| | American Flowers Week Report | |
Flower 'fro designed by Susan McLeary of Passionflower Events. Model: Monique Montri Photography: Amanda Dumouchelle |
| Success! It's no exaggeration to say that American Flowers Week was a big success. By one measure, the 2016 celebration exceeded last year's by three times the engagement -- from 410,000 impressions on Instagram and Twitter in 2015 to 1.3 million impressions for this year. And that's not counting the Facebook posts, the blogs and news articles, the promotions at grocery and the amazing support from the Slow Flowers Community. We couldn't be happier with the attention that a simple, week-long celebration of domestic and local flowers brought to the American grown cause. Thank you to everyone who participated:
- More than 1,000 Instagram and Twitter posts tagged #americanflowersweek
- More than 100 flower farmers and florists shared photos of their red-white-and-blue (and other colorful) AFW bouquets
- Two florists taught American Flowers Week design workshops in their communities
- Writers penned two news articles and dozens of blog posts
- Florists and flower farmers added thousands of American Flowers Week stickers to their bouquets and bunches for CSAs, farmers market stalls and their retail outlets
- Grocery stores in Oregon, Washington and Maryland used signage and special displays to promote locally-grown flowers to their customers
- Four sponsors supported American Flowers Week by posting, blogging and promoting the campaign to their customers.
- Sixteen gifts were donated for our 50 States of American Grown Flowers drawing
A sweet, fragrant and beautiful time was had by all! As the momentum grows for American Flowers Week, we're already collecting ideas for 2017. Your suggestions and ideas are welcome! Email info@slowflowers.com to share yours.
P.S. With Canada Day occurring each year on July 1st, we'd like to launch #canadianflowersweek to help our Slowflowers.com members in Canada promote domestic flowers. Get in touch if you're interesting in serving on a planning committee for that campaign. | | |
| | Storytelling about Slow Flowers Members
Here's a roundup of some of the stories popping up! If you've been featured in an article or blog about Slow Flowers, please be sure to share that link with us!
Cultivating Place host and producer Jennifer Jewell interviews Debra Prinzing for her radio show on North State Public Radio
The Journal News (Hudson Valley) publishes "Slow Flower Movement blooms in Lower Hudson Valley," featuring member Gloria Collins of GBC Style. | | |
| | Out and About with Slow Flowers | |
| | Stars of the Meadow Flower Farm
Local Flowers Showcased at a NEW Festival in NYC
According to Anna Morrison of The Battery Conservancy:
"We started out planning this Fair after reading the article about Slow Flowers in Modern Farmer and thinking about the connections between horticulture and agriculture in our own park. Your work is such an inspiration and we would be very happy if you would pass along the opportunity to members in the Northeast region. As this is our first of many seasonal market fairs, we are not charging any fees to the vendor nor a percent of sales."
This marketing-promotion opportunity invited Slow Flowers members -- flower farmers and florists alike -- to display and sell their local flowers at the June 25-26 Battery Park Fair. Several members participated, including Marybeth Wehrung of Stars of the Meadow Flower Farm in lower Hudson Valley. Thanks to Marybeth for taking the lead to promoteAmerican Flowers Week and Slow Flowers.
Marybeth shared a gallery of photos on Facebook and she and others posted to Instagram (see below). Thanks to everyone who brought local flowers to NYC! The Slow Flowers message is being heard and received with enthusiasm!
Williams Wildflowers NY
Tiny Hearts Farm April Flowers | | |
| | Slow Flowers Creative Workshops | |
| | You're Invited to TWO UPCOMING SLOW FLOWERS EVENTS We've teamed up with two amazing floral design educators to offer a different type of workshop geared to helping floral creatives clarify, document and communicate a personal and artistic message that differentiates you in the crowded marketplace. In a safe, supportive and intimate setting, our small group workshops are devoted to YOU! We’ll go deep into Slow Flowers “brand building” as each participant finds his or her own voice as a floral storyteller. Here is what we will cover: - Evoke and express your personal story as a creative individual
- Play with words to describe the natural world’s color, texture and form
- Tell your Flower Memoir as Metaphor for your Brand
- Flex your Sensory Muscles
- Brand development capturing key distinctives in words and images that define you
- Storytelling in a media pitch — learn how to be a resource for targeted media
On October 17-18th, Debra will team up with Dundee Butcher of Russian River Flower School in Healdsburg, CA for an in-depth 2-day Slow Flowers Creative Workshop that includes the topics covered above, plus an on-camera VIDEO component. You'll bring home new tools for your own brand-building, as well as a professionally-produced video clip to use on your web site and social media and record an interview with Debra for the Slow Flowers Podcast. Your investment: $1,200 for the 2-day workshop. | | |
| | Meet me at Upcoming Field to Vase Dinners
Slow Flowers is a co-sponsor of the Field to Vase Dinner Tour 2016 and many of the featured flower farms and floral designers are Slowflowers.com members.
Founder Debra Prinzing is a co-host of these lovely experiences, held in greenhouses and flower farms across the U.S.
There are four more events on the 2016 Calendar so get ready to dine among the flowers and celebrate the value of seasonal, local and domestic flowers! | | |
| | Let's meet at a Slow Flowers Meetup | |
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