make money.

Bee Keeping

Honey is manufactured in Beehives. Pure honey has more commercial value than artificial honey. One liter of pure honey will fetch you between Rs.1000 – 2000.  In village farms people are selling pure honey you can buy it, process and pack it in an attractive way to make money. 

See also Goat Farming

Basket Production

Baskets are produced in various sizes.  Farmers use this for packing and storing agricultural products.  It is made from palm front and leaves to finished products for economic and commercial gains.

Hatchery

Selling baby chicks is one of much profitable Agricultural business. They can provide a family with egg, meat or both.  Your job is to have enough egg laying hens, incubate them and sell when they hatch. You can also distribute the chicks to supply stores to make money.

2 Woman's Day Marketing Themes

2 Woman's Day Marketing Themes

#American Grown Flowers #americangrown #OriginMatters #WomensDay flowers March 8 2015 Women's Day 2015

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.  

                                  ~John F. Kennedy

Women’s Day is March 8 and is fast approaching. What is your organization doing to benefit from this groundswell movement? Momentum has been building for the last several years and now the holiday is hitting its stride. Here are two themes on which to focus your marketing efforts.

Honor. The act of honoring someone is perhaps a lost art. Women’s Day aims to bring this idea back into vogue by creating a time and place for people to honor those who have touched their lives. Other flower-giving occasions do this, but it is usually directed at a specific person, like your mother. On Women’s Day you are free to honor your teachers, your mentors, your colleagues and even your siblings or children. Both women and men can participate in this idea of recognizing a special person in their life with flowers. This sentiment resonates strongly with consumers since people need to feel connected and people want to feel appreciated, and frankly both of these sentiments are in short supply in our day-to-day lives.

Respect. Who do you respect in your community? When do you get to show that admiration? For me, it is my son’s schoolteacher. I cannot fathom how she handles a room full of four-year olds with such grace and poise. Whether you are male or female, when you stop and think about the women in your life that you respect, the list gets long quickly. Encouraging consumers to show respect with flowers on March 8th creates positive feelings. We have an innate need to recognize the people who make our lives richer. The ironic part is that many of the women we respect the most may not even realize that we hold them in such high esteem. A simple bunch of tulips on Women’s Day can change this paradigm.

This holiday is a low-pressure, easy-to-manage way to honor and respect those individuals in our lives who matter; those women who make our lives better.


Sun Valley is offering Woman's Day specials on Tulips and Bouquets, so check in with your sales rep.


At store level, this is truly a feel-good event. A few stems of springy iris, or some fragrant lily blooms, are all you need. You can even encourage shoppers to buy bunches of flowers and hand out stems over the course of the day. A single tulip can speak volumes.

Women’s Day lacks the pretense of other flower holidays and, because it happens in spring, flowers are already on consumers’ minds. Talk to your floral departments and make sure they are aware that Women’s Day is on the horizon and that they are engaging customers leading up to March 8 — it will definitely increase sales.

The much-maligned phrase, “it’s the thought that counts,” actually comes to fruition for Women’s Day. The very act of getting some flowers for the women in your life shows that you both honor and respect the value that they bring to your life.

To learn more, visit Sun Valley's Woman's Day Resource Page.

This article is reprinted in part from the Produce News.