California Grown Flowers Newsletter

Back to Top First American Grown F2V Dinner a Hit in Minnesota  The 2017 American Grown Field to Vase Dinner Tour launched to a sold-out crowd March 11 in Plymouth, Minnesota. Held inside the greenhouses at Len Busch Roses, guests were wowed by towering centerpieces, floral chandeliers and swag bags filled with beautiful flowers and gifts. Photography by Electric Lime Photography. Many firsts for this year's tour took place at this the first stop of seven in 2017, including a VIP Farm Tour with farmer Patrick Busch and the option to choose a piece of floral art (think flower crowns and boutonnieres) at the entrance to the event.  Patrick Busch (left) and his father, Len Busch of Len Busch Roses. Photography by Electric Lime Photography. During the event, host Busch charmed guests with a moving presentation in which he introduced Len Busch Roses' founder, his father, Len Busch. And floral designer Sandy Schroeck captivated guests with a DIY floral arrangement demonstration. Sandy Schroeck shares floral design tips with guests  of the Plymouth Field to Vase Dinner. Photography by Electric Lime Photography. Featured chef Rob Lang of Common Roots Catering delighted the taste buds of guests with a menu showcasing Minnesota's farm-to-fork best, including asparagus, lamb, butter lettuce, pork loin and mushroom tarts. Omni Brewing Co. provided the craft beer and Stargazer Barn provided the wine.  More beautiful photos from the American Grown Field to Vase Dinner at Len Busch Roses can be found on Certified American Grown's Flickr page.  Find out what guests are raving about and media are writing, blogging and broadcasting about by joining one of these magnificent flower filled dinners on America's most beautiful flower farms.         Back to Top Certified American Grown Flowers To Star Again at First Lady's Luncheon   For the second year in a row, Certified American Grown Flowers will take center stage at the First Lady's Luncheon to be held in May in Washington, D.C.  Last year, First Lady Michelle Obama addressed her guests from a stage filled with beautiful Certified American Grown Glowers. Kelly Shore An annual tradition since 1912, the luncheon is put on by The Congressional Club and attended by nearly 1,400 people. The Congressional Club is an organization representing the spouses of members of Congress, cabinet members and the Supreme Court.    Last year, Certified American Grown Flowers for the 160 centerpieces at the event came from California, Oregon, Washington, Florida and Virginia. This year, Certified American Grown will be working with a team of designers lead by Kelly  Margaret Lloyd Shore of Petals by Design, Margaret Lloydof Margaret Joan Florals and Christy Hulseyof The Colonial House of Flowers. The design team is currently working with the Congressional Club's luncheon committee on selecting the American Grown Flowers that will be used and working with farms who will be able supply those flowers in early May. "We have a great team coming together to help make this year's First Lady's Luncheon another beautiful success," explained  Christy Hulsey Certified American Grown Administrator Kasey Cronquist. "We appreciate the Congressional Club's commitment to source all American Grown Flowers for this wonderful tradition."   First Lady Melania Trump will soon select a nonprofit organization that will benefit from funds raised at the event. A portion of those funds will come from the auctioning off of the Certified American Grown Flower centerpieces.    Back to Top Let Consumers Know American Moms Want American Grown Flowers  Mother's Day May 14 presents an amazing opportunity to promote American Grown Flowers for America's moms. After all, it's a movement that's gaining the attention of consumers nationwide, as well as the New York Times which recently covered depth and breadth of the "floral revolution" supporting flowers grown here in the United States.      Origin does matter to Mom on Mother's Day. And according to the National Retail Federation, nearly two-thirds of people who observe Mothers' Day will be buying mom flowers. That means more than $2 billion in flower purchases. Kids love picking out flowers for mom for Mother's Day. Here are some tips for making the most of Mother's Day: Promote all American Grown arrangements for All-American moms. Consumer research reports that the "origin matters" message is appreciated. Offer special discounts on orders placed in April, before the rush. Target students - they've all got moms and high schoolers and college kids likely owe mom some attention and gratitude. Set up a kids design area where the littles can create their own bouquets for mom. Share all your promotions early and often on social media.  Have other ideas to help make the most of Mother's Day? Let us know!  June is California Grown Flowers Month!  What Will You Be Doing To Promote?  Last year, the California Legislature declared June to be "California Grown Flower Month." The resolution was put forth by Senator Mike McGuire who represents the state's 2nd Senate District. When announced, the resolution noted the designation was designed to recognize and honor the men and women of the California flower industry for their dedication and productivity. The resolution also recognized the flower industry's impact on the state's economy: creating 145,665 jobs, generating $12.2 billion in business activity and creating $1.1 billion in additional taxes. With June fast approaching, what will you do to celebrate or recognize California Grown Flowers month? Do you have ideas we can share on how you'll promote California Grown Flowers in June? CCFC has several promotions in the works in conjunction with retailers. We'll also be spreading the word through various communication channels and on social media.  Tell us what you have planned! We'd love to feature your efforts. Largest Delegation Ever for Annual Fly-in In the early days of March, the largest delegation of flower farmers ever assembled for a Washington, D.C. fly-in, met with lawmakers and representatives of the Trump administration to advocate for America's flower-farming families. The delegation included farmers from 10 states and 21 farms. Photography by Nony Park of Ken Pak Photography.   Organized by the California Cut Flower Commission in conjunction with the Certified American Grown Flowers program, the fly-in provided a myriad of opportunities for farmers to talk with lawmakers about how to remedy the challenges U.S. flower farmers are facing. Whether it is to support local jobs, retain the generational intelligence of American flower farmers, share improved sustainability efforts or to simply ensure that farmers can compete fairly with imported flowers from South America, highlighting the benefits of American Grown Flowers makes a difference. From left to right: Kasey Cronquist, CCFC CEO and Ambassador,  Benno Dobbe of Holland America Flowers, Dan Vordale of Ocean View Flowers, Congressman Salud Carbajal, David Van Wingerden  of Westland Orchids and Rene Van Wingerden of Ocean Breeze Int'l. Photography by Nony Park of Ken Pak Photography.   And the large delegation, armed with their stories, experience and some key messages, did an amazing job of serving as and spreading the "origin matters" message.  Flower farmer Betty Josyln of Josyln Peonies and Pamela Arnosky  of Texas Specialty Cut Flowers helped host a flower filled reception  on Capitol Hill during this year's annual fly-in. Photography by Nony Park of Ken Pak Photography. But the advocacy didn't end when the farmers returned home. Many took to social media to share their experience and to encourage even more flower farmers to get involved in advocacy.     Michael Genovese of Sumer Dreams Farm in Michigan  shared his fly-in experience on Facebook and Instagram. The fly-in was wildly successful, thanks to the dedication of the American flower farmers who participated and continued to spread the word through various channels. Rep. Jimmy Panetta Becomes Co-Chair of Cut Flower Caucus   Representative Jimmy Panetta has accepted the co-chair position for the Congressional Cut Flower Caucus and will be working to help advance the mission of the caucus on behalf of the flower farmers in his district and the rest of the country.  Representative Jimmy Panetta joins  the Congressional Cut Flower Caucus as co-chair. Photography by Nony Park of Ken Pak Photography.   Congressman Panetta was elected to the 20th District of California, replacing Congressman Sam Farr who retired at the end of 2016. The district includes flower farms in the Santa Cruz and Monterey region, once the largest producing region of cut flowers in the United States.   Since its inception in 2014, the Congressional Cut Flower Caucus has grown to include four co-chairs (two republicans and two democrats) and over 25 members of Congress. The caucus helps advocate and drive awareness for America's flower-farming families and the value they bring the economy and their communities.    If the Panetta name sounds familiar, it's because Congressman Panetta's father, Secretary Leon Panetta, also represented the district as a congressman and worked hard to try and level the playing field through legislation for flower farmers during the implementation of the Andean Trade Preferences Act in the early 90s.

California Cut Flower Commission, PO Box 90225, Santa Barbara, CA 93190-0225 SafeUnsubscribe™ ahapretty@gmail.com Forward this email | Update Profile | About our service provider Sent by kcronquist@ccfc.org in collaboration with Try it free today

Christina Burton-Fox AIFD floral artist & instructor